Samarawickrema, G., Benson, R. and Brack, C. (2008) ‘Teaching with wikis: addressing the digital divide’ in Whitton, N., and McPherson, M. (Eds) Rethinking the digital divide Research Proceedings of the 15th Association for Learning Technology Conference (ALT-C 2008). Held 9–11 September 2008, University of Leeds, England, UK.
This paper addresses some aspects of the digital divide which have the potential to impact on the learning and assessment opportunities available to students. These are the divisions affecting teachers and learners in the university system, particularly when the latter are ‘net generation’ learners whose uptake of technology is much more rapid than those who teach them. A pilot online workshop was used to prepare a small group
of teaching staff at two Australian universities on the use of wikis for teaching and assessment. This paper reports on this professional development effort, reflecting on the successes and limitations of the work, and on the lessons learned in relation to bridging the above aspects of the digital divide.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
