Web 2.0 Tools

WEB 2.0 Tools for Education

Web 2.0 is a broad term used to describe the second generation of the World Wide Web. This second generation is defined by being one that focuses on people having the ability to collaborate and share information online. This is compared to orginal World Wide Web technlogy which used mainly static HTML pages, with little to no dynamic content. Instead of such static content, we now have more dynamic content, for users to be able to interact with.

Another aspect of Web 2.0 involve creating applications or web sites where users can form communities, as well as to faciliatate, and open discussions for users. Finally Web 2.0 is often used in reference to sharing information openly.

A Web 2.0 Tool is a tool or application that is web based, and follows the tenants of Web 2.0. Simply put, it is a Tool that allows Collaboration, Participation, Discussion, Interactivity, or Personalization with/of the tool or other users.

So now that you know what Web 2.0 means, and what Web 2.0 Tools are, why should you use them in your classroom?

The single best reason to use a Web 2.0 tool in your classroom is because it allows an easy way to store information, and share it with others. This allows students to not only share their work with other students, but you are teachers to share work from your students to other teachers. These other teachers can then use these student works for many reasons for their own students, from simple examples, to having students analyze or evaluate them, to having their students responding to the student's works, or even just to learn about how different other students might see things based on where they are in the world.

Of course, that is not the only reason! Another fantastic aspect to Web 2.0 tools is that they allow for the use of instant feedback in many cases. One easy example of that is an automatically graded knowledge check. These would be a (or more than one) small quiz a student would do during a lesson to let them know how well they are absorbing the material, they would answer questions and immediately see what they got wrong or right.

Finally Web 2.0 tools are great for student engagement, for when student work is see by other students, and not just the teacher, an instinctive need to excel arises, and the students take responisbility for their own work.

What technology options are available?

This may seem like a simple question, but not all organizations, or schools, or districts will have the same technology available to them, including the ability to host Web 2.0 Tools.

Which tasks will a technology need to perform?
&
Which technology is better at that task? 

This is important, as technology is better integrated when it is implemented to perform a specific task, and not a vague or unclear task. This applies to Web 2.0 tools, in that one needs to consider specifically what the tool is being used for. For example, a wiki could potentially be used for a discussion, but "discussion" is not a clear enough task, and in fact a wiki would be a bad tool for a moderated, tiered discussion. A discussion board is a much better tool for this.

What will the technology add to the Learning.

As amazing as technology is, and as effective it can be in learning, technology is not always the answer. We can not just plug in a Web 2.0 tool and expect to have learning happen. I once read a quote " It's not the learning tool, It's the learning that comes from the tool".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

http://www.scribd.com/doc/176025166/Blogs-Wikis-Podcasts-And-Other-Powerful-Web-Tools-for-Classrooms-Gnv64

http://alekseyzuravlov.com/how-to-use-web-20-properties-for-backlinking/

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ999784

Technology Integration in Higher Education: Social and Organizational Aspects http://www.myilibrary.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu?ID=301967