What is QwikiWiki

In recent years, the field of education has discovered the educational value of social interaction technologies, including wikis. However, a lack of conceptual understanding and operationalization of wiki use has prevented a more extensive adoption of this collaborative technology by educational institutions. The present chapter provides insights into the functionality of wikis and their educational implications for higher education. The authors contend that a conceptualization of wiki use in the classroom context can be derived from a typology of online interactive pedagogies. The proposed conceptualization is based on the assumption that certain kinds of wiki-related activities correspond to certain levels of classroom interactions; namely, social interaction, general discussion, topic focused discussion, and collaborative activities. Additionally, group size and task complexity should be considered as criteria for wiki implementation. The main premise of the chapter is that the instructional use of wiki-based classroom technologies can enhance student learning.