Web 2.0 essentially has come to mean any media source online that includes an interaction or collaboration to achieve a certain goal or to further communications and understanding. Social networking sites, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, and podcasting are all examples of Web 2.0 tools that allow end users to interact and communicate in a virtual forum. This communication ultimately leads to further understanding and knowledge through the process of responding to and cooperating with others. Since these types of tools promote responding and adding to (or even editing) the ideas of others. This means that internet use can be more responsive, active, and engaging as opposed to passive.
The benefits of Web 2.0 technologies are rooted in a number of different learning theories including constructivism and social learning theory. Since much of the web is information based, Web 2.0 tools give the end user an opportunity to take part in the process of discussing and drawing conclusions. Both constructivism and social learning theory have an emphasis on the people with and environment in which we learn, and Web 2.0 technologies support these theories of learning. In constructivism, learners build knowledge as they interact with others and resolve misconceptions or “disequilibrium” about the world. In social learning theory, a person’s interactions and efforts will lead to greater achievement. In both cases, there is an emphasis on interface and participation for the sake of knowledge acquisition (collective agency). Blogging and social networks are both ways in which users not only get information from others, but are encouraged to participate in the conversation. Wikis allow users to change or elaborate on information right where they find it, which takes the information from being accepted to being scrutinized.
The implications of Web 2.0 in the classroom are quite broad when considering the access students have beyond the classroom. Having team blogs for projects or novels allow students to discuss the text in threads and even provide evidence and links to back up their points. Students can also create class wikis on certain topics and add/modify information as they learn. Web 2.0 essentially takes the classroom to a virtual level, allowing students and the instructor to correspond at different places and times. Some Web 2.0 tools also provide opportunities to discuss and debate over current issues or specific subjects (news outlets). While there are always obstacles to technology use, these web tools, at the least, provide valuable resources for students to correspond individually about assignments. Web 2.0 tools ultimately allow students to learn and interact cooperatively with each other, whether remotely or within the same classroom setting. Considering the increasing competition and expectations of society in regards to job performance, utilizing Web 2.0 tools in school would prove quite valuable if our students are to develop the cooperative and critical thinking skills to remain competitive to other nations.
A number of Google tools are included in the blanket term of Web 2.0, but there are also other Google tools that allow shared access to resources (documents, etc.) or information, such as Google Reader, which lets you customize and gather numerous writing sources all onto one page.
Blogging seems like one of the best ways for students to communicate and collaborate using web 2.0 tools. There are numerous sites dedicated to blogging, including edublogs.org, a site dedicated to educational blogging. This site provides teachers with the access and tools to monitor student blogs and provide resources for students to perform various tasks and collaborate with each other on various assignments. More information on edublogs can be found here and here. What makes ultimately makes blogs so valuable is the opportunity for written student feedback in an environment that promotes accountability and academic integrity. It provides a forum beyond the classroom for students to correspond and interact, thus demonstrating how the learning process extends beyond classroom settings.
Since my other ETC 547 included a project sample for a recent assignment, I went ahead and created an edublog. While mine is pretty basic, there is a much better example called Huzzah, created by a teacher in Canada for an elementary school class. This edublog really shows the versatility of blogging, both in subjects and in grade levels.
The benefits of Web 2.0 technologies are rooted in a number of different learning theories including constructivism and social learning theory. Since much of the web is information based, Web 2.0 tools give the end user an opportunity to take part in the process of discussing and drawing conclusions. Both constructivism and social learning theory have an emphasis on the people with and environment in which we learn, and Web 2.0 technologies support these theories of learning. In constructivism, learners build knowledge as they interact with others and resolve misconceptions or “disequilibrium” about the world. In social learning theory, a person’s interactions and efforts will lead to greater achievement. In both cases, there is an emphasis on interface and participation for the sake of knowledge acquisition (collective agency). Blogging and social networks are both ways in which users not only get information from others, but are encouraged to participate in the conversation. Wikis allow users to change or elaborate on information right where they find it, which takes the information from being accepted to being scrutinized.
The implications of Web 2.0 in the classroom are quite broad when considering the access students have beyond the classroom. Having team blogs for projects or novels allow students to discuss the text in threads and even provide evidence and links to back up their points. Students can also create class wikis on certain topics and add/modify information as they learn. Web 2.0 essentially takes the classroom to a virtual level, allowing students and the instructor to correspond at different places and times. Some Web 2.0 tools also provide opportunities to discuss and debate over current issues or specific subjects (news outlets). While there are always obstacles to technology use, these web tools, at the least, provide valuable resources for students to correspond individually about assignments. Web 2.0 tools ultimately allow students to learn and interact cooperatively with each other, whether remotely or within the same classroom setting. Considering the increasing competition and expectations of society in regards to job performance, utilizing Web 2.0 tools in school would prove quite valuable if our students are to develop the cooperative and critical thinking skills to remain competitive to other nations.
A number of Google tools are included in the blanket term of Web 2.0, but there are also other Google tools that allow shared access to resources (documents, etc.) or information, such as Google Reader, which lets you customize and gather numerous writing sources all onto one page.
Blogging seems like one of the best ways for students to communicate and collaborate using web 2.0 tools. There are numerous sites dedicated to blogging, including edublogs.org, a site dedicated to educational blogging. This site provides teachers with the access and tools to monitor student blogs and provide resources for students to perform various tasks and collaborate with each other on various assignments. More information on edublogs can be found here and here. What makes ultimately makes blogs so valuable is the opportunity for written student feedback in an environment that promotes accountability and academic integrity. It provides a forum beyond the classroom for students to correspond and interact, thus demonstrating how the learning process extends beyond classroom settings.
Since my other ETC 547 included a project sample for a recent assignment, I went ahead and created an edublog. While mine is pretty basic, there is a much better example called Huzzah, created by a teacher in Canada for an elementary school class. This edublog really shows the versatility of blogging, both in subjects and in grade levels.
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