Not another boring brochure! Using Wiki’s for STSE projects

Eureka!
2012 TDSB Secondary Science Teacher’s Conference 

Friday February 17th 2012
Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute

Not another boring brochure! Using Wiki’s for STSE projects

Brandon Zoras
Science Teacher, Cedarbrae CI

Target: Common / General Interest / All course relevance ROOM # ‐ 222 KTL Ref: AM‐S1.06

This workshop will showcase past projects from my grade 9, 10, 11U & 12U Chemistry classes. It will highlight curriculum from 9/10 science and possible projects based on STSE / inquiry. There will be a tutorial on how to use wikispaces software: creating an account and imbedding videos, pictures and text into the site. There will be time to create accounts and pair in groups based on grade/subject. We will conclude with sharing experiences and exchanging sites for future collaboration. 

The above is the description for the one session workshop I will be leading at the TDSB Science Teacher Conference.  I am excited to be leading my first session in a conference for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I really want to see the use of technology expand into all teachers’ classrooms.  Yes, making posters and colouring brochures can have it’s place but when you can have the students creating wikis it is engaging and fun!

Having true web 2.0 in the classroom is having students create content and not just be the consumer of information.  Having students bring in prior knowledge and experiences into the class acknowledges them as partners in learning and not just a one way flow of information from teacher to student.  We can collaborate on a fluid document that can be used for a variety things.

Examples of Wikis I used:

Eco Club at Cedarbrae:
http://ecocare.wikispaces.com/

Grade 11 Chemistry Self Study Chapters: http://cedarbraechemistry.wikispaces.com/

Grade 9 Power Project
http://cedarbraescience.wikispaces.com/power+project