Blog, Wiki or Forum - which should you use? | UNSW Teaching Staff Gateway

Blogs, wikis and forums were not designed as educational tools, but they can be very useful in a teaching and learning context for supporting dialogue between students, providing a space for collaboration and chronicling student reflections. But which is most suitable to your needs, in your course?

Consider these three tools the way you would consider any teaching strategy. First ask yourself, what are the outcomes you want to achieve in your teaching? Then ask, what do the tools offer, and how do they differ from each other? The following table gives a short summary of each tool’s functioning. It should help you decide the answer to a third question: which tool can best help your students achieve the desired outcomes?

Function
Blog
Wiki
Forum
Definition
An online journal (web log), diary or news column with posts in reverse-chronological order (latest first) and options for readers to comment
An easily-edited set of one or more linked web pages that readers can add to or modify. Facilitates collaborative content creation.
A noticeboard or message board where people can start new topics or discussions and respond to existing ones
Updating
Updated as regularly as the author desires.
Anyone can update in real time.
Asynchronous—users can post at any time.
Ownership, authors
A blog is owned by an individual. It can have a single author or multiple contributors.
Multiple authors: owned and edited by a group. A wiki is updated by many people, from a local group or remotely diverse locations.
Owned by administrator/s who may moderate content. Multiple authors contribute to their own or others discussion threads.
Timeline
The timeline of blog posts and comments is more important.
In a wiki, an article’s publication date matters less, because articles are updated as new information becomes available. It is always a work in progress.
Forum posts can be presented in chronological order of posting to the forum, or chronologically within a thread, which makes it easier to follow a conversation.
Content
Author posts, reader comments. A blog post is usually one person’s opinion, followed optionally by comments. Tends towards the sharing of news, knowledge or expertise.
Wiki articles represent consensus, but can have an associated discussion page.
User-generated content initiated and facilitated by the instructor; exchange of ideas and views.
Links
Can contain links to other blog posts or comments, or toweb pages.
Links are important, helping build connections, usually to other wikis or web pages.
Can link to other web-based materials but less likely than in blogs and wikis.
Development
Ongoing recording or reporting
Continually growing and developing, sometimes quite quickly.
Users shape the direction and speed of the discussion’s development, according to their interests.
Communication
One-to-many communication (posts), many-to-one responses (comments)
Many-to-many communication
Many-to-many communication
Structure
Reverse-chronological-ordered posts, each followed by threaded comments.
The most up-to-date content displays, but the page’s history can be viewed and reverted to.
Threaded discussion flowing chronologically from the original topic post.
Media
Usually text, but can contain images, video, sound files (e.g. podcast).
Usually text, but can contain images, video, sound files (e.g. podcast).
Text driven. Not usually possible to embed media. Some forums allow the use of avatars to make the conversations more personable.
Levels of access
Different levels of access can be set, but the initial post can only be edited by the blog owner.
Different levels of access can be set

Private—only selected members can view and edit
Public—anyone can view and edit
Semi—anyone can view but only selected members can edit

Normally limited to members of a designated group.
Attribution of contributors
Attribution of comments is important as they are usually voicing an opinion or reflection.
Editing can be anonymous as the product is the focus, not necessarily the contributor.
Attribution is a key feature, as posts often leads to direct conversations.
Uses
Publishing of work, associated reflection and seeking external opinions / comments; analytical writing and reflection; discussion with experts; networking.
Peer editing of a document e.g. report, essay, paper; creating glossary of terms or collection of resources e.g. bibliography, reading list; brainstorming for a project; shared knowledge base on a topic.
Help facility; online asynchronous tutorials; analytical writing and reflection; student feedback on a course; exploration of views/opinions on a topic or idea.
Associated Graduate Capabilities with examples and learning outcomes

Scholars who are rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection: Students can demonstrate that they have integrated and synthesised their learning in a comment on a post, or by creating a new post that reflects or critiques a particular position, view or assumption.
Leaders who are collaborative and effective team workers: Students can demonstrate discernment and sound interpersonal skills when responding to their peers’ reflections/views in either a blog post or comments.

Leaders who are enterprising, innovative and creative: Students can apply their creative, critical thinking as they work collaboratively to create a wiki. .
Leaders who are collaborative and effective team workers/Global Citizens who act in socially just/responsible ways: In groups, students create wiki content that can be utilised by their peers for learning.

Scholars who are able to apply their knowledge and skills to solving problems: Students answer specific questions or contribute to a topic that requires them to adapt to a novel situation.
Scholars who are capable of effective communication: Students respond to discussion topics appropriately, conveying knowledge and views effectively.

Relevant pedagogical pages
Assessing with Blogs

Group Work
Assessing with Wikis

Discussion
Assessing by Discussion Board

Relevant LMS support pages

Blogging in Moodle

Create a wiki activity in Moodle

Set up a forum in Moodle

With thanks to Macquarie University for permission to adapt their iLearn resources.