Jasveer+Brar

My own individual contributions towards the Wiki community were put forth by adding addition information to other students work. I added more content, links and pictures. I also edited by checking spelling and adding a table of contents in a few topics. I soon then added a few new topics of interest such as Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee, and Viral Marketing. I then added my main topic of interest, which was Kazaa. I was proud and excited when my material started to enhance in information by the help of students putting fourth his or her own research. I also put my input into the Wiki assignment feedback. I wanted to express my opinion on what I thought about the community my fellow classmates and I had built together. I added also to the Food for Thought. I really enjoyed reading other quotes that concerned the Internet and the new way of producing and distributing information; I thought it was quite fun. I also contributed to the section of Current Issues in the News. I believe everyone should read or listen to the news on a day-to-day basis, this is a great way to understand and learn what is going on around us.


 * Topics I added:**
 * //Bill Gates//
 * //Kazaa//
 * //Viral Marketing//
 * //Tim Berners- Lee//


 * Topics to which I added additional research:**


 * E-mail
 * //Impact of media//
 * //Edutainment//
 * //Google//
 * //Child online Safety//
 * //Copyright Infringement//
 * //Spam//
 * //Barriers to Access//
 * //ARPANET//
 * //Functions of the Media//
 * //Issues Online//
 * //Impact of Media: Stereotypes and Generalizations//
 * //MSN Messenger//
 * //E-mail Monitoring//
 * //E-learning//
 * //Instant Messaging//
 * //Friendster//
 * //Food for thought//
 * //Current Issues in the News//
 * //Wiki assignment feedback//

When first signing up to the Wiki community, I was unsure how my fellow classmates and I would be able to engage and participate in an online discussion relating to our topics of interest. It was until I myself started to read other students work. It was until then I realized not only was the content discussed by others interesting and educational it would be great if I myself did further research so I could teach someone a little more than what they had previously read.

To be honest in the beginning when I saw that my own material had been edited, I was a bite hurt because I believed what I had researched was evidence of critical thinking. However I had learned to except that students were only adding further information I had either missed. This had actually in turn given me the opportunity to learn more about my topic, which I perhaps would not have come across myself. For example I had added a few topics, which were of Bill Gates and Tim Berners-Lee. Some students had given me more knowledge of their contributions and goals they had discovered, which made me learn how much more significant these two men were at enhancing how information was sent and received around the world. This information had made me think more about how the future of our society has changed and where it is going by people such as Bill Gates and Tim Berners- Lee.

I had also observed how passionate some students were when presenting their material. Not only did they have factual information with sources to prove their point, but many students like myself had written their own opinions about how a certain topic made them feel. It was great to learn and understand other students opinions and their thought process. This gave me the opportunity to see and understand the ways other people in the same program felt about the Internet. It was interesting in observing how passionate students got about certain topics.

The World Wide Web is by far the most significant tool in human history. It was great to get a further understanding of all the tools and topics the Internet covers. I am very proud to be living in this time period where the Web has grown and continues to grow. I am also very pleased and excited to have learned from my classmates and also about them by reading their work on given topics. I think this assignment has taught me more than I would have learned in any classroom or textbook. I have said this numerous times before, but I will say it again this was one of my most beloved assignments I have done in my years at UTM.

I do not have many suggestions or ideas for future students with respect to using Wikis; maybe just that in every class a student has there should be some form of online discussion. It allows for growth and further understanding. I think however in each Wiki there should be a place labeled prep for test and exams. It is a great way for students to learn the course material and ask any question regarding the content of the course. I think Wikis allow for excellent participation especially for student who are shy. I also think Wikis are great to get your question across or to develop more of an understanding especially when it comes to the size of our classroom since it becomes hard when there are so many other students. Also the information posted on a Wiki allows for a student to gain understating when he/she was unable to attend a class. However I do think that there should be another way you can post only your work, because it is good to have others collaborate to your material, however it becomes annoying and frustrating when someone erases what you had written, especially considering how much time and effort you had put into the assignment. Overall I think this assignment was great and will encourage further use of the Wiki for a classroom environment.