Wiki tips and tricks

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Check out the Wikispaces tutorials here

Gereral functions:


Open this document to find out all about the wikispaces functions.
K-12_wikispaces_guide.pdf


Create user accounts
  1. Select "Manage Wiki" (top left)
  2. Under People, select "User Creator"
  3. Choose the wiki you would like to add members to
  4. Enter your list of users as text (or upload an Excel file)
  5. The usernames can also be the password for 1st time log-in (for simplicity) and E-mails are not required.

Want to add a link? Follow these instructions:
  1. Find the website you want to link to, on the internet. Highlight and copy the URL (The address of the site that is written up the top of the page)
  2. Go back to our wiki, to your page.
  3. click on EDIT (top right of this page). A new Editor toolbar will open up the top.
  4. On the Editor toolbar, click on the Link icon. A new smaller window will open.
  5. Click on "external link" (because you want to link to a website on the internet, not on the wiki)
  6. Paste in the URL of your website
  7. Give your link a text name. (This will be what the students see )
  8. Tick the "new page" (so that the link will open in a new window when the students click on it)
  9. Click on the "Add link"
  10. Press "Save" on the editor tool box
  11. Test your link. Did it work

Want to upload an image or file?

  1. Click on EDIT
  2. Put the cursor where you want to put the image or file
  3. On the Editor toolbar, click on the File icon
  4. Click "Upload File"
  5. Find your document/file, click Submit
  6. Wait for your file to upload. ( It will turn yellow when ready and a little icon will show)
  7. Click on it. It is now on your wilki
  8. Adjust the size if required
  9. Save

Want to embed a video on to the wiki?
  1. Eg: YouTube video. -Share - embed - copy the embedding code
  2. On wiki - Widget - video - YouTube - paste the embedded file - save


To check if a site (you want to link) is blocked by the DET:
  1. Open a new window and search the net, find the site you like
  2. Copy the URL of the website (top of the website page)
  3. Go to your portal - (My applications - Internet filtering, - Web filter check)
  4. Paste in the URL. The page will tell you if the site is "allow" or "blocked"
  5. If the site is blocked but you think it should be unblocked, you can go through the process "request this site to be unblocked" (top right). The process is quick- just a day.


Trouble shooting
These are some of the problems I have encountered with the wiki and my advice for solving them. If you have any other issues, post a discussion and we can all try to help.

Problem 1: My students can't access the wiki
  • Is it unblocked by the DET? This must be done first via the ICT desk ( or the internet filtering page under the Applications category on the portal. Check out more here How do I create my own wiki?
  • Avoid initial "I forgot my password" problems by adding members by the 'user creator" (rather than the "invite members' by E-mail) option so that you can give them a username and password. Don't allow them to change the password ( via My account) for the first 2 sessions until they are familiar with the wiki so you can help them access with your list of usernames and passwords.
  • The first time the students log in you should have them actually type in the URL (not do a wikispaces search) then they can write their username and password. Once they are signed in, add the site to their Toolbar for easy access each lesson.

Problem 2: Some of my students can't edit or post discussions and there are little red X's all over the page.
You need to change your internet settings. When finished following these steps you will need to close all internet windows and re-start.
  • Tools
  • Internet Options
  • Advanced
  • reset
  • Tick the box "delete personal settings"
  • reset
If this doesn't work you may need your TSO to re-loan the laptop...this seems to always fix the problem (if you figure out the actual setting that is causing the problem please share!)

Problem 3: We can't see the pictures!

  • This probably means you have copied and pasted from somewhere but you must always upload your images to your wiki via the FILE option. Use JPG etc
  • or else try the trouble shoot above

Problem 4: We can't see the videos!
The problem is usually the laptop not wikispaces. It could be one of 3 things:
  • You may need to change your program settings....make quicktime the default player. It seems to have the least issues. (For individual file types-internet settings/ programs/set programs/ associate a file to a program/ (find the file type. eg AVI, MP4) set to Quicktime.
  • If it is a settings issue you need to reset your personal settings on the laptop. (Tools, Advanced....see number 2)
  • Make sure your video files (MP4 is a safe bet) are being played through QuickTime. Media Player I find has too many temperamental issues. If the video tries to play through MediaPlayer and can't, you need to change the default. Go to ......Tools- Internet Options - programs - change default (associate....)- find the video file you are using (eg WAV, MP4) change default to QuickTime and SAVE.
  • Remember videos can not be larger than 20MB (unless you want to pay)
  • For FLIP videos be sure to use the ONLINE option when you are exporting from FLIP to your computer so that your files are small enough for uploading