Using A Wiki For Professional Communication And Collaboration

Since the inception of Wikipedia there has been a great interest in the open model of document development. However this model is not that different from what already exists in many professional groups. In a professional group every member is welcome to contribute, but one individual is tasked with the secretarial duties of collecting, collating and recording communications, or capturing discourse during face-to-face meetings. These are often captured as minutes, letters, reports, and recommendations. These activities can be supported in a more free-flowing manner on a Wiki where anybody is welcome to add/modify/delete content, changes can be tracked, and undone when necessary. This paper will describe the use of a Wiki to act as a central point for a professional group developing new curriculum standards. The topics will include a prototype structure for the site, governing principles, encouraging user involvement, and resolving differences of opinion.