First steps to classification

I’m currently doing some work at the University of Bath which intends to create a matrix to classify the use of wikis in an educational context. Whilst researching any previous work in the area, I came across an essay I wrote during my MSc studies entitled: An exploration into the functionality and appropriateness of Wikis as an e-Learning tools in relation to learning goals and in the context of a Year 9 History scheme of work.

Following a literature, I constructed a detailed plan to embed the use of an e-Learning tool within a (real life) project where pupils would utilise wiki functionality to create a worksheet concerning the exploration of the history of the local area, and in particular, mining. This would be followed by a period of evaluation of the task. In terms of the assessment of the task, I came across a blog post by Ulises Mejias (2006), who explored a criteria for summative evaluation of wikis as a learning technology in higher education. As my example related to a secondary school class and a specific project, I adapted Mejias’ questions as appears below:

Quantitative Data ¦ Wiki-related (Mejias, 2006)

Volume

1. How many pages were created?
2. How many edits were made?
3. How was the creation of pages and edits distributed through the group?

Page Activity

1. Which pages were edited the most?
2. Which pages were edited the least?
3. What was the average number of times a page was edited?

Collaboration index

1. What was the average number of users that edited a page?
2. Which pages were edited by the most/least number of users?

Participation Index

1. How many edits and new pages are attributable to n segment of the class

In addition, the aim was follow up this first data collection stage with a small number of individual and group interviews with the pupils. An interview schedule could include questions such as:

Qualitative Questions

Unit-related

1. Can you show me a piece of work that you are particularly proud of and talk to me about it?
2. Did you find that working both individually and in groups increased your enjoyment of the ‘Year 9 Mines Unit’? Which type of working did you prefer and why?
3. What did you think of the role of the teacher during the entire unit? Did you have too much autonomy over your learning?

Wiki-related (Mejias,2006)

1. What pages or sections of the wiki did you find most valuable and why?
2. What pages or sections of the wiki did you find valuable and why?
3. What obstacles did you encounter during your participating in this wiki? Where those obstacles overcome? If so, how?
4. Do you feel the wiki contributed to the learning experience? How so?

Following Mejias’ work, the question remains, what is the most effective way to classify the use of wikis in an education context? I would assume that colleagues have not got time to conduct a series of interviews about how wikis were used in a particular context, and why the activity in the wiki followed the path that it did. In particular, the qualitative questions could yield useful data (for later analyses and interpret), but this needs to be collected in a easy, quick, and potentially “box ticking”, manner.