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. To determine which is best for your needs, keep your learning outcomes in mind as you look at the characteristics of each. It's important to keep in mind that each of these tools preferences native English speakers and students who are comfortable expressing themselves in written English (Kumi-Yeboah, 2020; Habib et al., 2014), and that flexibility in using them can help reduce inequity.
Table 1. Comparison of blogs, wikis and forums
| Function | Blog | Wiki | Forum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | An online journal, 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. |
| Uses | Publishing and reflecting on work; seeking external opinions and comments; analytical writing; discussion with experts; networking. | Peer editing of a document such as a report, essay or paper; creating a glossary of terms or collection of resources; brainstorming for a project; creating a shared knowledge base on a topic. | Serving as a help facility; hosting online asynchronous tutorials; presenting and seeking comments on analytical writing and reflection; soliciting student feedback on a course; exploring views/opinions on a topic or idea. |
| Updating | Updated when the author desires. | Anyone can update in real time. | Asynchronous – users can post at any time. |
| Ownership, authors | 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 remote locations. | Owned by administrator/s who may moderate content. Multiple authors contribute to their own or others' discussion threads. |
| Timeline | The chronological order of blog posts and comments is important for following an emerging narrative or keeping posts in the context of changing circumstances (such as current events). | 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 | Usually posts containing the author's opinion or reportage, followed optionally by readers' comments. Tends towards the sharing of news, knowledge or expertise. | Articles that represent consensus; 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, and to other online resources. | Links are important, helping build connections to other wiki pages and to other online resources. | Posts can contain links to online resources. |
| Development | Ongoing recording or reporting. | Continually growing and developing, sometimes quite quickly. | Users shape the discussion according to their interests. |
| Communication | One-to-many communication (posts), many-to-one responses (comments). | Many-to-many communication. | Many-to-many communication. |
| Structure | Posts are in reverse chronological order, each followed by threaded comments. | The most up-to-date content displays, but the page's history can be viewed and reverted to. | Threaded discussions flow chronologically from the original topic post. |
| Media | Usually text, but can contain images, video, and sound files. | Usually text, but can contain images, video, and sound files. | 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:
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Normally limited to members of a designated group. |
| Attribution of contributors | The blog owner can set up the blog using their own name or a pseudonym. Comments can be attributed to individuals, but many blog platforms allow anonymous or pseudonymous posting at the blog owner's discretion. | Editing can be anonymous, as the product, not the contributor, is the focus. | Attribution is a key feature, as posts often lead to direct conversations. |
| Associated Graduate Capabilities with examples and learning outcomes |
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| Relevant pedagogical pages | Assessing with Blogs | ||
| Relevant LMS support pages |
With thanks to Macquarie University for permission to adapt their iLearn resources.
Resources
Biasutti, M. (2017). A comparative analysis of forums and wikis as tools for online collaborative learning. Computers and Education, 111, 158-171. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.04.006
Habib, L., Johannesen, M., & Øgrim L. (2014). Experiences and Challenges of International Students in Technology-Rich Learning Environments. Educational Technology & Society, 17(2), 196-206. http://www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.17.2.196
Herrera-Pavo, M. Á. (2021). Collaborative learning for virtual higher education. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 28, 100437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100437
Kumi-Yeboah, A., Sallar, A.W., Kiramba, L.K., & Kim., Y. (2020). Exploring the use of digital technologies from the perspective of diverse learners in online learning environments. Online Learning, 24(4), 42-63. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i4.2323