Creating a Wiki

There are two websites I recommend using, wikispaces.com or pbwiki.com. This guide will show you how to set up a wiki using just wikispaces. With both websites, you will need to set up an account before you begin.

Here is a link to a short video on how to get the most out of Wikispaces:

  1. Pick a username (I recommend your school email address), a password, and a name for your space. This name can be anything, it could relate to your name, your subject area, or a particular project. Click join.
  1. Make a new space. Select protected from the list of options. This will allow you to choose who edits your space.
  1. You’ll be sent to a new page where you can begin to set up your wiki. Choose settings. Add a description of your wiki. Click save.
  1. In the navigation, on the left side of the page, click home. Now choose look and feel. Click on “change or make a new theme”. Choose one of the four pre-made themes. You can preview these before choosing. Click on “use theme” when you are done.
  1. In the navigation, on the left side of the page, click home. Now choose look and feel again. Scroll down to “Colors”. Here you can change your background, text, link, and menu colors. You can also add a logo to the page if you scroll down further.
  1. In the navigation, on the left side of the page, click home. Click on “permissions and members”. Here you change the settings for who can create and edit information on your wiki. Click update if you decide to change these settings. To add other authors, scroll to the bottom and type their email and click on invite.
  1. In the navigation, on the left side of the page, click home. You will be back where you started. This is your main page. To begin typing information here, click the “edit this page” button. The information currently on this page will disappear and can be found again at “manage this space”. In this space, you can add logos, pictures, text, or links to this page. You can also add pages to your wiki.
  1. Select “new page” in the navigation to the left. Enter the name of your page in the box. Click create. You will automatically be able to start editing your page. Click save in the bottom right corner if you would like to do this later.
  1. To edit any pages you create, simply click on them in the navigation and remember to always click on “edit this page” to begin editing.
  1. The editor at the top of the screen will allow you to change text color, insert links, pictures, or tables. (A widget allows you to insert videos, audio, maps, slideshows, spreadsheets, calendars, rss feeds, polls, and more).
  1. When you are done, click save. The page will close and you will be able to see the finished product.

Darcie Priester, ITRT

FredLynnMiddle School

May 2008