Wikis in Higher Education – Active Learning in Learning Communities at the University of St. Gallen

Responding to an increasingly growing gap between our current learning and teaching culture and technological as well as socio-cultural developments, this paper postulates active learning in learning communities as the anchor for a new learning culture. After a brief overview of wiki-technology and related pedagogic-didactical challenges, it is asked, how active learning utilizing wikis can be fostered in higher education. For this purpose, the paper discusses technologic-organizational as well as socio-cultural and pedagogic-didactical issues related to a newly designed seminar which was first conducted at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) in summer term 2007. Finally, results from a student survey and from students’ reflections, during and at the end of the semester, will be outlined.

14.12.2007 | Sabine Hoidn (St. Gallen and London)