Final Project

I used Central Desktop (www.centraldesktop.com/jimmyt/mcdesg-116). It wasn't a concious choice in the sense that it was the first Wiki that I came to.
My main aim is to create a space where students can help each other. Ideally this happens in the classroom, but some students have other commitments and can't necessarily hang out there as much as needed. A wiki would be an alternative meeting place where students could discuss their difficulties without waiting for my response. I heard recently "When one person teaches, two people learn". In particular evening students may have taken prerequisites a while ago and need a conversation to refresh their knowledge.
When a student asks a question in writing, it has to be reasonably well phrased. Another aphorism that applies, especially in engineering, is "A problem well stated is a problem half solved".
My only disappointment with Central Desktop is lack of appearance modifications. I do like that related items can be arranged in folders. PBworks appears to be better thought out.
Jim T

Comments about Google

Personally I think it's wonderful. I like "Street View" on Google maps and I have no objection to people seeing our ratty cars on our driveway there. I do have a feeling that giving away all this information does require a degree of trust that the information won't eventually be abused. Fingers crossed.

Using Social Media in Small Colleges

This appears to be more of a question about the use of Social Media rather than a "how-to". The replies/comments are variable - some are helpful and others are just further questions, some longer than the original post.
Is it possible that this isn't the best way to ask for advice? Around the office, I ask advice from people whose expertise and opinion I respect. On the internet I leave myself wide open to all sorts of advice and opinions and then will spend a lot of time sifting.
Maybe I don't want advice so much as a collaborator.

Ten Best Practices

It's good to be methodical rather than take a fingers crossed approach. All 10 points may not be relevant to everyone but a little forethought can prevent a lot of problems. Then you make a list of what not to do next semester.

First Week's Stuff

An inspiring idea from "How Wikis Streamline Student Collaboration Projects": an instructor can see who is and isn't contributing to group projects. It will still require distinguishing between contributions and "Yes, I agree" type of comments.
The link to the article is:

(http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/asynchronous-learning-and-trends/how-wikis-can-streamline-student-collaboration-projects/)

Rambling along

Typing this just so that there's some text to be seen