I've searched on the web and here and can't seem to find a step by step explanation of how to set up wiki groups. I am doing character sketches from a book, and each group is assigned a different character. Following is what I did, but it didn't work the way I wanted it to. I'm sure I missed something obvious.
1. Set up 5 separate wikis with names of characters from the book we're reading. On each wiki, I chose Groups mode with Visible groups.
2. Set up 5 different groups, each one assigned to one of the characters.
I don't know how to "attach" each group to their own wiki so that they can see all the wikis but only write in theirs. Everyone can write in every wiki, which is not what I wanted.
Thanks in advance,
Bob Irving
Hi Bob. Here's how to do it.
1. Set up your groups - I would suggest naming each group for its character (Tock, Milo, Mathemagician, etc.)
2. Set up ONE wiki (perhaps with the book title, e.g. Phantom Tollbooth). Make it groups type, with visible groups. This automatically sets up as many wikis as you have groups. If you later create more groups, they will get wikis, too. When you save the wiki description page, the HTML editor should open for you to create the first page of the wiki. If you look at the top left, you will see that you are actually creating the first page for one specific group. On the top right, there is a drop-down menu that will allow you to navigate to the other wikis and create their first pages, one by one.
That's it, you're done. Each person will be able to edit their own group's wiki, and they will be able to use the drop down menu to see the other wikis. Since the drop down menu includes the group names (in your case character names), students will be able to navigate easily.
One thing to be careful about is that each group have distinct titles for their pages. If every group has a page titled, say, "relationships with other characters" confusion will reign. This is tricky because most teacher's instinct is to impose a common structure on the wikis. Perhaps insist that every page title include the character's name, e.g. "Milo's relationships", "Tock's relationships" and so on. That will take care of it.
Good luck with it.
Russ
1. Set up your groups - I would suggest naming each group for its character (Tock, Milo, Mathemagician, etc.)
2. Set up ONE wiki (perhaps with the book title, e.g. Phantom Tollbooth). Make it groups type, with visible groups. This automatically sets up as many wikis as you have groups. If you later create more groups, they will get wikis, too. When you save the wiki description page, the HTML editor should open for you to create the first page of the wiki. If you look at the top left, you will see that you are actually creating the first page for one specific group. On the top right, there is a drop-down menu that will allow you to navigate to the other wikis and create their first pages, one by one.
That's it, you're done. Each person will be able to edit their own group's wiki, and they will be able to use the drop down menu to see the other wikis. Since the drop down menu includes the group names (in your case character names), students will be able to navigate easily.
One thing to be careful about is that each group have distinct titles for their pages. If every group has a page titled, say, "relationships with other characters" confusion will reign. This is tricky because most teacher's instinct is to impose a common structure on the wikis. Perhaps insist that every page title include the character's name, e.g. "Milo's relationships", "Tock's relationships" and so on. That will take care of it.
Good luck with it.
Russ