Utilizing Wikis

What is a Wiki?

A wiki is an activity for collaborative work. A wiki page is a document everyone in your class can expand and edit. It is an effective method of compiling information on a specific subject quickly as a group.

Note: Wikis cannot be edited by more than one person at a given time. Moodle will not allow simultaneous access to edit a wiki.

Creating a Wiki

  1. Log in to your course and click Turn editing on.
  2. Select Wiki from the Add an activity drop-down menu. #1
  3. Choose a Name for your wiki. #2
  4. Type in a descriptive Summary for your wiki explaining to your students what you expect them to work on and achieve within the wiki.
  5. If you would like to create a class wiki where you and any student may edit the web page, choose Groups as the Type.

Note: Other options for wiki Type include a Student wiki (where each student has his/her own wiki) and the Teacher wiki (only the teacher may edit the wiki, but the students may view it).To learn about the other options please see the Advanced Wiki Settings page of this document.

  1. Click on Save and display
  2. This will take you to the first page of the wiki. Click on the Save button underneath the text box to initialize the wiki. #3

Note: Once a wiki is created, the titles and description for it cannot be changed.

Extra Steps for Group Wikis only:

  1. From the Other Wikis: drop-down select a group you have not yet started the page. #4
  2. This will take you to the first page of that group’s wiki. Here you may begin your students on their way or provide an extra prompt to them; Click on Save.
  3. Follow these steps for each group. When you have completed all groups the wiki becomes editable by students.

How to Edit an Existing Wiki

  1. Click on the link of the Wiki to be edited.
  2. Click on the Edit tab. #1
  3. Make any changes to the Wiki and click Save.

Note:It is good practice to always preview changes that you have made before saving them.

 

Uploading and Inserting Images

  1. Click on the Edit tab. #1

  2. Click anywhere within the text box and click on the Insert Image icon: w4. #2

  3. Locate the file on your computer that you wish to add and click on it (for step-by-step instructions on how to upload a file in your course, refer to the Instructor Orientation handout). #3

  4. Provide some Alternate text, which is a descriptive title for the image.

  5. Click OK. The image will appear in the text box.

  6. Click on Save.

Group Mode Setting

Group mode settings are available only after creation of the wiki when clicking on the Update this Wiki button.

Group Settings Explained