Why write with wikis?

Abstract

Wikis are Web sites that anyone can easily edit. As a writing tool and space, wikis are designed to promote the collective voice over the individual voice, and in this chapter I explore the theoretical foundation and pedagogical implications of this form of collaborative writing. As wiki contributors collaborate and self-organize, wikis can become platforms for promoting information as well as social literacies. The process and products of wiki-use can illuminate the collective wisdom of crowds (Surowiecki, 2005) and provide an easily accessible and generative space for evolving new media pedagogies. I present five wikis in language and literature education contexts as examples of these theories in practice along with some recommendations and suggestions for more meaningful and effective integration of wikis into curricula.