Cara Liggett, Victor R. Delclos, Ph.D.

Collaboration through Wiki Use and Odyssey of the Mind

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This teacher participatory research project discovered how a teacher could train elementary students to collaborate creatively.  The researcher developed a wiki and attempted to improve the technological and collaborative skills of 10 elementary students who participated in the school’s Odyssey of the Mind program. The challenge for these creative students, who were preparing for a creativity competition, was met with compassion and friendship.  The data collected supported the value of having access to home technology and attendance in face-to-face weekly meetings while using the Web 2.0 technology away from the schoolhouse.  The data showed an increase in the students’ use of technology and in their creative problem solving skills.  The 10 students studied are gifted, low-income students who are affected by the large surrounding urban community.  The Odyssey of the Mind extra-curricular program and this research project will add to the growing statistics proving the need for higher level education of the gifted, low-income student.