Communication Tool Evaluation Task: Wikispaces Classroom

Wikispaces Classroom

http://www.wikispaces.com/content/classroom/about

Rubric for Assessing Communication Tools

Kristen Cosgrove and Geoff Cyr

#umfedu568

	Does not Meet	Meets	Exceeds
Technology Details
Compatibility		Service or Application is browser/operating system agnostic (e.g., can be used in multiple Internet browsers, and/or on desktop and mobile devices).
Cost		Service is available at little-to-no cost for teachers and schools, AND/OR offers free trials of services to classrooms and schools with available educational discounts for purchase.  Additional features can be purchased outside of in-app purchase system for mobile devices.
Marketing		Service does not contain any advertisements or marketing.
User Safety and Privacy
COPPA Compliance		Service is COPPA-compliant and proof is prominently displayed on the developers’ website AND/OR Developer is a signatory to the Student Privacy Pledge
Controlled Content Sharing		Teacher is able to control level that students’ content is shared at (e.g., classroom-level, other people by invitation, open to public, etc.)
Content Monitoring		Teacher can monitor, filter, and approve student content to platform and comments from others
Appropriate Content		Built-in controls prevent users from stumbling--intentionally or unintentionally--on inappropriate content
User-Friendliness - Students
Use of Multimedia		Students can create, upload, and share content from multiple sources of media (text, images, audio, video, hyperlinks, etc.)
Navigation		Navigation is simple and obvious enough for all users understand
Saving and Revision History		Service saves users’ work automatically, while also maintaining a log or history of changes made by users over time
User-Friendliness - Teachers
Classroom- Level Accounts		Service creates a master account for teachers that connects to and allows teachers to monitor student accounts
Setup		Service can be set up by teachers with minimal assistance needed
Account Creation		Student accounts are created by the teacher or school, or can easily be setup by students using a class code, AND/OR students can create accounts using a common third-party service, like a student Google account
Accessibility
Design and Layout		Service uses large text or multimedia elements that allow for younger students and students who struggle with reading to navigate the page, app, or service
Accessibility Features		Service integrates accessibility features designed to help users with physical or developmental disabilities to use the product.

	Does not Meet	Meets	Exceeds	Comments
Technology Details
Compatibility				Seems to need a computer to use
Cost				“Yes. Classroom is only for use in education, and it's free. Wikispaces Campus, our solution for schools, school districts, and universities who want to provide Classroom to all of their teachers and   students is a paid service. Wikispaces Classroom is always free for teachers and students.”
Marketing				Does not show adds
User Safety and Privacy
COPPA Compliance
Controlled Content Sharing				Teachers can set who has permission to access the Wiki
Content Monitoring				Wikispaces Campus has a Site Administration section, that allows the teacher to monitor all of the wiki’s students are using.
Appropriate Content				There may be features to prevent students searching inappropriate content but it is not described in the features.
User-Friendliness – Students
Use of Multimedia				Pictures, widgets, uploaded files and videos can all be used with Wikispaces
Navigation				Seems easy enough for students to navigate
Saving and Revision History				Wikispaces keeps a history of every change to a wiki page that has been saved.
User-Friendliness - Teachers
Classroom- Level Accounts				Wikispaces Campus has a Site Administration section, that allows the teacher to monitor all of the wiki’s students are using.
Setup				Accounts can be set up for all teachers and students in the school by the school’s tech team.
Account Creation
Accessibility
Design and Layout				I did not find any information on ways to make fonts bigger for younger students.
Accessibility Features				I did not see any setting that could be adjusted to accommodate students with disabilities.

Additional Notes:

Features that it has:

• ·         Can be used to create a community with in the school district of teachers sharing resoucres
• ·         Allows teachers to keep parents informed
• ·         E-Portfolio features
• ·         Allows for peer to peer assessments
• ·         Has class website features

How it could be used in the classroom:

If I used this wikispace in the classroom I would use it as a tool for students to use to create portfolios of their work.  I would also help facilitate students use the features that allow collaborative work. I would also use the tool to share student’s portfolio’s with their parents so that they were aware of what their children were learning and their accomplishments.