Lee Lefever has posted an excellent little guide–“Wikis Described in Plain English,” from which I will borrow liberally (giving him credit, of course!) when I talk to faculty about wikis in the future.
For a “technology” which is so simple, the wiki is surprisingly difficult to explain. Showing, of course, is better than telling, but it’s nice to have someone make such a clear and accessible effort at telling, too.
The “Scribbling Woman” says that she’s thinking of having students in an Intro to Lit class do a wiki–for a collaborative study guide. I’m not sure if that’s the way I’d want to use it–as my Intro to Lit doesn’t use exams, but papers instead. But I think she’s got a good point about the advantages for students of an ongoing effort and instant gratification.