Compare and contrast blogs and wikis. Comment on the importance of convergence in today's networked world. How can blogs be used for collaboration? Can you think of a new use for a wiki that has not been done yet?
Not too long ago, communication consisted of handwritten letters, rotary phones and verbal shouts toward the neighboring window. More formal and widespread venues included television, concert halls, and newspapers. Presently this dynamic has changed; companies find their customers on a more intimate, one to one basis, while the everyday person can transmit ideas on platforms more akin to mass communication.
Perhaps the most traveled path through the browser today are blogs and wikis. These are similar to websites; an idea, a bit of code, and a browser will make the magic happen. Posts within both require a focus to keep the reader on topic, such as gardening, furniture, or art history, while one or more moderators add, edit, or remove content. Most blogs and wikis use basic programming languages such as HTML and allow for images, links, headers, and other resources. Contributions are usually open to comments from readers. Blogs and wikis are used by individuals however, businesses are finding these an inexpensive and easy way to reach several targeted customer bases en masse.
So why run a blog when you can use a wiki? The answer depends upon personal preference. Questions would include: Who is writing and why? Who are the readers and what do they seek to accomplish? How much time/energy does one want to invest in moderating? What is the level of involvement on the parts of the writers/readers? A blog contains entries written by one person or entity, contains a relatively single purpose, and often welcomes comments by readers. Posts are written and edited by the blog owner, appearing in order of recency. Wikis are by contrast more flexible and therefore vibrant in scope and topic. Anyone with a login can add and edit an entry based on his or perspective. This has caused controversy in recent years when a Wikipedia page describing a popular tennis player was edited to include derogatory statements read as facts due to the popularity of the service, although this behavior can now be detected and may carry serious consequences. Ideally however, wikis serve to inform, educate, and guide a reader toward valuable information. For example, internal corporate wikis are becoming more popular as employees seek to both learn and contribute in a collaborative group environment.
In sum, use a blog if you want a more one-to-one experience with a narrow topic range. Blogs help a person to share what they know and receive valuable feedback from those whom comment. Readers will benefit most from frequently updated postings on the subject and retain the option to peruse other blogs in the same vein. If the occasion calls for a more topically diverse yet informational tone, a wiki serves to communicate the ideas of many users and thus offers varying unique perspectives. Here's something-I'm currently trapped in a computer lab overnight in Boylan Hall trying to get a lot of work done, and loving every minute of it. I chose this curriculum after much research and consideration. It would be great if students could construct an education wiki to describe and compare schools in terms of cost, transfer credits, programs across different schools. This would not quite out guidance councilors out of business, but a wiki like this would help some students to envision an academic future beginning in high school.
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