"Wiki", the Hawaiian word for quick, can refer to either a Web site or the software that runs it. Ward Cunningham, a Portland, OR, programmer, invented and named the wiki in 1995. He wanted to help a virtual community of programmers communicate efficiently. Teachers and librarians nationwide have begun to explore the role of wikis in classroom settings--and the possibilities do appear endless. Wikis have also been used to help students gain insights into world events. Wikis hold so much promise that motivated K-12 teachers and librarians throughout Virginia will soon be wiki literate, thanks to a program designed to bring them up to speed on technology-enhanced learning as defined by the National Educational Technology Standards. Led by education professor Richard Ingram of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, the program is being largely supported by a sizable four-year Partners in Learning grant from Microsoft. One benefit of wikis, according to Jimmy Wales, who founded Wikipedia in 2001, is the willingness of kids who use them to try to understand views that may differ from theirs. Wikis are helping young people develop "writing skills and social skills by learning about group consensus and compromise--all the virtues needed to be a reasonable and productive member of society." Others like the way that wikis let everyone play.