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Web2.0 is essentially an increasing range of software that supports a variety of technologies for open and collaborative communication, learning and creativity. Discuss.
Today many students find it hard to stay off the internet for longer than a day, checking their my space pages and face book comments, has become second nature to them. The internet has become a mass media pipeline of information and resources which are available at a click of a button. Web 2.0 is what it is called, with a variety of software and technologies used to promote learning and collaborative communication, web 2.0 refers to the second generation of internet based services that emphasize collaboration and sharing. Tools, office application and ways which web 2.0 are used in the classroom, will be discussed within this essay. The technologies encompassed within web2.0 shouldn’t be passively absorbed, but the idea of web2.0 is that the users should actively contribute, and the tools and applications should be used to benefit their own purposes.
Web2.0 refers to the current web we use today, an environment filled with different opportunities to not only create content in new ways but to also share information, communicate and collaborate easily with the rest of the world. According to Judy Hauser (2007) web2.0 allows students to self publish. This in a sense permits the students to work with the variety of tools which are available on web2.0 and really use them to their advantage.
Web2.0 is full of tools which enhance and enrich the learning and teaching experience. Teachers and students are embracing web2.0 technologies such as bogging and pod casting within the classroom. (Richard MacManus, 2007). Richard (2007) states that these tools allow students and teachers to be more flexible when it comes to teaching and learning which is essential for the younger generation as many learn through open communication and collaboration and they learn better within a collaborative environment.
Although web2.0 is growing it is still struggling, it is somewhat labor intensive as people construct resources for web2.0 sites and courses to be able to collaborate freely. This in turn creates a heavy workload for an individual. The idea of internet safety is common within the use of web2.0. Although children have easy access to the internet and the computer within the home, there is still the risk of a child being targeted by a predator on the internet. The basic of safety associated with the home computer remains the same even though technology is changing. Also using web2.0 tools can, in a way heightens the risk of a predator online as many tools need you to use personal information to be able to log on. Maintaining your safety and the safety of your family using the computer and the internet at home requires two things according to Victoria Roddel (2005), everyday common sense and some basic user knowledge. Within schools, students have access to computers; this in turn promotes active use of the web2.0 world and allows them to work in a more collaborative environment. Recent studies, according to Bull, G. & Ferster, B. (2007) shows that nearly ninety percent of students have access to computers in their own home, Seventy Five percent of students go to their neighbor’s house to use their internet and 61 percent of students report using the internet at a public library.Social networking is major aspect of web2.0. According to Brian Alexander, (2006) social software has emerged as a major component of this movement of web 2.0.This idea of connecting people through the internet, in order to boost their knowledge and their ability to learn, is the idea of JCR Licklider’s, which dates back to the 1960’s. Major social networking software such as facebook and MySpace are used by millions around the world, these software’s have somewhat created a major Web-Based community on the internet, and have linked millions of people together. Social Networking creates a personalized and collaborative knowledge space for the user, it gives the user the freedom to access people as well as information and social networking used within the classroom is beyond the normal formalities and can take pace anywhere and anytime.
Applications on web2.0 are ever increasing. Social networking applications such as facebook are becoming prominent as we approach a new technological era. Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. Facebook allows you to upload and share videos and pictures with friends and family and learn about the other person through the web. Educators can use this social utility to teach within the classroom and in the learning environment.
Teachers can use facebook within the classroom in a number of ways. The teacher can establish a network for all the students to join and create a classroom network. This can have many advantages as students can collaborate and share information with each other. Through facebook everyone could stay in touch and the teacher could monitor student’s progress. A wall could be set up on the page, this could then be used as a learning wall, or students could post us questions they may have and the teacher could respond.
Another prominent and interesting tool of web2.0 is blogging. The term web-log, or blog, was coined by Jorn Barger in 1997. (Paul Anderson, 2007). Blogging, somewhat creates possibilities for students to express themselves online, and friends could view this and comment. This simple webpage or blog may consist of opinions, personal diary entries, links and posts, similar to a journal but all online. Most blogs also allow visitors to add a comment below a blog entry. Many people are becoming engaged in blogging, and technology has become more sophisticated, bloggers are starting to incorporate videos and multimedia on their blogs. (Paul Anderson, 2007) Teachers are slowly enabling students to create their own blogs within the classroom in order for them to work more collaboratively together. For instance setting up a shared blog space for groups who are working on different topics, this could be a learning platform to enable students collaborate together and enable them to share ideas and thoughts on class projects. Allowing students to blog within the classroom and for educational purposes as well as social purposes, allows them to feel part of a global community, they will be able to feel a sense of great responsibility and empower their learning, in particular, special needs students.
Within a very short time, the World Wide Web has grown rapidly, billion of users are accessing web2.0 and this will continue as our society connects, and users connect socially on a web2.0 platform. Using the wide range of tools available greatly enhances the use of the World Wide Web.
Bibliography
Alexander, Brian. (2006) http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0621.pdf
Anderson, Paul,(2007). What us Web 2.0? Ideas, technologies and implication for education. Retrieved 25 October 2007 from, http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/techwatch/tsw0701b.pdf.
MacManus, Richard. (2007). E-learning 2.0: all you need to know. Retrieved 18 October 2007 from, www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20_all_you_need_to_know.php.
Hauser, Judy. (2007). Media Specialists Can Learn Web 2.0 Tools to Make Schools More Cool, Computers in Libraries, v27 n2 p6-8, 47-48 Feb 2007.
Bull, Glen & Ferster, Bill. (2007). Ubiquitous Computing in a Web2.0 World, Learning and leading with technology, v33 n4 p9-11 Dec 2005-Jan 2006. Roddel, Victoria. (2005), Internet safety family guide. Retrived 23 Ocotober 2007 from, http://books.google.com.au/books?id=5VV4hWahx1AC&dq=internet+safety+books&pg=PA1&ots=ZW8xeefLPb&sig=CyofznvSfO1FRyD1OMq3rScLz4Q&prev=http://www.google.com.au/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dinternet%2Bsafety%2Bbooks%26meta%3D&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=3&cad=legacy#PPA1,M1
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