The Canadian School Health Knowledge Network is harnessing the new web-based collaboration tools to share information and knowledge among practitioners, experts, government officials, policy-makers and non-governmental organizations.  

Similar to wikipedia and other networking platforms, our wiki-toolboxes use a shared work space on the web to create and edit pages, upload documents and create web links from participants, add comments and post messages within the wiki, describe our own work in school health and “watch” for updates through RSS feeds that alert us of changes to selected pages.  

We think that the key to success with these new tools is to have a strong match between the content and the users needs, so we have created a series of wiki-toolboxes that simply list good programs and other resources on a topic within the elements of a comprehensive approach to school health promotion.  

To start the process, we have posted materials identified in several environment scans and other projects. To add more or update that information, members of the wiki can simply add a little description by editing the page and include a web link to the resource that they recommend. Each wiki toolbox also has a page for everyone to post news items and a Discussion Forum if people want to ask others about a topic.  

One of the best things about this new easy technology is that is free. Since the web site we are using to host the wikis is sponsored by google ads, anyone can use the technology free of charge. We have made our wiki-toolboxes “public” to anyone. But you will need to “join” the wiki to be able to edit the pages and upload documents and web links. (The hosting web site does not share your email address or name with anyone.) And, you can control the notices sent to you by the wiki by editing your profile.     

Go visit our school health wiki-toolboxes and then join us online.