A Longitudinal Study to Determine if Wiki Work Builds Community among Agricultural Adult Education Students

Abstract

Wiki has been lauded as a tool that enhances collaborative writing in educational settings and moves learners toward a state of communal constructivism (Holmes, Tangney, FitzGibbon, Savage, & Mehan., 2001). Many pedagogical claims exist regarding the benefits of using wiki. However, these claims have rarely been challenged. This study used a three–year longitudinal cohort survey design (Creswell, 2008) to measure learners’ perception regarding the pedagogical claims of wiki to create an online textbook in a graduate agricultural adult education course. The overall survey mean was 2.37 on a four–point scale (2.0 = not sure, 3.0 = agree). Learners were positively but marginally impacted by the wiki writing experiences in terms of knowledge construction and enhanced critical thinking skills. Study results marginally support Holmes’ et al. theory that interactive communication technologies (ICT) create constructivist learning opportunities. Collaborative writing does not naturally emerge from wiki work. Rather, it must be coaxed and nurtured through reward and a self–directed learning approach.