WEB 2.0 for teaching and learning

WEB 2 .0 for teaching and learning

Executive Summary

This presents the an analysis of how Web 2 .0 applications particularly Wikis , social networking tools , image sharing sites , video sharing , blogs , sharing , and communication tools . In to effectively evaluate this study , a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative analysis is being utilized in to assess the study Specifically , the study would use a combination of focus group discussions and quantitative interviews in to extrapolate the data from a select group of students . Two groups will be selected for the focus

group discussion - one group with varied educational backgrounds and the second groups are composed of students with the same educational background and class . For the interview portion of the study , 30 educators will be selected in to evaluate Web 2 .0 applications and how they are able to enrich or not enrich current educational tools and how they are able to affect their interactions with students . The results of this study will then be integrated and validated with each other and shall be presented in a comprehensive manner . According to the results of the study , Web 2 .0 technologies currently has provided a very pivotal role in culture and society today , in particular Web 2 .0 technologies has seen an increase in utilization within educational institutions . Though there is an apparent apprehension from educators and students alike with respect to the influx of Web 2 .0 applications in being used for educational purposes , both educators and students agree that there is an apparent advantage in its integration to educational tools and furthers the efficiency of educators in teaching and providing information to their students

Introduction

Information technology has long played a very critical role in higher education for decades . The first sign of technology being used in education purposes was the television that started sending teaching to campuses and homes during the 1950s and even before the television was accessible to everyone , the radio and film on the silver screen was utilized in a wide range of courses and computers have populated labs in schools since the late 1960s (Owen , Grant , Sayers Facer , 2006 But it is only a few decades where educational applications of information technology that now includes the Internet and the World Wide Web has reached nearly limitless proportions in terms of applications In the past , discussion of educational technology was limited mainly to academic and schooling journals but as of today most if not all major literature has incorporated , at the very least , a portion of learning using the Cyberspace or at the very least providing information thru the use of the internet . This incidence has touted technology as the next step /evolution for educational training

The past 15 years have seen a significant increase in the use of technology in higher education . The increase in the way technology is being used in higher education has improved the educational environment and process in teaching in two distinct ways . The influx...