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Wiki Tool

What is a wiki?

A wiki is a website that allows users to add and edit content collectively. Each student can add content, edit other students' contributions, and change the wiki design. A history of the revisions is maintained and accessible if students want to revert back to a previous version of a wiki page. Determining what and how much to add or revise is part of the group process. The wiki can only be accessed by members of the Blackboard course; however, if the instructor and students want to show the wiki to people who cannot access their Blackboard course, the wiki may be exported for hosting as a regular website.

Please view the guide below to learn how to use the Wiki tool in Blackboard. To learn more about using wikis, or to find answers to questions not covered in this section, follow the link below.

http://www.learningobjects.com/knowledgebase.jsp

Supplemental Document:

Keywords: Wiki ID: 352 Created: Feb 20, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How do I add a video to a wiki?

1. Edit a page in the wiki where the media file should be added.

2. Upload the media file via the Upload button in the rich text editor.

3. Save the page.

4. Right-click on the newly-upload file and copy its URL.

5. Edit the wiki page.

6. Click the Embed Media button in the rich text editor.

7. Paste the URL you copied into the "URL" field. NOTE: In versions of Campus Pack prior to 2.7.9, this field may be labeled "File" instead of "URL."

8. Set the dimensions of your movie and select the appropriate media type.

9. Click the insert button.

10. Save the page.

11. Check that the upload file is working.

12. To clean up the page, edit the page again and delete the link to the uploaded file, as it does not need to remain.

Keywords: video wiki ID: 376 Created: Mar 5, 2008

How do I change the configurations for the central course wiki?

By default, the instructor is the only one who can edit the Central Course Wiki. To change settings for this wiki, the instructor uses the Configure Wiki Tool.

1. Click Control Panel>Configure Wiki Tool.

2. Select editing option. Choose "No" if the instructor will be the only person editing or creating pages. Choose "Yes" if students can participate.

3. Select purge control. Choose "Yes" if students are allowed to delete pages.

4. Select comment control. Select "Nobody" to turn off the comments function, "Instructor Only" if the instructor will be the only person adding comments, or "Everyone in Course" if students will also participate.

5. Choose wiki editing dates and view dates.

6. Select how students will be identified. If students are posting to the wiki, use this option to specify how their names will appear on the screen.

7. Choose a text direction. If you use a language that is read right-to-left, set the text direction.

Keywords: change course wiki configurations ID: 377 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How do I create a group wiki?

Group wikis are added in content areas such as Assignments or Course Documents.

1. Go to the course Control Panel.

2. Choose a content area (i.e. Course Documents or Assignments) or create a new one.

3. Select the "Wiki" item from list in the right corner of the action bar.

4. Click the Go button which will connect to the Create Wiki page.

5. Enter a wiki name and description.

6. Select members who will create the wiki. Wikis can be made available to either individuals or course groups.

7. Select content visibility. Choose "No" if the instructor will be the only person editing or creating pages. Choose "Yes" if students can participate.

8. Select purge control. Choose "Yes" if students are allowed to delete pages.

9. Select comment control: Select "Nobody" to turn off the comments function, "Instructor Only"
if the instructor will be the only person adding comments, or "Everyone in Course" if students
will also participate.

10. Choose wiki editing dates and view dates.

11. Create a Gradebook entry. If the wiki will be graded, complete this option.

12. Choose a text direction. If you use a language that is read right-to-left, set the text direction.

http://ctl.du.edu/support/blackboard/docs/ConfiguringWiki.pdf

Keywords: create group wiki ID: 378 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Sep 24, 2009

How many Wikis can be added to a course?

Each course has one Central Course Wiki and an unlimited number of Group Wikis.

Keywords: wiki course ID: 379 Created: Mar 5, 2008

Can I assess group participation in a wiki?

A wiki provides a course tool to help instructors assess the group project work they have assigned. This tool allows an instructor to view the individual contributions of each student and to track the evolution of a group's response during the problem-solving process.

Selecting Participant Detail and Change History

1. Click the View Participation button for a wiki.

2. Select the View Detail button for a participant.

3. Select the See Change History button for a page to review the
revision history.

4. Select the View Diff button for a version of the page.

5. To view a previous version, click the Prev Diff button if applicable.

6. To view a newer version, click the Next Diff button if applicable.

Keywords: group participation wiki assess ID: 380 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How can I review changes that have been made to a course wiki?

Reviewing history allows you to view all the revisions made to any wiki
page, to compare changes between different versions of the page, and to
revert to any previous version.

For example:
- Green highlight indicates text has been added

- Yellow highlight indicates text has been modified

- Red highlight and strikethrough indicate has been deleted

Steps to view changes:

1. Select a course.

2. Click a content area link in the course menu frame to locate a wiki.

3. Click the View link for the wiki.

4. In the History link in the wiki sidebar.

Keywords: review changes course wiki ID: 381 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How can I view comments that have already been made to the wiki?

Steps:

1. Select a course.

2. Click a content area link in the course menu frame.

3. Click the View link for the wiki.

4. Scroll to the bottom of the wiki.

5. Click the Comments link.

Keywords: view comments wiki ID: 382 Created: Mar 5, 2008

How do I add comments to the wiki?

Steps:

1. Select a course.

2. Click a content area link in the course menu frame.

3. Click the View link for the wiki.

4. Click the Comments link.
Enter the comments into the text box.

5. Click the Add Comment button.

Keywords: add comments wiki ID: 383 Created: Mar 5, 2008

How do I add a hyperlink to a wiki?

Steps:

1. Enter a course.

2. Click a content area link in the course menu frame to locate a wiki.

3. Click the View link for the wiki.

4. Click the Edit link in the wiki sidebar.

5. Highlight the text that you want to link to hyperlink. Click Hyperlink button.

- If the link is to a new internal page, select the Link to a new page option and enter the page name in the Page Name field. This action creates the new page and the link to that page.

- If the link is to a page that was created previously, select the Link to an existing page option and select the page from the list of pages.

- If the link is to an external web site, select the Link to an external web site option and enter the address in the URL field.

5. Click the Insert button.

6. If done, click the Save button.

Keywords: add hyperlink wiki ID: 384 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How do I add an image to a wiki?

Steps to add an image from an external website:

1. Enter a course and click the content area link where your wiki is located.

2. Click the View link for the wiki.

3. Click the Edit link in the wiki sidebar.

4. Click the tree icon.

5. Select to Include an image from an external web site option. (To get a URL from a website image, right click on the image and select Properties.)

6. Copy the address in the URL field.

7. Enter a description in the alt text field.

8. Click the Upload button.

9. Click Save.

Steps to add images from your computer:

1. Enter a course and click the content area link where your wiki is located.

2. Click the View link for the wiki.

3. Click the Edit link in the wiki sidebar.

4. Click the tree icon.

5. Select to Upload an image and click the Browse button.

4. Select the image to upload.

5. Enter a description in the alt text field.

6. Click the Upload button.

7. Click the Insert button.

8. Click Save.

Keywords: add image wiki ID: 385 Created: Mar 5, 2008 / Modified: Mar 5, 2008

How do I create a course wiki?

Steps:

1. Enter a course and click on a content area.

2. Click the Edit View link.

3. Select Wiki from the dropdown menu. Click Go.

4. Enter the name of the wiki in the Name field.

5. Enter the description of the wiki in the Description field (if
desired).

3. If you want students to access the wiki, select Yes as the Make the
wiki available option.

Keywords: create course wiki ID: 386 Created: Mar 5, 2008

What is the difference between a course wiki and a group wiki?

Course wikis allow instructors and students to collaboratively build shared knowledge within courses. Course members can maintain an up-to-date, online course resource by authoring content, linking to external resources, contributing opinions and analysis, and re-framing existing content.

Group wikis allow instructors to create group assignments. Students work cooperatively to develop, write, and publish their solutions in the form of websites.

Keywords: course wiki grop wiki ID: 389 Created: Mar 5, 2008

How do I create a dynamic sign-up sheet in Blackboard?

The course wiki is an easy way to create student sign-up sheets for individual student or group presentations. Follow the steps below to quickly add a sign-up sheet to your Blackboard course:

1. In the control panel, click on the Configure Wiki Tool link under the Course Tools heading.
2. Select “Yes” to allow students to edit the wiki and then click submit.
3. Return to the main course menu, click on Course Tools and then Wiki Tool.
4. Click on the Edit link on the right to add instructions for your students and presentation sign-up date and time options.
5. Click Save.

Add a direct link to the wiki in the main navigation menu to make it easier for your students to locate the sign-up sheet. Click “Control Panel,” “Manage Course Menu,” “Tool Link,” and then select “Wiki Tool” under the area.

Keywords: signup sign-up presentations wiki ID: 397 Created: Nov 4, 2008