This Google search URL provides a link to PBworks videos that offer ideas for teachers: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=pbwiki&hl=en&emb=0#q=pbwiki&hl=en&emb=0&start=10
In addition, I think that ideas found on many of the existing webinar videos aimed at businesses could also translate to classroom. Please watch some of the videos provided in the PBWorks promotional materials. You can watch the "business-oriented" viedos, as well, because the tips are universal. Here's the URL for an example of how to get people to use the wiki: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=pbwiki&hl=en&emb=0#q=users+pbwiki&hl=en&emb=0
My FAVORITE way of inviting new users is to create a page, then ask students to either fill something out, add something new, or correct something... like their name! You could create a class roster with everyone's name spelled WRONG. That way they get their "hands" on a page in an unimtimidating way :-) .
Other classroom suggestions are that clasrooms rules and homework assignments are only provided on the wiki. In addition, teachers may require that suggestions for the classroom or ideas for the teacher MUST be placed on the appropraite wiki page. This will introduce the search feature. Hope these ideas help!
I love the idea of spelling the names incorrectly. Switching them to something silly would be creative and make corrections more fun. So long as studetns are only allowed to change their own names. Changing other's might lead to some mean spirited changes.
I like the idea of inviting students and having them fill out a page right off the bat. I did this with a research class with very mixed results. I got multiple-paragraphs from some students that were lovely reads, and others who typed, "This is my page, I am not an interesting person" and declined to participate further. I think that the rules for the first assignment need to be beyond clear and super-rigid to prevent this happening again.
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