Collaborative writing : wikis and the co-construction of meaning

As people, of all ages, take advantage of the opportunities offered by Web 2.0 to be active participants in the process of knowledge building, they become publishers and producers of knowledge not simply consumers of information. In this chapter I will draw upon Bruns and Humphrey’s (2007) concept of produsage and the four capacities of produsers as a frame through which to consider the use of wikis for collaborative writing and the social construction of meaning in an online environment. In presenting an overview of the literature on wikis in educational, work and interest-group (affinity spaces) contexts, the issues and gaps, connections will be made between these two concepts and other complementary ideas. While the chapter focuses, primarily, on wiki usage in educational contexts commentary is also included on wikis in workplace environments and for interest-groups (affinity spaces).