What+is+a+WIKI?

=What is a Wiki?=

Wikis are a free and easy to use tool that can powerfully facilitate collaboration and communication. Wikis effectively provide teachers with a 'web page' that can store files, course notes, movies etc to support classroom learning. Wikis can increase the engagement of students, encourage collaboration, enable students to build connections and stimulate and facilitate discussion. A wiki is also the perfect spaces for displaying assessment information, tasks and projects. A Wiki is a type of Web site that allows users to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration. ===Joining and participating in this Wikispace is __NOT__ REQUIRED. You can view the entire website and utilize all class resources without a membership. If you choose to join (which is free!) there are additional benefits such as receiving email updates when the wiki page has been changed. Note that the DISCUSSION BOARD capabilities will not be used on the Independence Middle School Science Wiki site at this time.===

__**How to Join**__

 * Simply use this link and follow the directions. http://www.wikispaces.com/
 * Click on "Join" to create an appropriate user name and profile on Wikispaces.

__How to Protect Yourself On Wikispaces__

 * ** When creating a profile or communicating with other members, never give your full first and last name. **
 * ** Never post/reveal any personal information such as phone numbers, home addresses, location, etc. **
 * ** Much like a large metropolitan city, the Internet is a wonderful place with so many available resources. It can also be a very dangerous place. You would never drop your child off in a big city and expect them to explore it and remain safe. The goal of this page is to provide awareness and try to keep everyone safe from the dangers of the Internet. Please remember to supervise and teach your students to use this resource appropriately and monitor their activity online. **