Resource Package Submission - Carla Wilson

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package
Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
RESOURCE PACKAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tool, Context, & Activity Ideas ........................................................................................................1
Tool & Policy Alignment(s)..............................................................................................................4
Permission Slip ...............................................................................................................................6
Elective Addition: Essentials for Instruction.....................................................................................9
Tool, Context, & Activity Ideas

TOOL Name: Wikispaces Classroom
TOOL URL www.wikispaces.com
Can be either open or closed depending on the project and teacher
Open or Closed:
preference.
Contributor: Carla Wilson
Grade Level: 9
Class/Course/Subject: Science 9 French Immersion (or regular science)
Wikispaces Classroom is a social writing platform for education where
students can create, share, and collaborate on projects and express their
learning. The tools allows for students to work either individually or in
groups. It can be set up as either an open (general public can view
and/or participate) or closed system (only those within the class have
access). It allows for instant teacher monitoring
General Description: It is a central place for teachers to manage all activity, resources,
conversations and projects in the classroom. It helps to keep both
teachers and students organized. There are a variety of tools to allow
for assignment creation, sharing of resources, making announcements
and fostering discussion and community.
Wikispaces Classroom is free for both educators and students.
Information gap homework activity
Students with permission slips would each be given a clue or
piece of information before leaving the class, or it would be
emailed to them. (students without permission would be given
an alternate assignment)
Students would log onto their wiki class to discover their team
mates (probably four to a group) and the problem they needed
Activity Idea 1:
to solve.
Each member of the team would have one piece of information
needed to solve their problem. They would need to determine
the information they needed and in what order. They would
then share their pieces of information and collaborate to solve
their given problem and give their solution. What they write
would then be shared with the rest of the class online. Everyone
Created for Vancouver Island University Faculty of Education Course: OLTD 506 Fall 2013

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
could read each others problems and read the process they
went through to solve it.
Individual student reflections and/or observations (students without
permission slips would be provided an alternate activity)
These reflections could be from an activity like the one
described above or from field trips or experiments. Again,
students without permission slips would be given an alternate
activity.
Activity Idea 2:
Students would reflect on their learning/ observations from a
given activity or field trip and share questions they still have or
something they still wonder about.
Students would then be invited to read the reflections of
someone else in the class and either comment or leave their own
questions for that individual.
Create a collaborative glossary and/or collaborative study room. (note,
students without permission will be provided a different activity)
Activity Idea 3:
When starting out a new unit, provide a list of relevant

vocabulary for that science unit.
Students provide the definitions as they come across them. They
would receive marks for participating and guide lines on the
number they could respond to making sure everyone had equal
opportunity to participate.
They could also upload a photo or illustration that would help
with the comprehension (a useful strategy in immersion
classes). A discussion about Creative Commons images and
how to access them and credit them would take place first.
Student would also provide links for further information or
explanations as they come across them.
This collaborative exercise could later be used by students to
help them study.
Collaborative Study room
Toward the end of the unit, students would be invited to visit the
collaborative study room.
On this page, they would share what they deemed to be
important concepts covered in the unit, speculate on potential
test questions, and provide answers. In this way, the stronger
students might potentially provide information the weaker
students in the class students hadnt considered and which could
help everyone in the class be more successful.

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
Discussion forum: this could take a few different forms. The teacher
could post a question or something to get the students thinking about an
activity they will be doing. Students could then post their ideas.
The discussion forum could also be student driven to allow for
collaborative problem solving. Students could post questions or ask
Activity Idea 4
about something they are having difficulty with and other students who
know the answer or have a better comprehension could explain it or
give their ideas. This will help students solidify their learning. The
teacher would monitor this and if the students really got stumped, she
could point them in the right direction or give them something to think
about that might help with them with their understanding.
For further information, contact the contributor at carlawilson@sd8.bc.ca

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
Tool & Policy Alignment(s)

TOOL:
Wikispaces
RESOURCE
POLICY
SD 43, Coquitlam, BC
ALIGNMENT:
Digital Citizenship: Rights & Responsibilities:

Privacy
Relevant Policy
1:
Policy 1 URL:
Policy 1 Key
Considerations:
(What you will
need to
consider or
address)
Keep my students personal information, including their names and

images, private, unless parents are informed.
Ensure personal information can only be stored on a server located in
Canada, unless parents are informed.
http://www.sd43.bc.ca/Resources/DigitalCitizenship/Pages/GuidingOurPractice.aspx
http://www.sd43.bc.ca/Resources/DigitalCitizenship/Pages/RightsResponsibilites.aspx
Parents will be informed in writing that the Wikispaces server is outside

of Canada. It will be used as a fenced in system so only members of the
class will have access.
Students and parents will be informed that students do not have to give
their full name and in fact it is recommended that they use their first
name only to gain access or a designated nick name shared only with the
teacher and members of the class.
They will also be informed that the only piece of identifiable information
that Wikispaces collects is an email address and that email address may
be the email address of the parents should they choose to allow their child
to participate. Wikispaces terms of agreement state that the email
address will only ever be used to contact the user about the service and it
will not be disclosed to other Wikispaces users or third parties.
When students enroll, teacher must ensure that students do not use full
names and decide if nicknames or some other username is used. A
discussion around safe information to disclose online should take place.
Teacher to have discussion with students on privacy issues and the

importance of keeping passwords etc. private (not sharing them) and also
the importance of respecting the privacy of fellow classmates.
Relevant Policy Digital Citizenship (Rights and responsibilities):

Behaviour
2:
Policy 2 URL:

Date: October 2013
Policy 2 Key
Considerations:
(What you will
need to
consider or
address)
By Carla Wilson
Teacher to go over online etiquette with students. Talk about appropriate

and respectful interactions.
Put a safety plan in place and ensure all students know what it is and how
to report inappropriate behavior.
Teacher to discuss consequences with students of inappropriate behavior.
Teacher to monitor online discussions to ensure that all discourse remains
respectful.
Relevant Policy Digital Citizenship (Rights and responsibilities):

3:
Copyright
Policy 3 URL:
Policy 3 Key
Considerations:
(What you will
need to
consider or
address)
Teacher to have discussion with students on plagiarism and a discussion

of fair use.
Teacher to make sure that students know how to properly site their
sources as well as why its important.
Teacher to introduce students to a citation generating tool and educate
them about Creative Commons images and resources and how to license
their own creations.

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
Permission Slip
Dear parent / guardian,
This year our Science 9 French Immersion class will be using Wikispaces Classroom. Wiki Spaces
classroom is a free fenced in learning platform where students can have discussions, share their learning
and collaborate on projects. This private online learning environment is teacher managed and students
will only be able to interact with others in the class.
We will be using Wikispaces Classroom to: share reflections and / or observations from fieldtrips and
experiments; create a collaborative glossary of new terms used throughout the year; collaborate on
projects; participate in teacher led and monitored discussion forums; and have access to a collaborative
online help/study room.
Benefits of using Wikispaces Classroom:
Provides a safe and easy way to support students both in and outside of the classroom.
Helps students develop important online skills.
Facilitates student communication with the teacher to get help or ask questions.
Provides an easy way for students to keep track of important due dates and tasks.
Allows students to view missed work when absent from class.
Allows the teacher to monitor online conversations and intervene when necessary to keep
students on task and ensure a safe environment.
Allows students to access files, links and resources provided by the teacher
Helps foster vibrant learning communities
Why the need for a permission slip?

As a BC teacher, I am subject to the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
[http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/ID/freeside/96165_00]. In accordance with this Act, I must
ensure that I protect the privacy of all students under my care. As such, I cannot use personal and
identifiable information of a student (e.g., first name, last name, school, grade, teacher, class, etc.)
including student work without written consent of the students parent or guardian. Below are possible
identifiable privacy risks and ways to minimize them.
What are the identifiable privacy risks?
The Wikispaces Classroom website [https://www.wikispaces.com/content/classroom] requires users to
register by uploading a username and a valid email address (they do not require a full name and
students may use a pseudonym if they wish). According to the Wikispaces user agreement
[https://www.wikispaces.com/Terms] the company is located in San Francisco, California, USA, and as
such, all information uploaded, will likely be collected and stored somewhere in the United States.
Wikispaces explicitly states that they do not share any personally identifiable information, including
email addresses, with third parties. They also provide the option of opting out of any promotional
communication the company might send to users. The only instance where Wikispaces would disclose
any personally identifiable information would be if required to do so by law.

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
To protect the students privacy, I recommend that they register using a pseudonym (shared only with
members of our class) and an alternate (non-personal) email such as hotmail or gmail. I further
recommend that they opt out of promotional communication with the company. While in class,
students will receive training on proper privacy settings and the importance of protecting their privacy
as well as that of fellow classmates.
For further information, please review Wikispaces terms of service [https://www.wikispaces.com/terms]
and their privacy policy [https://www.wikispaces.com/Privacy+Notice].
Please give consideration as to how this tool will enhance your childs learning in my class. If you have
any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me at carlawilson@sd8.bc.ca or 250-505-7023. If you
consent to your childs use of Wikispaces Classroom as described above, please complete the form
attached and return it to me. Should you decide that you do not want your child to have access to this
web 2.0 tool, please indicate that by checking off the appropriate opt out box on the attached form and
an off-line alternative will be provided without any affect to your childs grade.
Sincerely,
Carla Wilson
French Immersion teacher
LV Rogers Secondary School

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
Consent Statement:
I, __________________________________, parent or guardian of _______________________________
agree to the collection, use, disclosure and storage of my childs personal information inside or outside
of Canada while using the technology described above for the purposes of engaging in the class activities
described above. I am aware of and understand the identifiable privacy risks as described above and will
support the classroom teacher in minimizing the exposure of my childs and other peoples personal
information while my child is using the technology and review materials the teacher provides.
Please check the first box below if you wish for your child to use a pseudonym or remain anonymous
online for the purposes of this class to minimize exposure of his/her or other peoples information to 3rd
parties that are not part of this class or who are not otherwise entitled to this information. Please check
the second box if you wish for your childs account to be deleted once our
By checking the box on the left, I request that my child use a pseudonym or remain
anonymous online.
By checking the box on the left, I request that my childs Wikispaces account be deleted at
year end once the class is completed.
By checking the box on the left, I request that my childs Wikispaces account remain active
and I agree that I, the parent, will take responsibility for my childs use of this tool
OR
I, __________________________________, parent or guardian of _______________________________
do NOT agree to the collection, use, disclosure and storage of my childs personal information
inside or outside of Canada while using the technology described above for the purposes of
engaging in the class activities described above and request that an alternative activity be
provided for him/her.
By checking the box on the left, I request that my child NOT participate in the Wikispaces
activities and ask that an alternative activity be provided for him/her
This consent is valid for the duration of the students participation in Ms Wilsons Science class at
LVR Secondary school unless revoked by me in writing and delivered to the teacher.
Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________________ Date: __________________

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
Elective Addition: essentials for instruction
Tool:
Grade Level:
Class/Course/Subject:
Key Assumptions:
Wikispaces Classroom
9
Science
Student activities will be on a fenced-in system open only

to fellow classmates.
Most (if not all) students are unfamiliar with Wikispaces

Classroom
Students will be guided by the teacher to create
individual accounts based on parental/caregiver input
(Paying particular attentions as to whether they wish to
use their email or an alternate (non-personal) email.)
Teacher already has Wikispaces account or will set one

up prior to the onset of the project.
Teacher familiar with using Wikispaces and knows how

to set up different areas / activities for student use.
Prior to Use with Class:
Create account in Wikispaces if not already done

Set up class within the application: create a welcome
board, set up calendar (or events) with due dates for
various assignments and projects, create pages and
set up any projects and create groups. In short, make
the space welcoming for the students so that they will
be excited to use it the first time they log on.
Share a tool backgrounder with parents/caregivers &
get permission slip signed
Create alternate activities for students if permission
withheld
Create a form for students to sign indicating they
have read over rules of appropriate use and safety
procedures for use of the Wikispaces classroom tool
and agree to abide by all such rules
Have tech support ensure that all computers are
installed with the latest version of supported browsers
so that the visual editor may be used.
Create an initial student activity that allows students
to try out all the tools they will be using with
Wikispaces Classroom to ensure that they know how
to use them (i.e. uploading a file, contributing to a
discussion forum, etc)
Create access code to allow students to easily join
the course once they have created their accounts.

Date: October 2013
Use With Class:
By Carla Wilson
Describe Wikispaces Classroom to classoverview

of tool
Show/record a demo of the Wikispaces classroom the
students will be accessing & how it works
From demo, discuss what appropriate and
inappropriate uses of Wikispaces might look like
Review the terms of service for Wikispaces with
students
Create a netiquette (either as the teacher or as group
activity) & share with students & parents/caregivers
Discuss how inappropriate events or incidents of
concern with the tool should be reported to the
teacher and initial response by student: E.g.
screencapture of evidence exit site report to
teacher)
Discuss potential discipline in case of inappropriate
behaviour
Have students sign safety rule procedure sheet (that
they have read and understand all rules and agree to
abide by them)
Students will create individual accounts. (although the
site allows account creation and sign in with OpenID
(Google, Yahoo, AOL, etc.), students will only use
emails addresses authorized by the parent (either
parental email addresses or alternate (Gmail,
Hotmail, etc. email address) for account creation as
indicated on the permission form. Students must be
coached prior to starting sign-up that only parental
authorized email addresses will be used. Site only
requires a username for account creation and sign-in.
Explain that we will be using an alias that does not
reveal personal identifying information (again, bring
up safety). Create alias before beginning account
creation process. Teacher should compile a list of all
student aliases and associated email addresses.
Give students access code so that they can easily
join the class Wiki
Go over settings options together and make
appropriate changes. Turn off email site news,
change private messages to organizers of the wiki I
belong to, (all corresponance between students will
be on our closed wiki), change email monitored
changes to one email per day. On account settings,
explain that students may upload a user picture, but it
must be a non-personal picture (i.e. scenery photo,
10

Date: October 2013
After Class Activities

with Tool Complete:
By Carla Wilson
photo of an animal or cartoon character, etc) again,

explain safety issues.
Walk students through adding a page, uploading a
file, starting a discussion and accessing their projects
or pages the teacher has created.
Have students complete start-up activity to
demonstrate that they can effectively access and use
all functions necessary for class activities and that
they understand how the site works.
Begin planned activities.
Obtain written parent/caregiver directions as to
what should become of the account once course
activity is completed: should student account be
deleted or should the student retain the account
under parental/caregiver supervision.
Walk students through account deletion/de-activation
as necessary.
When the year end is over and students have moved
on, the class Wiki should be deleted to prevent any
inappropriate use by students no longer under
teachers care and direction.
11

Date: October 2013
By Carla Wilson
References:
Hengstler, J. (2013) A K-12 Primer for British Columbia Teachers Posting Students Work Online.
http://jhengstler.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/a-k-12-primer-for-british-columbia-teachers-postingstudents-work-online/
Rights & Responsibilites. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
Weldon, B. (2012, October 26). Cloud Computing Social Media and Privacy. Retrieved October 13, 2014,
from http://bcerac.ca/services/events/district-contacts-meeting/2012/docs/BC-Privacy-Laws-BradleyWeldon.pdf
Wikispaces - Privacy Notice. (2011, March 15). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
https://www.wikispaces.com/Privacy Notice
Wikispaces - Terms. (2014, September 16). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
https://www.wikispaces.com/terms
12

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Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Date: October 2013

RESOURCE PACKAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tool, Context, & Activity Ideas

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

When starting out a new unit, provide a list of relevant

Collaborative Study room

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

For further information, contact the contributor at carlawilson@sd8.bc.ca

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Tool & Policy Alignment(s)

Digital Citizenship: Rights & Responsibilities:

Keep my students personal information, including their names and

Parents will be informed in writing that the Wikispaces server is outside

Teacher to have discussion with students on privacy issues and the

Relevant Policy Digital Citizenship (Rights and responsibilities):

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Teacher to go over online etiquette with students. Talk about appropriate

Relevant Policy Digital Citizenship (Rights and responsibilities):

Teacher to have discussion with students on plagiarism and a discussion

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Why the need for a permission slip?

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________________ Date: __________________

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Elective Addition: essentials for instruction

Student activities will be on a fenced-in system open only

Most (if not all) students are unfamiliar with Wikispaces

Teacher already has Wikispaces account or will set one

Teacher familiar with using Wikispaces and knows how

Prior to Use with Class:

Create account in Wikispaces if not already done

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

Use With Class:

Describe Wikispaces Classroom to classoverview

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

After Class Activities

photo of an animal or cartoon character, etc) again,

Wikispaces Classroom Resource Package

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Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________ Date: