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.
With the always changing, evolving and uprising culture of the technology built world it is only a natural process that the education system applies itself and fits into the modern, contemporary society. By the evolution of web 2.0 and its numerous platforms the ability for the world of education to incorporate these technologies is vital in teaching effectively to the generations of the modern technology world. The incorporation of web 2.0 within the classroom environment ensures that the process of teaching and learning projects itself towards the goals of an open, collaborative and creative space in which the participants can thrive. This essay will explore the increasing world of web 2.0 in relation to the theory of connectivism, how web 2.0 and its technologies encourage an open, collaborative and creative teaching and learning space and the importance of using the technologies available to the generations of today in their learning process.
As web 2.0 and its technologies increase it changes the ‘way we live, how we communicate, and how we learn’ (Siemens, 2004). It is for this reason that as the technology of web 2.0 increases the learning theories move into a digital age (Siemens, 2004). The theory of connectivism is greatly interconnected and based around web 2.0. The theory is to ensure that the environment works to include the digital technology within the classroom so that the students have the ability to absorb new and important information. Siemens (2004) stated that ‘learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual’ he later states that learning can rest outside the self and hence can be acquired through external factors through web 2.0. Through the theory of connectivism our classrooms are attempting to move towards a greater environment in which the students can access web 2.0 and its technologies so that they can participate in social networking, learn in a manner that is accustomed to their individual minds and their generation and to ensure that they have access to the increasing world by accessing up to date and relevant information.
The main focus of connectivism and web 2.0 is in regards to the classroom becoming a network of social interaction and a community that works together to form the final product. Through web 2.0 the students are able to access and create their own individual and personal spaces that are accessible to the public. The students are able to create their own space within cyber space that is all about them. Within the classroom the students are able to use the technologies of wikis, blogs, facebook, delicious, podcasts and flickr to name a few to enhance their knowledge of the subject content and to share with their peers. Through the students creating their own blogs, wikis, podcasts etc they are initially creating a product which is reinforcing the nature of Bloom’s taxonomy ensuring the students are actively engaged with their learning as they are having to interact with the technologies and synthesis their ideas to create the product, they are using their higher order thinking skills (Tarlinton, 2003).
Through having their own personal spaces and using their own skills to create their wikis, blogs etc the students must keep in mind that they will be in cyberspace and hence will be accessible to the public. By having the sites accessible to the public the students will be able to add their friends through their social networks and link each other to their personalised sites through blogs and to their favourite and relatable sites through software such as delicious. The students being able to interact through the social network in cyberspace allows them to build better relationships and higher class morale as they can help each other and access the other students sites to gain further information, the students work together. It is no longer the case of ‘my book, my report, my assignment’ although the students can have their own blogs, wikis are really are place for a group to interact together, a place where there is no single author, but rather the students work together, contribute their own thoughts and ideas and then the group collaborates all of these ideas into the final product. The classroom is using web 2.0 to ensure that the environments are all about open communication, social networking and collaboration. In the modern world of technology the students can work together through cyberspace by working together on a project and heading towards the same goal. The students build better relationships and morale with each other and moral support is built, creating a better classroom environment that is higher in open communication and group collaboration.
The world of web 2.0 and its associated technologies are crucial in the modern classroom in regards to the student’s ability to learn and absorb the information. Besides for the point that by learning through interactive sites the students are engaging more with their studies and the educational resources. The students are also being presented with graphic and digital information that they can share, and interact with. This is the way in which the modern generations learn. They are the digital natives (Prensky, 2001) it is crucial for them to be able to interact with technological devices that are accessible through web 2.0 for them to have effective learning and to allow the learning to be deeper and more sufficient rather than just shallow primary information being absorbed. By teaching through web 2.0 the students not only are more interactive through podcasts, blogs, flickr, wikis, igoogle etc but also account for Gardner’s multiple intelligences (Guignon, 1998). Therefore web 2.0 is ensuring more ‘flexibility to meet the individual needs and abilities of each student’ as it presents the same information in a variety of ways. (Marsh, 2004)
Learning through web 2.0 allows students the greater capacity to become comfortable with the tools of the information age (Marsh 2004). By the students becoming familiarised and more comfortable with these technologies their learning will develop as they have access to greater information beyond that which is accessible within the parameters of the school, the interactive nature prompts students to try new ideas, and ‘undertake project-based multimedia learning’ (Marsh 2004) while sharing and accessing the work of their peers the students can gain access to help, further information and make sure they are completing the work effectively, within good time and at a reasonable quality.
Creativity is encouraged through these learning processes within web 2.0, as the information available to suit their learning styles is available, this will enable the student to feel more comfortable with the work and will ensure that their understanding will increase as they can process the information with greater ease. This will therefore led the students to apply higher order thinking skills of creativity and evaluation since they have easily processed the information, understand it and feel comfortable in the environment and with the work they are learning.
Creativity through web 2.0 can be accounted for in a fun and interactive manner, as the students are able to play games in which the information is processed and re-processed creating a cycle in which the information is absorbed to a greater extent. Not only can students play games but they can also make and design them for themselves or for their peers to test each other such as quizzes. For further interactive games Prensky (2002) has designed games that go beyond simple mathematical calculations, or grammatical issues, his games go into the external world and deal with social and political issues such as water shortage and cultural differences (Games2Train, 2005). These games will ensure that students are interactive and collaborative as the games can be played as a group through the social network in cyberspace, they will be having fun which will ensure deeper learning as boredom is avoided and they will learn more as they will not see it as learning but rather as fun and enjoyable. The incorporation of interactive games through web 2.0 is a crucial element in sustaining high order thinking as the students will be creating, evaluating and analysing the game and the issues at hand. The game will also guarantee for an open and collaborative environment especially in terms when the students are playing against each other. The games will also encourage greater learning as more learning styles are accounted for.
Through the use of wikis, blogs, podcasts, games, flickr, facebook etc web 2.0 effectively covers the range of learning styles to ensure that all digital natives have the ability to learn effectively. Through the incorporation of web 2.0 and its technologies an open, collaborative and communicative environment is a sure process to follow as all the platform of web 2.0 automatically follow the guidelines of constructivism and a social networking environment.
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References
Games2Train (2005). Social Impact Games, Retrieved 27/10/07 from, http://www.socialimpactgames.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=10&topic=&allstories=1 Guignon , A. (1998). Curriculum Article: Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Everyone. Retrieved 27/10/07 from, http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml Marsh, C. (2004). Becoming a Teacher (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forest: Prentice Hall p172 Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. NBC University Press, v9, n5. Presnky, M. (2002). Marc Presnky – Home. Retrieved 27/10/07 from, http://www.marcprensky.com/ Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. eLearnspace, Retrieved 24/10/07 from, http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm Tarlinton, D. (2003). Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. Retrieved 27/10/07 from, http://www.kurwongbss.eq.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/blooms.htm
