Web 2.0/Learning 2.0

Understanding Web Tools and their Educational Implications….or at least an attempt

(image) http://blogs.technet.com

The world of technology and the internet is developing so quickly and has become such an integral part of our lives that it is sometimes hard to remember when these did not exist or to acknowledge their many changes and evolutions. Such was the case for me when I was required to look at the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools.  As a society we have become so accustomed to the use of interactive websites that we forget that the internet was originally filled will static sites developed simply to deliver information.  The basic difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 is the transition from a content centred internet to a communication centred internet.  Rather than simply broadcast information, the internet is a forum of interactive exchanges of information.

Internet applications such as social media, multiplayer on-line games and wikis are the new norm of the web as people share, comment and edit information on-line.  No longer just a place simply to deliver and store data, the internet is now a ‘read/write’ environment. Web 2.0 technology is user driven and perpetuated by the communication, creativity and collaboration of its users.

It is predicted that web 3.0 will further enhance the internet experience through the development of “networked resources…accompanied by machine-readable descriptions that add meaning to content, and describe the structure and status of the knowledge of the content.” (Education 2.0? Designing the web for teaching and learning:  Web 2.0 – future issues and technologies by Patrick Carmichael, http://www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/TELcomm.pdf).  This concept of a ‘semantic’ web exists in theory and is still rather too obscure for my limited understanding of the technologies of the internet, so I will focus on what I do understand of the applications of Web 2.0 tools.

The interactive and collaborative aspects of Web 2.0 have provided many opportunities for education, though for many it is a slow process to integrate them into individual programs.  When you look at the basic concepts though, it is hard to deny the implication so how we learn and communicate and the value of bringing the technology into the classroom.  The distinct advantages of Web 2.0 and the related evolution of Learning 2.0 include:

Collaboration: creation, editing and exchange of learning content in online community enabling group learning and new learning contexts

Networking: expansive communication between student and teachers fostering peer learning and reflection

Blended learning and personal learning paths:  alternative opportunities for learning environments, learning plans and promoting life-long learning as individuals are empowered to control their own path

Engagement and motivation: control over space, content and format and innovative learning tools

(Learning 2.0:  The Impact of Web 2.o Innovation of Education and Training in Europe)

Web 2.0 technologies provide active and authentic learning opportunities for students at all levels.  An interactive community of learners, and learning facilitators, can help individuals progress and develop deeper understandings. Social networking has become the major tool in peer communication and links people from all walks of life and parts of the world.  The ability to ‘work together’ regardless of ‘location’ has heightened learning experiences for students around the globe.  Students are able to delve further into areas of interest that are introduced in the academic setting and work with others to solve problems, reflect and connect.  Education, both formal and informal, is enriched by the collaborative nature of Web 2.0 tools.

Leadership in education can/should also evolve with the application of Web 2.0 tools as students, teachers, and administrators work collaboratively to develop new learning pathways.  Interactive documents and social networking sites can activate programming improvements, and needs and issues can be communicated and addressed more effectively.  Transformational leadership with groups of people working alongside each other to develop and initiate protocols will be more effective in this evolving world of education than the top-down, single leader model of the past (present).  It will be imperative that individuals ‘buy in’ and actively participate in the changing system in order for it to progress.  Unfortunately, a great deal of fear and even complacency exists in this profession, and that can derail the efforts being made to keep formal education viable and valuable for the coming generations of learners.

While reading about Web 2.0/Learning 2.0 it became even more apparent that changes are necessary and possible because of developing technologies.  I do not believe formal education will be replaced, but alternatively should be enhanced by personal and web based learning.  Technology needs to be integrated into our learning system as it is reformed to meet the needs of 21^st Century learners.  Just like the creative thinkers of math, science and the arts from Classical times, learners and facilitators of education should not rely on proven content, but thrive in the discovery and creation of ideas and concepts and co- construction of new knowledge.