The University of Extremadura and its compromise with the virtual education: Wikis as expression of the web 2.0

Abstract

Current universities face the challenge of updating not only the technological resources, but also, and more intensely, teachers’ knowledge and teachers’ pedagogical practice. We believe that only in such a way a real innovation of the teaching and learning processes can be achieved in the new European Space of Higher Education. One of these innovations is related to social software tools, specifically Wikis as a driving force of didactical experience in the university environment. The establishment of tools as Wikis is causing teachers a process of redefining their pedagogical considerations, as well as their teaching activities. The scope of this article is to offer an approach to some pedagogical activities that, for a few years, have been introduced in the University of Extremadura, the main aspects of them are the teachers’ training, the reflection on the own work using portfolios and personal diaries and, finally, the use of Wikis to develop collaborative learning tasks.