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Mapping creative pedagogies in open wiki learning environments

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Abstract

As applied to education, creativity has become an increasingly common, yet often unattainable learning objective. Educators need innovative approaches and tools to effectively apply creative teaching practices. The present study aims to investigate how wiki methodologies can foster creative pedagogies. Wikis constitute a good candidate for stimulating creative teaching approaches. Indeed, they provide flexible and open environments which foster collaboration and students’ active participation. However, a gap remains in the literature regarding the relationship between wikis and creative pedagogies. In addition, the use of wikis by teachers and students as collaborative editing tools in today’s classroom has been scarcely studied. In this multiple case study, seven school teachers from different educational centres designed four scenarios mediated by wikis and applied them with 143 students. Using in-depth interviews and expert evaluations, we explored how creativity emerges while teaching and learning with wikis. Based on results, we propose a map of creative pedagogies that appeared as the most prominent in the context of wiki-based learning, together with their characteristic components. Namely, the emerging creative pedagogies are synergistic collaboration, learner-centred, knowledge connection and open-ended ethos. This mapping can be applied to different educational contexts, although it may vary according to the specificities of the methodology and technology used. The study raises discussion on the pedagogical possibilities offered by the participative digital culture that defines wiki approaches.

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Notes

  1. European Union, Lifelong Learning Program, Key Activity 3 Information and Communication Technologies, http://www.wikiskills.net

  2. Written by Carmen Martín Gaite, 1990

  3. Performed by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, 2009

  4. Access to the wiki activity: www.trinitariasbarcelona.es/mediawiki

  5. www.mediawiki.org

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the European Commission, WikiSkills project [Lifelong Learning Programme, contract number 519291-LLP-1-2011-1-CH-KA3-KA3MP]. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultat d’Educació, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Vall Hebrón, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain

    Mario Barajas & Frédérique Frossard

Authors
  1. Mario Barajas
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  2. Frédérique Frossard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario Barajas.

Appendix: Interview guide

Appendix: Interview guide

  1. 1.

    What motivated you to design the wiki-based scenario?

  2. 2.

    What aspects did you take into consideration while designing your scenario?

  3. 3.

    How did the wiki functionalities support teaching and learning practices?

  4. 4.

    How did you organize educational activities around the wiki?

  5. 5.

    How did you manage students’ work and interactions?

  6. 6.

    What evaluation strategies did you use to assess students’ learning?

  7. 7.

    To what extend did you reach your curricular objectives through the design and use of the wiki-based learning scenario?

  8. 8.

    What skills did students develop while working with wikis?

  9. 9.

    How did the use of wiki support or hinder the following teaching and learning aspects?

    1. a.

      Linking different disciplines and content

    2. b.

      Connecting to students’ interests

    3. c.

      Developing opportunities for students’ collaboration

    4. d.

      Allowing for students’ autonomy

    5. e.

      Offering space for investigation and discovery

  10. 10.

    What challenges did you encounter while designing and applying your wiki-based learning scenario?

  11. 11.

    What solutions did you apply to overcome those challenges?

  12. 12.

    Do you plan to further design and / or use wikis in your educational contexts?

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Barajas, M., Frossard, F. Mapping creative pedagogies in open wiki learning environments. Educ Inf Technol 23, 1403–1419 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9674-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9674-2

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