Wiki - create wiki pages and/or a template

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wiki icon This entry relates to the Wiki activity.

To support students to use the wiki, it may be helpful to create wiki pages for them, or a template they can use. If you choose to let them create their own pages, you can provide guidelines on how to do this, which means using the wiki activity yourself.

Create wiki pages

Creating wiki pages can be confusing if you aren't familiar with wikis. A key principle is that pages in a wiki should be linked together in some way. To ensure this happens, you need to create a link to the new page before you can create the new page itself.

Set up wiki links (pages)

When editing a page, links are created by typing the title of a page you want to link to inside double square brackets. For example, if you wish to link to a page titled Application, you would type [[Application]].

  1. Open the wiki

  2. Click Create page 
    wiki page

  3. Think of a title for your page. The title of all pages should be different to each other. A page title should describe the content of the page (like a chapter of a book). An example title might be 'Brainstorming ideas A'

  4. Decide which page should link to your new page. If the wiki is small this might be the start page. Otherwise, find an appropriate page

  5. Edit the page that will contain the link by clicking the Edit tab

  6. Find the point where you would like the link to go and type it in: [[Brainstorming ideas A]]. Think carefully about the page title because both titles and pages are permanent and cannot be renamed or deleted
    type link in double square brackets

  7. Save this change. The link you have created should appear, ready for use
    Click the newly created link

  8. When you click the link, you will be asked whether you want to create a new page. click Create page
    click 'create page'

  9. The edit window appears for your new page. Type the initial text for your page in the Content area, then click Save changes. Your page is now created
    Insert content and save

Create a wiki template

Templates can be created to provide structure to students' or groups' wiki pages. If you do not use a template, students/groups will be presented with a blank page to start. Providing a template makes it easier for students to get started with the wiki – they can focus on collaboration (if using a group wiki) and content rather than structure. However, it depends on the purpose/learning outcomes of the assessment item.

  1. Create a new wiki and click Save and display

  2. Click Create page to begin editing the wiki

  3. In the Content area, enter headings, text, links, images etc to create a template
    wiki template

  4. Click Save changes

  5. Click the Wiki index link (top-right corner)
    wiki index

  6. Click Download as wiki template file 
    download as wiki template file

  7. Save the generated zip file

  8. Return to the topic homepage and locate the wiki activity. Click the drop-down Edit menu and choose Edit settings
    Edit wiki settings

  9. Under Wiki settings, upload the zip file in the Template area
    upload the template

  10. Click Save and display
Note: If you want to make changes to the template, you will need to go through this process again.

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