Web 2.0 and Education
From WikEd
Contents |
Education and Web 2.0
Authors:
Stan Bergman, Katie Shifflet, Rebecca Smith, Heidi, Faith McKinney, Amy, Eva, Sarah Hannus, Mara, Rhonda
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
EPS 415 - Ethical and Policy Issues in Information Technologies
Professor Nicholas C. Burbules
Summer 2007
I. Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is a term used for the "second generation" of the world wide web, one that is much more user-driven than ever before.
A. Introduction
From the beginning of time, human beings have utilized various forms of communication to achieve many different goals. Communication can be used to build relationships, to record and share history and stories, and to educate. Forms of communication have moved along a continuum from pictures on walls, to printing presses, to telephones, and now to the Internet. Through modern innovations, communication has become globalized. Collaboration, online "communities", networking, free internet services, and content growth are several results of abundant communication availability. Web 2.0 is the term used to describe the latest trends in online communication. This wiki will provide an overview of Web 2.0 terms to understand, the history of changing technologies, Web 2.0 innovations, and finally the challenges and opportunities that Web 2.0 offers to all, but mainly to educators.
B. History of the Web 2.0
1. Web 1.0
The 1990s were a time when Dot-Com companies overwhelmed the information technology market and the internet became popular and available for everyday people. However, the collapse of the dot-com era has lead to new and better technologies that have made the internet a more thriving resource and database. In 2004, there was a Web 2.0 conference between O’Reilly and MediaLive International to try to define Web 2.0. Click here to see a diagram of their ideas. . O’Reilly (2005) provides examples of changes from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 that can help make sense of the transition.
Web 1.0 contained Ofoto - a website where people can upload photos, order prints, and share with friends via email. Web 2.0 offers a more advanced and interactive photo site - Flickr. This site dubs itself a "photographic community with sharing at its heart." Users have free access to the site, where they can upload, share, chat, and create various creative products. Another example is Britannica Online versus Wikipedia. Britannica is an online encyclopedia (with costly software) created by experts, whereas Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia created and editted by common, everyday users. Obviously one of the challenges associated with Wikipedia is its accuracy, but its accessibility has made it exceedingly popular in the internet world. Furthermore, Web 1.0 focused on personal websites, whereas Web 2.0 is overflowing with blogs. There are, of course, many other examples, but these are some of the commonly used resources.
The main change from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 is focused on the interaction between users on sites. A few companies have survived the transition such as Yahoo!, Google, eBay, Wikipedia, and Amazon. One of the keys that has made these companies successful is the fact that they get better as more people use them. They allow people to directly contribute knowledge and information into the websites through blogs, book reviews, and buying or selling items. According to O’Reilly, “if a site or product relies on advertising to get the word out, it isn’t Web 2.0.” Sites become popular through word of mouth, or emailing a friend a hyperlink to a video, or posting a site on your myspace account. The internet is all about the user.
2. Social changes encouraged by Wed 2.0 trends
Web 2.0 is the emergent changing purpose of the internet, from a source of providing information to an interconnected community of sorts, in which all participants create and share knowledge. Blogging is one of the most popular emerging features of Web 2.0. With Web 1.0, many people had personal websites to post information. Now people have blogs, or personal home pages in a diary format, in order to share information in a chronological order. Trackbacks , a mechanism that allows bloggers to see when others link to their page, gives people opportunity to interact or respond to others. Blogging incorporates one of the main concepts of Web 2.0, which is the ability to layer information. A blog may have a link to a map, which has a link to the weather in an area, which has a link to a video of a recent tornado, which has a link to a music video made by a local band. The ability to overlap and share information and build knowledge has exploded.
3. Web 2.0 Companies
In order for companies to be successful in the Web 2.0 world, they must embrace the engagement of users as co-developers of knowledge and information. O’Reilly identifies 7 core competencies of Web 2.0 companies:
a. Services, not packaged software, with cost-effective scalability.
b. Control over unique, hard-to-create data sources that get richer as more people use them.
c. Trusting users as co-developers.
e. Harnessing collective intelligence.
f. Leveraging the long tail through customer self-service.
g. Software above the level of a single device.
h. Lightweight user interfaces, development models, and business models.
Web 2.0 is the new culture of the internet. It is not entirely different from Web 1.0 in its services and companies, yet its inclusivity of users makes it more social, accessible, and interesting. Information flows freely and is created and adapted by users, not just by professionals or companies. The web is an interactive community of sharing and trust. Innovations and new platforms become available to the users that give them control of their data. Therefore, user-generated content remains an important factor as Web 2.0 continues to evolve.
C. Web 2.0 Definitions:
The following is a list of helpful definitions. The reader may want to refer back to these definitions for further clarification.
1. Tagging: A tag is a (relevant) keyword or term associated with or assigned to a piece of information (e.g. a picture, article, or video clip), thus describing the item and enabling keyword-based classification of information.
2. Creative Commons: The Creative Commons (CC) is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative work available for others legally to build upon and share. The organization has released several copyright licenses known as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses, depending on the one chosen, restrict only certain rights (or none) of the work.
3. Web Feed: A web feed is a data format used for serving users frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an Internet aggregator.
4. Wiki: A wiki is a collaborative website which can be directly edited by anyone with access to it. Ward Cunningham, developer of the first wiki WikiWikiWeb, originally described it as "the simplest online database that could possibly work".[1] Wikipedia is one of the best known wikis.
5. Photo Sharing: Photo sharing is the publishing or transfer of a user's digital photos online, thus enabling the user to share them with others (whether publicly or privately). This functionality is provided through both websites and applications that facilitate the upload and display of images. The term can also be loosely applied to the use of online photo galleries that are setup and managed by individual users, including photoblogs.
6. Bloglines: Bloglines is a web-based news aggregator for browsing weblogs and other news feeds via syndicated feeds utilizing technologies such as Really Simple Syndication and ATOM. Unlike other feed readers that download posts directly to one's device, Bloglines is a server-side aggregation system, where blog entries are downloaded and updated on the server on a frequent basis [1].
7. Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking is a way for internet users to store, classify, share and search Internet bookmarks.
8. Blog: A blog (a portmanteau of web log) is a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
9. RSS: RSS (which, in its latest format, stands for "Really Simple Syndication") is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts. An RSS document, which is called a "feed", "web feed", or "channel", contains either a summary of content from an associated web site or the full text. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favorite web sites in an automated manner that's easier than checking them manually.
10. Podcast: A podcast is a digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers. A podcast is a specific type of webcast which, like 'radio', can mean either the content itself or the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also termed podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. The term "podcast" is a portmanteau of the name of Apple's portable music player, the iPod, and broadcast[1]; a "pod" refers to the iPod, and "cast" to the idea of broadcasting.
11. Video Hosting Service: A video hosting service allows individuals to upload video clips to an Internet website. The video host will then store the video on its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that video. Because many users do not have personal web space, either as a paid service, or through an ISP offering, video hosting services are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the explosion in popularity of blogs, forums, and other interactive pages.
12. Mashup: A mashup is a website or application that combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience.
Therefore, it is important to note that Web 2.0 emerged through a variety of web applications and shapes new technologies by using RSS, Video Hosting Service, and Mashup to generate user content.
D. Web 2.0 Changes in Information: (Efficiency and user-centeredness)
While new catchphrases and watchwords will accompany any current technological shift, the phenomenon of Web 2.0 is that it has resulted in a fundamental shift in the attitude of the general public towards the internet. While the notion of the "information superhighway" painted a picture of a never-ending encyclopedia, the internet is now seen much more as a tool that people use throughout the course of their day-to-day lives. This change in user attitude is just as important, if not more, than any technological innovation.
1. Individual Production and User-Generated Content
In Web 2.0, the individual production concepts are predominately run by the user. The user will generate the content that is being produced through the many forms of web based programs. It is important to note that the individual is responsible for the outcomes by using the web as a platform to generate ideas and collaboratively learn. With the use of flickrs, blogs, and wikipedia the user controls the data. The concepts generated on these kinds of programs are a service to the user, not a software program. Through participation and collective intelligence, the user can accomodate their own needs through production and collaboration. This manner of learning is attractive for many users. An addage that most people hear growing up is to learn from our mistakes, so what a better way to do this than by expressing learning in cyberspace. This type of learning allows the influence and intelligence of other users to help change or persuade others to a think differently about a topic. It allows for more openness and 'thinking outside the box' for those who are a little more conservative. Web 2.0 provides new opportunities for a person to learn by extending their knowledge beyond what they have already know.
2. Harnessing the Power of the Crowd - "The Wisdom of Crowds"
James Surowiecki developed the concept of "The Wisdom of Crowds." He postulates that the combined knowledge of large groups of people rather than an elite few is a more effective decision making process. He argues that the combined knowledge allows for better problem solving, more inventive way of doing things and wiser decision making. With the rise of Web 2.0, people can create their own web page in a diary format, allowing them to be in control. The implementation of RSS has given users a greater opportunity to collaborate and communicate, through the creation of blogs. Teachers are faced with the challenge of discovering the best way to deliver their curriculum so that students are motivated, engaged, and learn the content. The power of Web 2.0 and the wisdom of the crowds allows teachers to generate new ideas and better ways to teach certain lessons. Teachers can collaboratively assist each other through blogs or other Web 2.0 technologies to share ideas for the benefit of teaching, thus drawing on the wisdom of many to solve an issue.
3. Folksonomy: Individuals acting individually, yet producing a collective result.
Folksonomy is opposite of taxonomy; organizing with a very structured way of delivering information. Folksonomy is a collaborative structure of websites that allow an overlap of information using key terms called tags. These are multiple overlaps of information that can be intertwined to give information for a better connection of all the material generated. The tags are user generated to retrieve any kind of information from the websites off the internet. A good example of this is called Flickr or del.icio.us. The best part is that in this social computer environment, tags can be accessed from other tags to generate ideas from their particular topic. These ideas are then generated in an open reader or open document so that the information gathered can be shared. The internet and search engines, like Google, have created paths for people to use to accumulate all the data that can be gathered about one subject.
4. Freeing Data
Andy Oram is an editor for O’Reilly Media and has written a book and a few articles, one describing freeing data. There are two types of data that he described as an open document and open reader. The open document has an input format, allowing freedom for writers that is compatible and uses switch tools. The open reader has an output format, allowing freedom for readers. This allows the readers to be publishers of e-books with some confidence, allowing multi-manufacturer devices to be compatible with the technology. The open document allows those people who like structure to their work and the guidelines set forth to protect them from having to escape the reality of a box to write and keep their thoughts to themselves and then share those with others. The open reader allows for the complete opposite. People have the capabilities to agree or disagree as the article, etc. goes on with a freeing of their own data to be published into that data. The data has been freed to the public as soon as it is written.
5. The service automatically gets better the more people use it.
The more people become aware and educated to the opportuniies available via Web 2.0 formats, the better. It will, however, become harder to move ahead with technology. Osoft is trying to take these steps to move away from the software browser to the open reader browser, allowing more freedom to create better learning for the user. An open reader browser can become a break through for the technology within various operating systems. Users will be able to create more openness to their work and the capabilities for better collaboration on projects and learning will improve. The more people use it, the more it can learn from the mistakes and correct ways to implement ideas and make it faster to operate.
6. Network Efforts (Disintermediation, Long Tail, Reformation, contiuous presence)
Disintermediation is way to handle multiple feeds in a uniform format, replacing the multitude of formats customers receive their data in with the same single format. Harold Davis described a buzzword, or phrase as a primary topic called “The Long Tail.” “The Long Tail”, a meme-meaning, is a phrase used to denote a topic of general community discussion. According to various definitions, a meme is (1) an idea that can replicate and evolve, and (2) a basic unit of cultural information subject to mutation, crossover, and adaptation. The use of the term “meme” is credited to evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins (he used it in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene). Network efforts like the two listed have so many desirable outcomes for the customer. Long tailing allows the user to change and grow with the topics of discussion within a period of time. The wiki formatting has a way of reading certain data coming into it and when a document was written in Microsoft Word and pasted into the wiki, the wiki will read it and reformat it. This also works from an older version of Word to a newer version, in that, it will ask you if you want to reformt it to the newer version. In disintermediation, this type of information can be sent through one source and format, which is a benefit to the customer.
7. Openness
The open source software movement has received much credit and has recently been in the forefront of technology. This has created confusion about the differences between openness and open source software. Open source or open system has an unlimited supply of ways to collaborate and make the software work. The closed system has very little room to grow and has limits to what it can do. Openness affects many aspects of computing and the freedom to view and modify source codes. This basically means that access can be given to anyone who wishes to view it. Unfortunately there are computer companies who have been able to take advantage of the popular misconceptions about openness by hiding their products in partial degrees of openness, then applying the open label. In the mid-1980's UNIX was developed to unify these companies so there would be one standard operting system for software. In the 1990's another operating system called Common API Specification was formed by newer companies that set up their own operating sytem and finally in 2001 the Linux operating system was created to standardize the openness of the increased compatibilty for those systems. An understanding of the different forms of openness and how they apply to the many different types of computer systems as well as an understanding of the accessories that apply to the software and service agreements is important when making sure that any informational system has the openness capability for all to use and see. Openness is a great way to create a space in cyberspace that allows room for growth. The parameters are endless because the open system allows for loop holes to be generated so that one question can now pose other questions and the cycle is an endless area of learning for the reader and writer. When working in a closed system, there are parameters setup that it makes it difficult to make changes like the wikis. In this wiki, there are very few options for change and a limited capacity to work. This is not to say that there are ways around it, but the closed system of arrangement can have it's faults, but the openness of dialogue in the wikis has no limits.
8. Peer Production
It has been suggested that commons-based peer-production is occurring, which is the broadening and emergence of a new, third mode of production in the digitally networked environment. To “distinguish it from the property- and contract-based models of firms and markets,” the central characteristic of peer production is that groups of individuals will try to successfully collaborate on large-scale projects, following a multiple of motivational drives and social signals, rather than either market prices or managerial commands. Therefore, web based applications generates user content and supports social networks in business and social environments as a service not a product. This is a positive way to sell the product so that the buyers can have an active role in the way it is set up for their purposes. It would appear that using input from the buyers market will enable the prduct to become more of a peer acceptance than an administrative acceptance and that collaborating about what the possible benefits are can be beneficial for both sides.
E. Changes in Social Context
Web 2.0 must be maintained on a daily basis in order to keep the information up to date and factual. The Web 2.0 programs, which include Flickr, Google, Wikipedia, and Napster, must be viewed as a service as opposed to a product. For example, Google must continuously search the web and update its directory, continuously filter out link spam and other attempts to influence its results. In addition, Google continuously and dynamically must respond to millions of asynchronous user queries, simultaneously matching them with context-appropriate advertisements.
Corporate America is also being affected by the Web 2.0 programs. Gone are the days of FedEx and faxing as texting, blogging, and instant messaging are now seen as a core business tool. Web 2.0 is raising expectations for information availability and flexibility in all business areas. Some signs of this shift include Walt Disney, and other companies, now using wikis, or group-editable Web pages, to increase collaboration. Other businesses use button-down social-networking services such as LinkedIn and Visible Path to uncover sales leads and hiring prospects from colleagues. Corporate blogging is becoming a cliché, as executives from Sun Microsystems and General Motors have created their own blog pages to communicate directly with their customer base.
Web 2.0, due to its flexibility, allows for the type of networking needed in both business and social environments. MySpace, a social network website, allows users to create free spaces to “exploit” themselves with descriptions, music, and pictures. Although MySpace is predominantly used as a meeting place for old friends and new friends, corporations have jumped on the Myspace band wagon and are now finding MySpace as an avenue to search for potential employees as well. This network effect is one of many changes taking place in the Web 2.0 technology market and the growing popularity of online businesses.
In order to maintain privacy and identity on the Web 2.0 networks, one must use both trust and control. Each person who uses Web 2.0 technologies makes a conscious decision to do so. People take on the responsibility of acting as their own filters by sharing what they want, when they want, and with whom they want. If at a certain point they would feel uncomfortable about the information they are sharing, he/she always has the choice of discontinuing use of the Web 2.0 tools. The filtering factor is extremely vital in the private and public education systems.
Most schools have a technology department who remain current on the Web 2.0 sites and consistently update the sites that need to be blocked for school use. Unfortunately, this is not always affective as many sites get over looked. The sharing of private information is not a subject to be taken lightly. Adolescent teenagers do not understand the ramifications of using these sites without taking responsibility as a self-filter. By acting in this manner, school aged children and adolescents find themselves in many unsafe and uncomfortable situations because of the information they have chosen to share with the rest of the Internet world. Schools are making progress in preventing this type of activity by adding more filtering software, increasing their technology staff, and getting parents involved in the technology revolution that is taking place.
Therefore, the evolution from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has changed how people use the web, more than changing the web itself. It provides seamless access to interactive collaborative social environments through web applications. Web 2.0 services provide educators with numerous resources for data research, collaboration, and compilation of information. Similar services were available in the Web 1.0 online world, but the major difference now is the inclusion of the user in creating and adapting information. Information is free and free-flowing across the globe, providing the potential to bridge the digital divide.
II. Web 2.0 and Emerging Technology: How does the idea of Web 2.0 shape new technologies?
The ongoing race between user innovations and new platforms to showcase them has almost led to a chicken-or-the-egg situation when it comes to the technology of Web 2.0. Is technology trying to keep up with a new class of service-hungry users? Or has the spread of interactive, user-beneficial internet features spurred the new user attitudes that help define Web 2.0?
Whatever the origin, new and emerging technologies of Web 2.0 are helping to cement the new status of the internet as a tool of daily necessity by providing tangible, up-to-the-minute services to its users, as opposed to being a static source of information.
A. Innovations
Many innovations have been influenced by Web 2.0. These innovations follow the standard of being user-based and delivering a service to users.
1. Syndication
Syndication of web site content is often attributed to the evolution of Web 2.0 (Wikipedia-Web 2.0, 2007). Web syndication refers to allows users to use site data in another context such as another web-site or separate desktop application (Wikipedia-Web 2.0, 2007). The protocols, which are all XML-based formats that allow this syndication, are RSS, RDF, and Atom (Wikipedia-Web 2.0, 2007).
The innovation of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) allows a user to link not to just one page, but to subscribe to it. This allows the notification of any changes made to that page (O’Reilly, 2005). Many blogs and webpages display RSS icons so that users can register to get a feed from that site (Anderson, 2007).
Atom is a newer syndication system. There are two forms: the Atom Syndication Format (an EML language used for Web feeds) and the Atom Publishing Protocol (HTTP-based protocol for reading and updating web resources) (Anderson, 2007). The difference between the two exists, in that ATOM is more clearly defined encoding of actual content and it allows multiple podcast to be syndicated at one time (Anderson, 2007)
2. Mashups
A mashup is a website or application that combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience. With Web 2.0, this is demonstrated in applications such as Google Maps.
3. Web Protocols
Web development is narrowing to two main types, REST and SOAP, of which are surrounded by much debate. REST (Representation State Transfer) is architectural ideas and principals begun by Roy Fielding. This uses XML and HTTP. SOAP is more formal, has complex protocols, and uses WEB Services Description Language (Anderson, 2007).
4. Microcontent
A major feature of Web 2.0 is the microcontent. Webpages such as CNN.com are not user-based or modifiable by the public. Where at one point, the Web could be seen as a book, it now revolves around the idea of microcontent (Alexander, 2006). Such innovations such as blogs and websites are not simple pages, but rather posts. Innovations such as a Wiki are ever evolving posts of many authors. Web browsers have responded to this with bookmarklets in toolbars. Bookmarklets demonstrate the user-based philosophy of Web 2.0 by allowing the user to “fling something from one page into a Web service that yields up another page” (Alexander, 2006).
Microcontent began as forms of e-mail and discussion boards. The major difference today in Web 2.0 is that the microcontent is developed by users, typically collaboratively or globally (Alexander, 2006).
5. Folksonomy
A more controversial innovation of Web 2.0 is a new form of metadata called folksonomy. Traditional metadata have been hierarchical, meaning topics are nesting within topics. It has been structured and predetermined by content authorities (Alexander, 2006). Again, following the user-generation of Web 2.0, folksonomy allows users to generate and attach to content. The user can then upload his or her results into programs such as Flickr or 23. Different users will tag with keywords that are relevant to him or herself (Alexander, 2006). A popular site is Del.icio.us.
6. Internet Applications
Another innovation for users is the reloading of webpages. Webpages no longer need to be fully reloaded because content bits are automatically fed into the page (Alexander, 2006).
Many frustrations occur with HTML-based websites because users must wait to reload or refresh. Ajax allows only small pieces of information to pass from the server once the page is initially loaded. This means that the users experience the webpage in real time with a kind of responsiveness one is used to on desktop applications (Anderson, 2007). Adobe Flash, OpenLaszlo, are alternatives to Ajax. Flash has gained popularity because of its use in Youtube.com (Anderson, 2007)
7. Social Software
Web 2.0 has increased people’s ability to connect with the creation of listservs, Usenet, discussion software, groupware, and web-based communities (Alexander, 2006). The examples of these are blogs, wikis, trackback, podcasting, and videoblogs. Possibly the most popular of the social networking sites are MySpace and Facebook (Alexander, 2006).
With the innovation of blogs/RSS, an innovation of blog/RSS searching follows. These search services are centered on user needs and information. Popular sites include Feedster and Daypop. These sites allow users to search for blogs with certain information (Alexander, 2006).
Consequently, Web 2.0 has influenced user-based innovations by delivering a service to the user not a product. Technology is ubiquitous as it retrieves information while interacting with the web applications.
B. Commonalities
1. User Based
According to O’Reilly (2005) the user base does not rely on advertising to get the word out. As stated earlier, Web 2.0 has the potential to reach users by providing seamless access to the web through Ajax web application and the collective activity of web users. Technology is ubiquitous, working behind the scenes and providing services to users who want on demand downloads of music and television in addition to communicating with friends, family and others by using instant messaging, email, and MySpace. The increased need to harness, store, and retrieve information will continue to affect the evolution of new web applications and platforms.
Ajax is a web application that incorporates standards-based presentation, Document Object Modeling, XML and XSLT, XMLHttpRequest, and JavaScript to provide a new approach to web applications (Garrett, 2005). The user experiences no delay in the display of the web page. The trend in society is need to immediately access information that is accurate and useful. As the demand of the user increases the web application platforms must continue to evolve to keep up with the demand. A query produces an HTTP request to the server and goes through a process to retrieve the information. Ajax adds a layer to the application that loads an engine, written in JavaScript that asynchronously communicates to the server and what interface the user sees.
2. Deliver A Service Not Software
Syndication of data on the web such as blogs and chats provide users with frequent updates of information or conversation on the internet. A web feed may be syndicated, where users subscribe to access information. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) updates podcasts, online news, and blogs. The site provides a summary or full text of content gathered from other sites. These sites gather data of specific interest to the user and give them timely information on the subject.
Design for “hackability” and “remixability” (O’Reilly, 2005). Web 2.0 gets rid of the gatekeepers and is in favor of direct access to the Web (Miller, 2005). The web application is producing information that is more meaningful to the user by providing more rapid access to information. As the demand for information continues to rise (online participation in blogs, wikis, etc.) it will produce user generated content which is then folded back into the application, making it available to all participants. An example of this is Google. Miller suggests that a wealth of information exists. By breaking down silos of separate systems and connecting the data to each other, libraries can be provided with an opportunity to serve their audience better.
3. Not A Single Device
Web 2.0 is not a single device and is not limited to the PC platform due to the development of the web as a platform. This is important when creating a new design for applications and services for a new platform. O’Reilly mentions that Ipods and Tivo leverage the power of the web platform and make it seamless for the user. O’Reilly (2005) suggests that Web 2.0 is a set of principles and practices that tie a solar system of sites to its core. Web 2.0 creates an environment that is rich in data, leveraging customer-self service and applications that learn from their users (O’Reilly, 2005). This data can easily retrieve information in a more intelligent way by interacting with the web applications as it builds a social network of information. The social and cultural changes will affect how technology provides information to the users and change the web application platforms that are being used today.
These commonalities provide users with access to information based on their interest in a timely manner and impacts Web 2.0 by providing user-generated content through collaboration and social networks.
C. Impacts of Web 2.0
1. Collaboration
One of the central impacts of Web 2.0 is that it supports collaboration. People do not have to be together physically to communicate synchronously. Users can view, edit, and share content by giving access to certain rights called "Creative Commons".
2. Communities and Networking
Web 2.0 fosters communities and networking. "Folksonomy", also know as tagging, is the staple of networking, because it allows users to find shared topics and interests. According to Wikipedia, "folksonomy is a user-generated taxonomy used to categorize and retrieve web content such as Web pages, photographs and Web links, using open-ended labels called tags." Popular sites like del.icio.us and flickr are breading grounds for tagging. Blogging also invites conversation and commenting, thus creating more networks between bloggers.
3. Free Services
Another key impact of Web 2.0 is that it provides users with free services. Prior to the conception of Web 2.0, the majority of software was packaged, offline, and available for a fee. Now people and companies are donating their time and expertise for free to generate content. Users have become trusted co-designers of Web 2.0 companies (Christopher, 2007, p.7). Web 2.0 provides free and almost unlimited server space for anyone on the Net. Users are no longer restricted to their Internet service provider (ISP) for email access. Companies like MSN, Google, and Yahoo! provide email and many other services for free. Web users can even make phones and hold conferences through a "Voice Over Internet Protocol" (VOIP) technology, called "Skype".
Web 2.0 has created a virtual marketplace where consumers can search for the best deal. There are even websites that will find the best deal for users, like pricegrabber.com and mysimon.com. Consumers are no longer limited to local retail stores. The on-demand availability to the worldwide marketplace has enabled individuals to become wiser consumers. Not only can people buy merchandise on line, but they can also sell their own products. Web 2.0 has enabled the everyday consumer to become an entrepreneur.
4. Content Growth
Content on the Net is expanding exponentially. Every single second, users are creating bloggs, wikis, web pages, databases, and other types of content. Increased volumes of content have created the need for individuals to be more critical evaluators of information.
Therefore, increase generation of content through collaboration in blogs and wikis along with free services such as email access and online shopping suggest that Web 2.0 will continue to evolve and produce an environment for a more intuitive system.
D. Web 2.0 and Future Technology
O’Reilly hints at the idea of remaking of the address book by treating the local address book on the PC or phone as a cache the user asks the system to remember. The system will remember every message sent or received every email address, and every phone number. It would also build a social network to offer alternatives when an answer is not found and then search the broader social network if it can’t find an answer within the alternative data. This sounds good for all those who want to keep up with the latest technology, but what happens to the person who doesn’t want someone to remember their phone number or email address? Can the system delete this information at the user’s request? Where is the information stored and who has access to the information? These are important issues to consider as web application platforms continue to evolve and perform more intricate functions.
Rich formatting supported by word processors being wiki-compatible, as opposed to creating standalone documents, create collaborative environments where users can share and edit each other's papers and spreadsheets on the internet via web applications similar to software programs. Weinberger (2004) refers to Wikipedia as the point when information changed. The information on the web is dynamic and participatory. It provides access to users to generate their own data on blogs and in wikis while it creates knowledge. Weinberger suggests that knowledge is conversation. The web provides the user access to a wide variety of conversations through the use of web platforms that support instant messaging, wikis, and blogging sites.
E. Web 3.0
According to Wikipedia (2007), Web 3.0 is a term that has been coined with different meanings to describe the evolution of Web usage and interaction among several separate paths. Web 3.0 will be accessible to multiple non-browser applications, by transforming itself into a database that leverages artificial intelligence. It will have structured data records published to the web in XML, RDF, and microformats that are reusable and queryable. Web 3.0 will be more intuitive and provide the foundation for systems that can reason in a human fashion (Markoff, 2006). A better infrastructure on the Web creates more interaction among the data and how it is accessed by the user. An example of Web 3.0 is Flickr and the KnowItAll. KnowItAll, is a project at the University of Washington that answers the questions: "How can a computer accumulate a massive body of knowledge?" and "What will Web search engines look like in ten years?" There are two demos, TextRunner and Opine that extract information to answer queries. Bayer Healthcare created a website where users would gather clues and exchange links with other users. This was an effort to create a viral market where users forward information to appear hip or smart. Web 3.0 is in its infancy, but as it evolves it will store associations and interactions between users by doing the "thinking."
Therefore, Web 2.0 and future technologies provides opportunities and challenges in education through collaborative environments and social networks.
III.Educational Opportunities and Challenges
While Web 1.0 entered the classroom as a mere informational supplement, Web 2.0 presents a variety of new methods for education. Classrooms now have the opportunity to draw ultra-current information in any form of media into the learning environment, and send it back out to other users. Additionally, educators have new, expanded avenues for their own lesson plans, and can take those plans to an expanded pool of learners.
“The balance between learning and doing is impacted by new technologies for learning.”(Levin & Bruce, 2001)
A. Ease of Use
In an educational setting, Web 2.0 is generally easy to use. The fact that students and educators can access these tools on any computer with access to the Internet is key. Teachers no longer need to depend on students being able to download software for a particular subject area; because it is available as a service on the Web. Web 2.0 also offers the opportunity for the learner to have a choice as to when they want to participate. Students can access Web 2.0 anywhere and at anytime, making learning more attractive.
B. Learning Styles
Web 2.0 can be used to empower students and create new learning opportunities. Web 2.0 provides choice, variety, collaboration, hands-on, and participatory learning opportunities; all the characteristics that are most attractive to today’s ‘net generation’ or ‘millenial’ student. Millennials expect to be able to choose what kind of education they buy, and what, where, and how they learn. “They absorb information quickly, in images and video as well as text, from multiple sources simultaneously. They operate at twitch speed, expecting instant responses and feedback. (Downes).” Millennials consume and learn from a wide variety of media, often simultaneously. Diana and James Oblinger offered this overview of students today: digitally literate, constantly connected, socially driven, engaged, and visually-driven. Stated quite simply, learners today are different and have different avenues by which they prefer to and want to learn. In her article , A Wider World: Youth, Privacy, and Social Networking Technologies, Tracy Mitrano argues that Facebook, a social networking website used by many young people today, is popular because it "intersects with all that is edgy about innovative networking technologies deployed to full social advantage". More importantly, she goes on to state, and this is a key arguement for utilizing Web 2.0 in the classrooms today, "It is also very clearly not the wave of the future; rather, it is what is happening right now among youth". Web 2.0 provides a host of new opportunities for educators to utilize in the classroom that connect with their student lives. Most teachers are aware that it is important to motivate students, what better way to engage and motivate your students than to use the technologies that are part of their day to day life?
In Web 2.0, the content is characterized by open communication, decentralized authority, freedom to share and re-use, and dynamic interactivity (http://magazines.fasfind.com/wwwtools/magazines.cfm?rid=2756).” These features make it very attractive for millennial students and they are more motivated and engaged in lessons that incorporate Web 2.0. Web 2.0 provides hands-on, authentic learning, which millennial students thrive on. Additionally, Web 2.0 gives students a voice. "The world of Web 2.0 is also the world of what Dan Gillmor calls "we, the media," a world in which the former audience, not a few people in a back room, decides what's important. (www.oreilly.com) Web 2.0 provides new windows of opportunity to integrate technology and multicultural pedagogy. The potential for world-wide collaborations is immense. Through dialogue, critical thinking, and reflection, students and teachers, can interact with and learn from other cultures. Using the various platforms of Web 2.0, students can discuss a wide range of topics with peers worldwide. This further enhances their learning and changes the focus for assignments. Whereas in the past, students wrote for one audience, their teacher, with Web 2.0, they are now writing for a much larger audience, potentially world wide audiences.
This conforms nicely to the idea of teaching to students who isn't comfortable in a typical classroom setting. Using technology in and outside of the classroom allows the user to explore their own topics and jump from own point of interest to another in split seconds. The amount of information that a student can take on and process, while developing more questions exponentially barriers the possibilities in a classroom. This should enhance a generation of students who want to learn new information and will stop at nothing to get there. --M. Pule
C. Learner-centered design
Web 2.0 changes the role of the teacher from the person at the front of the room imparting knowledge, to a guide on the side as students become the architects of learning. In this learner centered approach, a great deal of emphasis is placed on active learning with communication, collaboration, and creation being important. In some aspects, the lines between teacher and student become blurred as students become the focal point of learning; “it is the placing of the control of learning itself into the hands of the learner (Downes).” In one research study, done by Barbara Monroe, it was noted that in utilizing Web 2.0 technologies where the teacher also interacts with the students in an online format, that the lines become very blurred, "Bretag participated on the same level as his students in the online discussions and his words apparently have no more weight than a studnets or even a participating parennt's. To be sure , he still holds the power of the grade, but even in that regard, students seem less motivated by grades than they are by wanting to learn, asking their own questions and offering support or refutation for others viewpoints (Monroe)." Learning in Web 2.0 becomes personal where the information is remixed and reused to meet the individual needs of the students. This learner centered pedagogy will, ‘work best when guided by teachers who not only understand the substantive learning areas, but also know how to translate existing learner interests into worthy problems and challenges whose solutions involve productive activity guided by expertise (Lankshear and Knobel).”
"With every new piece of technology, to make this technology work, you have to change your teaching practices," Seely Brown said. "Part of it is (thinking about) how to go from sage on the stage to being a real mentor." (http://news.com.com/Futurist+To+fix+education,+think+Web+2.0/2100-1032_3-6140175.html)
Seely suggests a "hybrid" learning approach. Schools need to teach essential knowledge and critical thinking through some type of traditional method. In addition, the schools should complement that teaching styne with what Seely Brown called "passion-based learning" which focuses on getting students more engaged with topic experts and encourage collaboration. Schools who successfully incorporate Web 2.0 into their classrooms will adopt a new form of learning that includes co-design, co-creation, and shared problem-solving. This must be used in collaboration with the idea of taking learning and translate it into something that the learner is interested in. For example, a student may not be the best at writing essays for Language Arts class, but is incredibly talented at writing his or her opinions about specific books on a reading website. This is the learning of the future that schools must strive to adapt to and meet the expectations of.
D. Improved communication
Web 2.0 provides more opportunities for teachers to communicate not with just their students, but also with parents. Classroom blogs allow teachers to post homework assignments, course outline, newsletters and updates. It is also opening up opportunities in the future for students who are absent to still attend school via the Web 2.0 programs. Parents are also becoming more involved in the learning process as they can now use a variety of online gradebook programs There are a variety of online gradebook programs, like Chalksite. These online portals allow students and parents access to check on their current grades and learning progress.
E. Educationally Productive Uses of Web 2.0
Teachers can use Web 2.0 in a variety of ways to produce educational opportunities for students. The following components of Web 2.0 seems to have unlimited potential in education. These usages often allow educators and students to use the web more as a platform rather than simply as media. It is important to remember that these examples of usages are just that, examples. The vast educational potential of Web 2.0 hinges on the creativity of the educators and the students that are using it.
1. Podcasts:
Teachers may often use podcasts in presenting new material to students. A teacher can use their own MP3 player in order to scan and select the most appropriate podcast to share with their students. Potentially an even more educationally beneficial use of podcasts is for collaboration and discussion. It is possible for a teacher to record a classroom discussion and then post it as an audio podcast. This would allow other teachers, parents, the community, and even other classes to listen to the classroom discussion. Simply tapping into the class discussion of another class can promote a discussion among students regarding the topic. In addition to discussions being posted as a podcast, schools can post school concerts, PTO meetings, and guest speakers in order to continue bridging any communication gaps that may occur.
2. Blogs:
Teachers, students, and administrators can benefit from the use of blogs. These blogs may be syndicated using RSS. Teachers can post weekly homework assignments to their blogs as well as use them to describe the what, how, and why of the upcoming week’s material. This serves not only as a resource for students and parents, but for other teachers and administrators as well. Teachers can enter into professional development activities, where they collaborate and communicate with each other through their blogs. This also opens the door to greater potential to develop cross-curricular lesson plans, where teachers and their students can read the blogs of other classes and enter into a rich cross-curricular learning experience. Students may also be expected to share their opinions and reflections on course topics on a blog with other students. This gives students the opportunity to develop their thoughts and take the time to express themselves where, as stated earlier, they can access a blog anytime and anywhere they desire. They may also share what they have learned with other students and the blog would offer them the opportunity to ask questions of their teacher and classmates. The blog has the potential to put the focus of learning back on the student, where they take the responsibility for their own learning in part by checking the blog for answers to their questions and contributing to the blog to assist others. Administrators could view these classroom blogs to get a better sense of what is occurring in each individual classroom. They can use them as an additional tool in teacher supervision, as information obtained simply during a classroom visit is not sufficient in getting a clear picture of the contributions the teacher is making. Also, administrators and teachers could use a blog much like a teacher does with his or her students. Administrators could use this blog to open the lines of communication with the staff, allowing them to also benefit from the contributions of their peers.
3. Wikis:
The potential for uses of wikis by educators and students is almost unlimited. Once again, the creativity of the teacher can influence how the wikis are used in the classroom. One interesting example of wiki use by a teacher (Warlick, 2006) is for the development of student study guides. This teacher does not ever develop study guides for tests, but rather expects students to develop study guides as teams in a wiki. The teacher then gives students points based on the “usefulness” of the study guide in preparation for the test. Again, this has educational benefits, in that students are now at the center of their own learning. They are taking active roles in the development of a study guide for not only their own benefit, but for that of the class. They are no longer reacting to what the teacher wants them to know by just trying to learn the minimum. The idea of developing a wiki lends itself to vast opportunities for other cooperative learning tasks such as presentations and projects in the classroom. Wikis can also play a critical role in the development and revision of school improvement plans. If a school improvement plan is developed as a wiki, different committee members and stake holders can make contributions to it by sharing their ideas and information. Wikis can also be very visible and easily accessed by stakeholders, so that the community, parents, students, and teachers can view the school improvement plan and use it to make valuable contributions to the school.
4. Tagging:
Teachers can become more efficient and informed through the use of tagging. The following example (Warlick, 2006) shows how teachers may benefit from tagging. “To create a combination science/health lesson, Mr. K. goes to Google News and searches for diseases that are in the news, cross-referencing them with the words genetics and mutation. The search engine returns references to about 10,000 articles from news sources from around the world. He sees several references to bird flu, so he right-clicks on the term and selects Search Google. A second browser window appears that reports 57.1 million hits, starting with a list of the top 10. The Web pages at the top are those most linked to by other pages – ranking by recommendation. Among the top links are sites from the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, MSNBC, and the National Institute of Health. After selecting a facts page from the CDC, the heath teacher clicks a link in the linksbar of his Web browser, adding the site in view to his online social bookmarks, what Mr. K. calls his “personal digital library.” In the page that follows, the health teacher selects from a list of tags to attach the CDC Web page. These tags serve to categorize the Web page, enabling him to assign several categories (or tags) to a single page. He selects and clicks disease, genetics, health, Mr. K, and Charleston middle school. Because his online bookmarks are syndicated by tag, the site he has just added automatically appears on his Disease Unit Web page.”
5. RSS:
RSS (Rich site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is a great resource for teachers and students. Teachers can use it in developing lessons and presentations, whereas it would be great for students who are conducting research for projects or presentations. Basically, this is a way of collect new content from many new websites without visiting those websites everyday. The aggregator software checks the feeds that the teacher or student subscribes to (about once an hour) and sends new information to them.
6. Social Bookmarking:
Social bookmarking is another service to create a mode of more efficient researching by teachers and students. Basically, these sites “locate, classify, rank and share Internet resources through the practice of tagging and inferences drawn from grouping and analysis of tags (Warlick, 2006).” Students can network to find useful resources in doing research on the Internet for a particular project.
Higher education is also reaping the benefits of Web 2.0 networks. Social bookmarking has become an efficient means of communication between professors, students, and colleagues. These bookmarks allow pages to be set up for both personal and professional use that can be accessed with ease. It is also bringing a new meaning to the word collaboration. Each member of the team can upload information and resources that have been discovered no matter the timing or location.
7. Photo sharing and editing:
Photo sharing and editing, (as well as music and video) offer opportunities for learning through expression. Programs that offer the opportunity for students to express themselves in the fine arts are important learning tools as well. This is yet another opportunity for Web 2.0 to be used as a platform, rather than simply media (Levin & Bruce, 2001).
8. Mashups:
The following is an example of how mashups may be used in education: Educause outline an example of need and use: “As part of a large undergraduate history course he teaches about World War II, Dr. Martinez developed a mapping mashup that he introduces to the 150 students at the beginning of the semester. The mashup, which works with Google maps, represents major events leading up to and during the war. Fundamentally, it’s a map, he explains, showing them on a projection screen that it works very much like the online mapping tools students regularly use. The map covers virtually the entire globe, and users can move around the world, zooming in and out, showing the area of search as a map, satellite images, or satellite images with maps, dates, and events superimposed.” http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7016.pdf
F. Challenges
1. Educational Challenges:
Web 2.0 has brought numerous opportunities in education, but in most things, when something good is brought about it always brings challenges as well. What is good for one group of people is not necessarily good for another group of people. In fact it could be detrimental or harmful. We are living in a rapidly changing world and most people look at technology and advancement as good and want to move full steam ahead and don’t look at the challenges. An interesting quote from Mark Weiser, “There is more information available at our fingertips during a walk in the woods than in any computer system, yet people find a walk among trees relaxing and computers frustrating. Computers are challenging and we need to take a look at that.
It has been discussed how computers can be helpful and a great asset in the classroom. This is not meant to contradict what has been said but to make the reader aware of some of the possible hazards that might be out there. There are quite a few challenges and not all can be covered so just the main challenges will be highlighted.
2. Administrative Costs:
This is one of the main challenges in Web 2.0. This encompasses more than just having enough money for computers in all classrooms. This also included training all teachers on how to use the different aspects of Web 2.0 in their teaching. According to Monroe, the successful ACT integration in the classroom needs to have a fluid classroom organization, constructivist pedagogy and inquiry-/project-based curriculum. (2006) This is not how most of our classrooms are run today so the cost of teacher training could be insurmountable. An unpredictable cost is teacher training. Colin Lankshear and Michele Knobel suggest, “Professional development that enables teachers to become proficient participants in Web 2.0 spaces” could change a lot of things in our classrooms but again, the funding is needed. Another issue is the need for Web 2.0 software for specific subject areas modeling effective educational use of this emerging capability. (Bull, Ferster, 2005-2006) The training in colleges and universities need to change as well. This is a large task that needs to be handled at many levels.
3. Wikis:
As mentioned before, the educational benefits of using the wiki for educational purposes is unlimited but there are also unlimited amounts of potential challenges. When creating wikis, they are prone to vandalism. The very aspect of the wiki that makes it great for educational purposes also makes it a challenge. Since the wiki is out there open for all students to be able to access, it is also out there for others to access as well. This can cause vandalism and/or tampering to happen to the work of students before they can get it completed.
Another issue that can come up with wikis is copyrighted material being used without permission. Even though children may be taught about this, since so much is on the internet, they may not be away that that using items from other websites would constitute plagiarism. Along with this, students need to be taught that not everything on the internet is true or valid. As Keen states, “Because Web 2.0 celebrates the ‘noble amateur’ over the expert, and because many search engines and Web sites tout popularity rather than reliability, it’s easy for misinformation and rumors to proliferate in cyberspace.” (2007) This is a big challenge for our students. Much of what they find may not be true when doing research. They need to be aware of this.
Another challenge to the wiki is that students may not always feel ownership in their project. Because of the open editing, students may feel discouraged and have a feeling that no matter what they do it will get edited out. This may be a real issue especially for the students who may have difficulty in school and may have trouble writing. They may give up all together.
4. Digital Divide:
Many times when looking at the digital divide one thinks of the “haves” and the “have-nots”. This is an issue, but we can go even farther. First the issue of access is a big challenge. This is access at schools, homes and in the community. The other point of access is whether students, teachers and parents know how to use this access if they do have it. Many people have access and do use the computer and internet but have not really been taught how to use it properly. Teachers need to be flexible and open-minded to new ideas and students ideas. The idea of access does not just mean having a computer, it means knowing how to use it and having the resources to maintain the system.
5. Bullying:
This is an issue that is dealt with everyday in schools around the world. This offline issue of bullying will seep into online lives as well. Will Richardson, a prominent educational blogger, says that this needs to be dealt with at a grassroots level at school and at the home. Bullying is hard to see many times offline, but in the cyber world it can go almost undetected. This conveys and entirely issue that must be addressed. Richardson advises that parents and teachers alike need to talk about the following: what bullying is, how to deal with bullying, empowerment, bias and objectification, violence, victimization, appropriate responses, empathy and inclusiveness, cooperation, and peaceful presence.(2007) Bullying can be an issue online that can go on without detection for years. Many students are shy and will not mention this and it will not be seen in a classroom setting by other students. This adds more responsibility to teacher. As an educator, it is best to keep in mind that bullying is inevitable. In fact, it is quite like hacking in the technology world. It takes work, but a good hacker can be turned into a good programmer. Invite the one who bullies to do something constructive and help out. The key is to always focus on collaborative learning and goals for those groups. When someone does something good, he or she will receive appreciation. Encourage a constructive attitude toward other people and when someone acts inappropriately, everybody can be the judge. The students need to be encouraged to participate and work together.
III. Conclusion
There is no way to stop the continued innovation of forms of communication, especially regarding the internet. It is vital that school systems continue to train educators on new Web 2.0 technology innovations, so they can utilize the positive features in their classrooms and guide students away from negative influences. Web 2.0 is more accessible and interactive than ever, and users feel empowered by this access. Students are using multiple forms of technology every day, and if learning can relate to their lives, they will be more motivated to learn. Educators need to be especially diligent in helping to teach students positive methods of utilizing the overwhelming access to information online.
One of the major conflicts with technology and education is the funding. Web 2.0 offers so many opportunities in the education world, that the corporate world can take advantage of schools by providing technology in exchange for advertising. Until school districts can allocate money for technology, these corporations (such as Channel 1 and online advertisers) have an advantage. However, teachers can use the advertising schemes as a teaching tool, educating students on the purposes and methods advertisers use to grab kids' attention. Students can become smart consumers, more adapt at defending themselves against the "evils" of advertising.
Web 2.0 has the potential to bridge gaps between rich and poor, black and white, women and men, but without knowledge and application of this knowledge, Web 2.0 can further gouge the gap of the digital divide - with the wealthy having unlimited access to communication and the poor being further isolated from the rest of the world. Educators must attempt to link the globalized online world into their classrooms, as this is the world of the future. New technology should be introduced to students who have or do not have access at home, and they should be shown that there is more to learning than the old chalk and talk method. I believe that our schools are attempting to add technology into the curriculums, but the limitation is money and availability to technology. Thus, the digital divide continues. The more competent today's students are with internet resources, the more likely they will be successful citizens of the world. Educators hold immense power to make positive change happen through globalization, by mobilizing students to connect with others around the world.
What we have Learned from this Project:
- This class has provided hands-on learning opportunities for me as a student, many of which were new and challenging. I was being taught what Web 2.0 is at the same time I was utilizing its capabilities. For example, I had never contributed to a blog before, but we needed to use blogs to communicate within our group. I had never created a group wiki, and a group wiki is our final project. It was very interesting to be part of an online community that helps create a unified project. It felt odd to write part of the wiki in my own words, only to later see it editted using someone else's words. However, I believe the collaboration of a group project that allows all members to edit holds a lot of power. I was leary of having such a large group, but it was actually helpful to have so many people, ideas, and resources brought together to create a final product.
I now realize the power of Web 2.0 technology in expanding the possibilities of education. I have learned many new technology terms and their meanings and uses. I also understand now the overall purposes of the internet: collaboration and shared knowledge. Prior to studying Web 2.0, I did not realize the internet has made a noticeable change in what it offers to users. Now I realize that I am a participant in the new Web 2.0 world, and I am better able to take advantage of its resources. Already, this University of Illinois program is entirely online, and I can imagine wall-less classrooms at all levels in the future. Online education meets different needs for different people. For me, I enjoy the freedom and flexibility and the challenge of learning and utilizing new technology. Sometimes it seems that the only time one is willing to learn something new is if the have to. I have had to learn to use wikis and blogs, create hyperlinks, communicate with a microphone, webcam, and instant messaging, and I know this knowledge will continue to benefit me throughout my life. I will be a more competent (and computer savvy) educator - helping to introduce and guide my students into the world of Web 2.0 and beyond!
- I learned basic knowledge on what a wiki and a blog are and how they can be used in the teaching and learning process. This course took out the intimdation factor of using Web 2.0 to the extent that I would consider using it in my own classroom and encourage others to become Web 2.0 literate as well. I also learned how to work with a group asychronously through developing a wiki and was able to further develop those communication skills.
- Before taking this class and completing this project, I was stuck in the Web 1.0 mentality of the internet. I felt like someone who is caught by the fashion police being stuck in the wrong era! After doing this project I have learned a great deal about Web 2.0 and the possibilites both personally and educationally. I am also a bit apprehensive of the idea that people's lives get so entwined and wrapped up in some of the technology such as blogging and creating online avatars or using second life - the lines between reality and online can become blurred. This class has definitely opened my eyes to the reality that the internet is part of the culture of our students today and that as educators, we need to be more in tune with it and utilize the resources to the best of our ability, or soon we may find ourselves stuck in the wrong era and not be able to motivate our students.
IV. Resources for Teachers:
1. Podcast Directories
2. Blogging Software
3. Aggregators
4. Social Bookmarking Services
5. Wiki Tools
V. References
1. Web 2.0 As a social movement
2. Christopher, C. (2007). Understanding web 2.0. The Seybold Report, 7(11), 7-8.
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5. Levin, J. & Bruce, B. (2001) Technology as Media: A Learner Centered Perspective
6. Mitrano, T. (2006). A Wider World: Youth, Privacy, and Social Networking Technologies. Educase.
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17. Making presentations for the web - Web 2.0 in Education
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20. Folksonomy
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