Web 2.0 is an amazing socialization of the Internet. We are sharing, collaborting and exchanging ideas in ways that were not dreamed of a few years ago. Come and explore the many varied aspects of the ever changing and growing Web 2.0 and its uses for education. Click on the video introductions below to learn more about it.
Definition
Simply, Web 2.0 is a phrase used to describe a change in the way we use the Internet. According to Wikipedia "Web 2.0, a phrase coined by O'Reilly Media in 2004, refers to a supposed generation of Internet-based servcies --- such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies --- that let people collaborate and share information online in previously unavailable ways."
Wikipedia defines "folksonomy as a user generated taxonomy used to categorize and retrieve Web pages, photographs, Web links and other web content using open ended labels called tags. Typically, folksonomies are Internet-based, but their use may occur in other contexts as well."
What Is Web 2.0? Ideas, Technologies and Implications for Education
This is a very good report capturing some of the main ideas behind Web 2.0 and looking into some of the implications. If you are new to Web 2.0, this is an excellent introduction. The author depicts Web 2.0 not simply as a new set of technologies but also as the emergence of six major ideas: individual production and user generated content, harness the power of the crowd, data on an epic scale, architecture of participation, network effects, and openness.
Web 2.0: a very short introduction
A profound change is happening on the cutting-edge of web development: we are relinquishing control of information. No longer are sites working independently from each other; no longer is information sitting in isolation with no interaction between sites. Rather, the best web programmers are now creating sites that allow information to be reused anywhere.
In this SCHOOL CIO article written by Amy Poftak, March 30, 2007, you will learn about tools fueling the latest Internet wave and how they might serve schools.
Why Use Web 2.0 ?
There are advantages that benefit educators. Web 2.0 addresses some basic frustrations that plague students and teachers. Frustrations with contrasting operating systems ( PC/Mac) and expensive software are just a couple.
In contrast, Web based applications run smoothly on minimum system requirements. The backbone of the Internet is the common thread that allows for easy access to Web-based solutions that are accessible with a variety of browers such as Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox.
from the April 2007 issue Classroom Connect, Volume 13, No. 7
Some Sample Applications:
Zoho Virtual Office - Zoho is one of the brands from AdventNet, a software company started in 1996 focusing on building affordable software for businesses and education.
Docs and Spreadsheets - If you've ever struggled to keep track of different versions of spreadsheet or word processor files sent over email, Google Docs & Spreadsheets may be right for you. Google Docs & Spreadsheets is a free web-based word processing and spreadsheet program that keeps documents current and lets the people you choose update files from their own computers.
gOffice - gOFFICE.com, by Silveroffice, Inc., provides an online office suite which allows customers to quickly create documents via a web browser.
thinkfree - The award-winning ThinkFree Office is a Microsoft ®Office compatible application suite comprised of word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics software-all usable online and off.
Joomla - Joomla! is one of the most powerful Open Source Content Management Systems on the planet. It is used all over the world for everything from simple websites to complex corporate applications.
Creating ePortfolios with Web 2.0 Tools - Dr. Helen Barrett, in 2006, began exploring the use of Web 2.0 tools, and constructed portfolios using these tools.
Organizers, To-Do's and Note Taking
We appear to be always busy and Web 2.0 offers us many "organizers", "to-do's" and "note-taking" to help us with our daily tasks.
Below are some examples:
Gradefix - the intelligent homework management system for students.
Backpack - Backpack is a personal and small business information management and to do list organizer.
Chalksite - Chalksite is a total web package designed just for teachers, giving you a personal website and tools you actually need without requiring an IT degree to use them.
NoteTango - NoteTango is a free collaborative note sharing website for students.
NoteMesh - NoteMesh is a free service that allows college students in the same classes to share notes with each other.
JotSpot - JotSpot, acquired by Google, was founded in 2004 as the first company to provide an application wiki.
Our Growing Need to Connect
Web 2.0 service offerings grow day by day. The expectation is that new services will continue to surface and develop into narrow online tools that compliment educational experiences. Young students gravitate to Web 2.0 because it recognizes their individual contributions and it validates the essential need to connect.
" Web 2.0 Wave Rolls into Classrooms" by Donald Hawkins, April 2007 Classroom Connect Newsletter, Volume 13, No. 7
Facebook - Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you.
Friendster - Friendster is a leading global social network emphasizing genuine friendships and the discovery of new people through friends.
MySpace - MySpace is an online community that lets you meet your friends' friends.
Flickr - almost certainly the best online photo management
and sharing application in the world.
Scrapblog - create a
world for your pictures.
Caring Bridge - Free online service connecting family and friends.
Example: Ashley Brear's Caring Bridge site, December 12, 1983 - April 22, 2006.
Social Web Applications
OTAVO - The Intention Engine "Make your intentions known"
Elgg - Elgg is an open source social networking platform
based around choice, flexibility and openness: a system that
firmly places individuals at the centre of their activities.
Learning Web 2.0, Tip of the Week and Other Interesting Stuff
In this section, you will find useful links to go to to help you with the many different happenings in Web 2.0
Web 2.0 Reference Center - Essential technologies and concepts for understanding the Web as a Platform.
Great Introduction to the Web Office - Rod Boothby has published this wonderful introduction to the web office and has allowed us re-publish it here on our blog. It is a wonderfully entertain way to start learning about Web 2.0 or Web Office.
Mashup (web application hybrid) - A mashup is a website or application that combines content from more than one source into an integrated experience.
TechCrunch - TechCrunch, founded on June 11, 2005, is a weblog dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies.
The Web 2.0 Bubble - Why the social-media revolution will go out with a whimper
Ice Rocket - for Searching the blogosphere
eLearning Technology Blog - Tony Karrer's blog on Blog on eLearning, Adoption of Web 2.0 and eLearning 2.0 Revisited, courseware, custom content, learning management, authoring, e-learning, blended learning and other aspects of eLearning Technologies.
Juicy Geography - Juicy Geography is a personal collection of ideas, lessons and resources for Geography teachers.
Wink - is a free people search engine.
Technorati - Technorati is the recognized authority on what's happening on the World Live Web, right now. The Live Web is the dynamic and always-updating portion of the Web.
Class Blogmeister - This online blogging tool is explicitly designed with teachers and students in mind, where the teacher can evaluate, comment on, and finally publish students' blog articles in a controlled environment.
Word Press - WordPress is a state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability.
del.icio.us - del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website -- the primary use of del.icio.us is to store your bookmarks online, which allows you to access the same bookmarks from any computer and add bookmarks from anywhere, too.
BlogTV - blogtv.ca
is the first social network destination developed specifically
for Canadians; it is a place for people to showcase their talents,
voice their opinions, discuss and debate with an online audience
and interact with viewers using real-time communication tools.
Technology Literacy and the MySpace Generation - The digital native is constantly evolving. So how can educators keep up?
Summary: Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0
Each of the 3 Part series linked below, contain in one place many of the useful Web 2.0 tools with explanations that you can use in your educational setting.
Part 1 - Written by: Brian Benzinger With the start of the new school year, many teachers and students are seeking new products and technologies to help them through their upcoming academics. With the increase of teachers using blogs and wikis, and students networking and utilizing online tools, the demand for easier and more efficient ways of learning is on the rise.
Part 2 - Brian covers web-based alternatives to desktop office applications including: word processing, presentations, diagrams, spreadsheets, and more.
Part 3 - Brian researched possible scenarios and real case studies of Web 2.0 in education in hopes to show others where we are with today's education and where it could be.
Conferences :
Web 2.0 Expo, April 15 - 18, 2007, San Francisco - From the folks who coined the term, Web 2.0 Expo is a new event that brings Web 2.0 to life and to your business.
TASITE 2007 Conference School 2.0, Evening of Fri 27, and Sat 28 April 2007 - This conference focuses on how schools can make use of freely available Web 2.0 technologies to help improve teaching and learning.
