Websites vs Blogs vs Wikis

     Website... Blogs... or Wikis?  Which one should I use, and when?

     There are many forums in which educators and their students can share their thoughts on classroom practices, ideas on pedagogy and educational practices.  The internet provides an open forum for these kinds of free exchanges of ideas and information.  As such, there are several tools that individuals can use to share their thoughts.  The question is, which type of forum to use, and when?


      When looking at blogs and websites, there are a few distinct differences that can be identified.  A blog is a type of website, but more so described as a "dynamic" website.  A blog, or "web log" is a forum where information and content changes frequently, and the interaction of news feeds, events, and social media is updated much faster than a standard website.  Blogs are also updated more frequently on search engines, so an author's message can be shared more quickly than a website.  Blogs use a more simple interface, so information is updated quicker, and posts are organized in reverse chronological order.  Blogs are dynamic, because of the speed of which they can be updated and shared.

      Wikis are different from blogs, in that they are designed for editing purposes.  Blogs are a form of one way informational exchanges, from one author to several readers.  Little editing occurs once a blog has been published.  Wikis are designed to be written by many authors, with lots of editing occurring, that is not made aware to the reader.  Blogs can be commented on by many readers, but the author's initial message and content always remains the same.  Wikis can be updated by readers continually, so the information is always changing from update to update.  In essence, a blog is the efforts of one, where as a wiki is due to the efforts of many.

      When using websites, blogs, and wikis, it is sometimes hard to tell when to use each one effectively.  To effective share your message, it is important to look at two key questions to ask when deciding on which type of forum to use.  The first question to ask is, will the information being presented be updated continually?  If this is the case, then a blog or wiki may be a more effective forum to share your information.  The second key question is, will the information that is being shared, be given by one, or numerous authors?  If the information is being presented by one, then a blog may be a more effective forum.  If the information is being presented by many, or the authors wish for the information to be updated, then a wiki or website may be more effective.

      When creating a website, it does not matter if there is one or several authors, if the information is not meant to change frequently, then a website is an excellent forum.  Teachers can create websites for parents and students to access information and links on curriculum, test support, education libraries, subject informational links, and monthly assignments and projects.  Students can create websites for projects and information on famous historical events, individuals, scientific concepts, or even math strategies for mental math and problem solving.  This kind of information does not need regular updating, so a website is an effective forum for this kind of content.

      When creating a blog or wiki, the information is meant to be updated more regularly than a website.  In the case of a wiki, the information is meant to be updated and changed by its readers (even if no change or update occurs, they still are meant to serve that central function).  Teachers can create a blog for in class purposes, to continually address the homework that is being sent home on a daily basis.  Likewise, a teacher can create a professional blog to share his/her thoughts on teaching, education, and professional practice.  Students can create a blog to share their reading and thoughts on their novels throughout the year, or comment on assignments in class.  They could likewise create a wiki, if they are working in groups, presenting information on the importance of a historical figure to Canadian society and culture.  The ideas are endless.

      A website, blog, or wiki?   There is no right or wrong in which to use.  It all depends on the initial intent of the author(s) and their message.  Sometimes one forum can evolve into another over time.