Wikis: what I learned

I've learned several things this week as I've explored Wikis. The most important thing I've learned is that I know very little about the internet. I was delusional: I thought that since I could navigate the internet, I was internet literate. This class and the 2.0 lessons have opened my eyes to the fact that I actually know very little about what the internet offers that might be useful to me.
The second thing I learned is that Wikis come in more forms and sizes than just Wikipedia. The thing that has always bugged me the most about Wikipedia comes from my years of teaching research skills to high school and college students: they often consider Wikipedia the source of all information, rather than the place to begin with background information before they start more scholarly research. Don't get me wrong: Wikipedia definitely has a very valuable place in researching, but it isn't EVERYTHING!
It is interesting to me that the very thing that makes Wikipedia a less reliable source for research is the very thing that makes other Wikis valuable. That thing is the reader's ability to edit and add to the Wiki site. Wikipedia, for the most part, does a good job presenting and documenting its information; however, not all documentation is correct or all sources reliable. At the same time, there are other Wikis that find strength in presenting an open forum where readers can easily share ideas and opinions. I liked the Wiki required for this week's 2.0 assignment. Its users were people who shared common professions, goals, and aspirations. The result was a Wiki forum that presented some excellent (and fun) ideas.
I contemplated for a while the reason that Wikipedia doesn't really appeal to me, yet others I find useful and exciting. I think it comes down to this: Wikipedia presents its information as fact, not opinion. Other Wikis (the ones I like) present their contents as a bunch of individuals presenting their ideas and opinions. These offerings aren't given as if they were the one and only fact, instead they are presented as if you wandered into the middle of a conversation involving a bunch of knowledgeable thinkers who are willing to share their ideas and consider others. I like that. It is like having an on-line support group!
I look forward to considering ways that Wikis can positively affect my job and my library patrons.