Web 2.0 is essentially an increasing range of software that supports a variety of technologies for open and collaborative communication, learning and creativity. Discuss. 1500 words.
Web 2.0 is a world that is unknowingly new to most people but when utilised properly, can provide endless opportunities for open and collaborative communication, learning and creativity. However a problem lies in using the software to the best of its ability, to maximise Web 2.0’s potential to facilitate learning and accessibility to the opening of the online world. Students can often waste time when working with computers due to a pressure of extrinsic motivation, and largely that most students actually excel in Internet skills and computer work is not challenging enough. Web 2.0 has provided an outlet for learning through creativity and communication through ever developing software that morphs in tune with the needs of the public. The difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 is huge, the most notable fact being that no longer is there a need to outsource for information, software of Web 2.0 enables information to be automatically in sourced to the individual, making the Internet far easier and accessible to all.
Web 1.0 was the beginning of the Internet in about 1990 and is the software that began the World Wide Web phenomena. Software that is more traditionally known as web 1.0 are sites such as http://www.hotmail.com, which provides a service that the individual has to ‘outsource’ to find information. Google search page was also another initial Web 1.0 software that enabled individuals to search to a separate page but going from one web page to another. http://www.google.com was the first to be involved to change this ‘outsourcing’ to instead have information ‘in sourced’ by being able to search off your homepages through the google toolbar that gets placed within your own toolbar. This addition of software is a sign of Web 2.0, meaning to have the information on the Internet in sourced to the ease of the user.
Video clips are great for use within education as they enable the ability to hyperlink in by embedding software and even upload videos straight to the home sites to stop students from procrastinating and wasting time searching for suitable videos such as http://www.youtube.com. Uploading the video they need to view allows direct access and maximises learning and helps with time management. Video clips also target visual learners and make the web and classroom web-based projects more interactive. The use of sound on the Internet encourages diverse learning styles by targeting musical learners. Sound clips can be taken from speeches, pod casts, broadcasts, media extracts, recordings of events and many other useful sources. Once again, placing them onto the web-based projects will allow students direct access to the information that is needed, not just popular music. http://www.bbc.com is a highly resourceful site for video and sound films that can be utilised in the classroom. The schools link provides Web 2.0 information presented within key learning areas and interesting tasks that can be used by teachers to encourage learning. The radio is highly useful in pod casting from broadcasts or useful sites to keep the students up to date with events. Web 2.0 has made this so much more easier for the internet user by providing the ability to RSS feed sites, meaning to ‘subscribe’ to updates, events and media. An example being students can RSS to http://www.ninemsn/news to have news headlines in video format come straight to their homepages. Links to newspaper articles that are related to class work are very useful and informative for students. It gives primary sources, which are always up to date. http://www.smh.com.au is an example where you can also subscribe to regular media updates or interest stories to be emailed directly to your email. Photos or pictures personalise and allow students to have an intimate approach to the Internet. http://www.flickr.com enables the Web 1.0 action of outsourcing to upload your own photos, which is a negative, but then has further Web 2.0 software that allows you to interact with the images and even RSS feed your own images to your own site. This change over from old technology to new is what Web 2.0 is all about, creating the ability to do something simple within our comfortable Web 1.0 world but then furthering potential by having possibilities of ‘in sourcing’ with highly developed software. Interactivity is the key to Web 2.0 and allowing students to connect with each other and networking is the key to a collaborative classroom. Making a group up is the perfect way to integrate MySpace or Facebook technologies to a classroom. It is a fun and interesting way to hold a class, and it, like all other Web 2.0 programs, can be accessed and contributed from any Internet place. http://www.facebook.com is a friend-linking site that like Flickr, contains inner embedded software to maximise your interest in the Web 2.0 world. Students would enjoy using sites that they use at home for social purposes in the classroom as they are given the chance to excel at something they find interesting. Blogging on sites such as http://www.wordpress.com allows a teacher to view and find records of a student’s progress and see how they have worked progressively on a project over time. It also allows for the students to be reflective and critical of their own work, which has been found to be a wonderful way to learn. This self-critiquing is vital to understanding concepts, and blogging, like diary entries provides a way for students to learn on an inner level, but also projecting thoughts about themes. http://www.heyjude.com is an example of a blog that is embedded with Web 2.0 software and provides information as well as reflective processes. Students can learn a huge amount from viewing someone else’s reflections and in true Web 2.0 style, subscription to heyjude (which often features points on new Web developments) is available. Uploading PowerPoint presentations to web pages allows students to access work that was presented to them in class at a later date. It saves time and resources in printing pages off and also utilises key multimedia skills and targets visual and oral learners. On a creative aspect, Webquests and Wikis are hugely popular and a great way to make a project interactive for students. Students are able to design and manage a page of their own, which could be focused on a class project. They can work individually and post items up but combine together to make a collaborative effort. http://www.pbwiki.com is an easy to use site that is accessible and most importantly easy to use for all ages. It has the ability to have embedded software allowing the teacher to control the task by in sourcing, not outsourcing, so the assignment time is maximised with less distraction and more focused deeper learning. As hopeful teachers of the future the ultimate aim is that students will learn what they are being taught. A huge problem though is that most students experience superficial or surface learning. This is often because they experience a sense of extrinsic motivation, sometimes pressure from a teacher, to show they understand the work. A teacher’s aim is then for deep or sound learning is teamed with the need for the students to experience a level of internal or intrinsic motivation. Thinking within the world of Web 2.0, computer work can be at times largely external motivation compelling students to complete work but not interactively just passively. The worst thing that could happen would be to just inundate students will a huge task, they will feel no interest in completing task for their own benefit, instead only do task to complete work. The need to structure and constantly monitor students work and build up tasks slowly to gain knowledge and interest gives teachers a role of facilitator when it comes to Internet work. Web 2.0 provides the software that challenges and interests student by providing tools that are easy and most importantly relevant, not just to schoolwork but also social lives. Software is increasingly becoming related to communication, to not isolate the Internet world and the key of Web 2.0 is enabling creativity. Web 2.0 is a tool that can be utilised to a teacher’s ability and the software that is luckily free in the ever-developing Internet is vital in keeping in touch with students.
