Both my wife Jess and I have the honor of being the new staff coordinators for ISB’s incoming faculty in the 2009/10 school year. This is an exciting role, however it is a role that we felt needed a bit of a shake up. Our goal was to push it into the 21st century by utilizing a wiki. The main goals of the wiki were to:

1. Connect new staff with other new staff
2. Connect new staff with current and leaving staff (in particular with collegial partners)
3. Share information amongst all participants
4. Assist people in answering questions that arise in a public forum so that more people benefit from such dialogue
5. Do all the above in a safe, secure and ethically sound manner

With a bit of thought we created ‘Thai-ing in’, a wiki to guide new staff into ISB and t0 create connections between people even before they physically meet. If you are an ISB faculty member or a past faculty member then I can send you an invite to get started and get contributing.


So how does this meet the enduring understandings of the COETAIL course two?...

E.U.1: Online behaviours and actions impact the access and safety of personal information.

I have created the site as an invitation only wiki, simply to limit the spread of personal information that could occur if this was an open wiki. This is rather important as there is contract information, housing information and other items of importance that should not go beyond ISB. There is always a risk that information on the site could be downloaded and shared elsewhere by a staff member, but this is no different to if the person were to be working at school where they can obtain similar information and share how they please.



E.U. 2: Responsible use of online tools can help protect the personal information of others.

As the wiki is a closed wiki it allows for protection of personal information. There is also a statement on acceptable use while on the wiki.

E.U. 3: The communication tools that exist today are powerful mediums to help spread positive change and global awareness.

The idea for this wiki is to create positive change.

Moving to a new school can be stressful enough, let alone moving to a new country. The idea is that this wiki will remove some of the barriers to peoples shift, this aiding in their adjustment into ISB. Fears such as: What does housing look like? What should I bring? are all easily overcome through people sharing together. Questions are posed as a community, therefore more people can understand what it is like.

The adjustment of moving to ISB and Thailand becomes easier because people can access the information they need and they have connections with people who can support their transition.

E.U. 4: When using technology tools in instruction, teachers must consider the social and ethical implications associated with the tools.

In taking into consideration the ethical sides of setting up a wiki of such a nature there are a few things that I am having to ensure:

• Everyone is able to have input into the wiki, thus creating a truly collaborative space
• Key pages are kept on my ‘watchlist’ to ensure that content is acceptable
• Fairness is used when painting a real picture of the school, not an inflated view, nor a pessimistic view.

E.U. 5: Schools must continuously develop policies that promote socially responsible and ethical use of technology in education.

The wiki is able to achieve this by being a site which role models such policies. From correct citation of images to inclusion of the school’s AUP’s to guidelines on what is acceptable on the site, this wiki is policy in action.

Check out the wiki at: http://thaiingin.wetpaint.com/

Sign up by contacting Andy V

To read my final blog reflection on how this is going go to IM TECHIN PE