Leading Learning Conference :: Blog :: LL2007 - Web 2.0

Comments

1. I just read this article by Stacy Reed who posts weekly Web 2.0 reviews on Tucows.  She provides good insight into what Web 2.0 is for the end user through her definition of what Web 2.0 is for her and how it has made her more productive.  I really thought her statement that "Even that type of blogging (everyday people discussing their everyday lives) isn't irrelevant because it's storing the day to day events of the common man that historians never had access to before." was a really interesting point as blogging in particular, and Web 2.0 in general, has provided, and will continue to provide, historians, sociologists, psychologists, etc. with a new tool to study human behaviour, social relationships, and cultural difference!  While the article is not necessarily education-based, I believe it provides good insight into the evolution of the World Wide Web.

   Rob De Lorenzo on Sunday, 15 April 2007, 11:07 EDT # |

2. 
   What has caught my attention the most lately in the web 2.0 space is the emerging notion of how the read/write web is helping shape and define a new style of "participatory" culture. I really like this notion. The apathy sometimes seen among students in the 90's may finally be giving way to some new kind of dynamic. What will prove to be most disruptive I think is that this new participation and emerging culture isn't one that is going to be very submissive to centralization and/or control. Students online aren't going to be shaped by their parents social roles or values. They will define for themselves what online culture is, and ultimately I suspect define how their generation view the world. Exciting times...

   Tim Hawes on Tuesday, 17 April 2007, 22:43 EDT # |

3. I found this quote quite interesting:

   "Some technology experts, notably Tim Berners-Lee, have questioned whether the term is meaningful, since many of the technology components of "Web 2.0" have been present since the creation of the World Wide Web.^[3]"

   ^{I think this is both correct, and misses the point about Web 2.0 completely. It is correct that many of the tools of Web 2.0 have been around for a long time - and yet the whole point of Web 2.O is that only now is the real potential for allowing people to truly interact with each other online possible. Previously people could create static html pages, now blogs allow us to interact with those pages, and with each other.}

   ^{I wonder how much of the revolution spawned by the rise of tools such  You Tube would have been possible without the greater availability of high speed Internet access?}

   Urs Bill on Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 11:28 EDT # |

4. Thanks for your comment Urs.  There are so many names that have evolved Web 2.0, read/write web, participatory web, etc. Perhaps it is more marketing.  I'm not one to argue terminology especially with Tim Berners Lee, but perhaps this is the web that he originally intended.

   One thing that I would point out is examples of the type of shifts that have been happening around the web.  Around user centered content creation which comes with easier modes of online publishing - less code and more content.  And of course, the type of content being published audio and video relates to the type of Internet connection.

   Another question would be has the web changed back with Archie, Veronica and the textual web - to visual web with the addition of images to web pages?  No - the web itself has not changed, but certainly to the end user a change was felt.

   Also found some discussion around this on the Read/Write Web Blog -  http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/berners-lee_disses_web20.php

   Quentin D'Souza on Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 14:33 EDT # |

5. I agree with the criticism on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0#Criticism) ... the term Web 2.0 seems a bit redundant and perhaps more sizzle than steak??? I posted another comment in Rob's blog (http://www.commun-it.org/community/leadandlearn/forum/282) about whether we really need to make up new words for collaboration like "blog".

   I think one of the barriers to bringing the students and the older staff together on these technologies is the lack of a shared/common language. Are we inventing new terms perhaps more out of a need to market than to make meaning???

   They are very cool words though. :-)

   Jeff Catania on Tuesday, 01 May 2007, 23:03 EDT # |

6. Thanks for your comments Jeff, they are great points.  I really am engaged by the discussion that is evolving here.

   I appreciate what you are saying with regards to terminology, I still think we are talking about shifts that are different then what we have seen in the past with regards to web publishing.  Whether we call it web 2.0, read/write or anything else.  Perhaps it is the idea of a change in the applications that are available on the web that would make more sense or the idea that we are looking at personal publishing on a macro scale, I don't know.

   I agree with the idea about making up new words, but unfortunately I don't set the standard. English is an evolving language - what can I say.  Personally I don't like the term Podcast because I have an MP3 player not an iPod, but when I say podcast other people understand what I am talking about.  I could argue that First Class means the first class that I teach in the day, but FirstClass means something different because we share a common understanding of the technology.

   Let me ask a question to clarify in eduspeak - is a spelling list a word wall?  I would answer yes they both help me to spell and associate words to the text, but as a teacher it means something different.  Is a blog and discussion board a conversation, yes they both carry a chorus of ebbs and flows of individual voice and group speak, but it means something different. 

   I could change the lingo by saying a blog is like a discussion board that is lead by one person, these individually lead discussion boards are all interconnected by a social network, rss feeds, and indivduals that act as filters and ampifiers of messages across the network - or I can say "blog."  Perhaps we need to make an effort to understand by participating in the culture that is evolving online, maybe in short spurts if that makes it easier.  And see how we can use these new tools.

   Please take a look at Kathy Cassidy's class - let me know what you think?

   http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337&l=1143592742

   http://youtube.com/watch?v=qZ8VAef8QM4

   Quentin D'Souza on Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 06:08 EDT # |

7. Let me start by saying the unlike Quentin, I like podcasting because I have an iPod and really really enjoy using it!  Now that my plug for the Apple iPod has been made, let me make my point. A quick reference to George Orwell and his classic 1984 here: in the novel, authorities made conscious efforts to limit and reduce the number of words in the English language for the specific purpose of limiting thought.  Since our thinking is based on language, less words means limits to thinking.  I'm not, of course, advocating for unlimited and random creation of words for its own sake but limiting words for the sake of convenience is unjustified as we unwittingly also limit our thinking.  New experiences require new words and I would definitely qualify blogging and podcasting as new experiences.

   You can see my response to Jeff here.  Suffice to say that where there are new experiences, we require new words.  The only time I would caution against the creation of new words is when their use is strictly limited to one profession (as in the medical profession, for example). In this case, language becomes the privilege of a select few and excludes everyone else. However, since Web 2.0 terms are used within and without education, and they express new experiences, they are both valid and necessary. 

   Rob De Lorenzo on Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 19:14 EDT # |

8. An amazing video on Web 2.0 from YouTube and another one on Language Learning and Web 2.0 Technologies by Graham Stanley. Both worth viewing! 

    

   Patricia Glogowski on Sunday, 06 May 2007, 00:14 EDT # |

9. I attended the Web 2.0 presentation at the Leading Learning conference on May 7th.  Thank you for an engaging and informative presentation. 

   Until today, I had no knowledge of a collective term for all of the interactive possiblities on the web: web 2.0.  I mean sure, I use it all the time: I have a personal gallery and use the computer for almost all of my communication; I dabble in numerous media projects, use streaming videos and think I do well puttering around the computer.  After your presentation though, I see clearly that the evolution of the internet is creating a paradigm shift.

   In my position as an educator, it would be fool-hardy to think that ignoring Web 2.0 or trying to suppress it's use is a good long-term strategy.  The "Y" Generation requires educators to experience this new technology with them: to provide some adult guidance in this new "world". 

   If students understand that the open communication and freedom web 2.0 provides comes with an equal amount of responsibilty then the possibilities are endless.  Some students may learn the hard way that posting pictures of themsleves drunk means they won't get that coveted postion at a summer camp, or that cruel words on-line can be very hurtful. Hopefyully that is the least of their problems. But, I suppose, what comes to my mind is a single qoute that NASA released after a workplace shooting, "No free society is ever fully safe." We are moving toward a more open society and not everyone is ready for that.

   I embrace the evolution of technology and am excited by the possibilities.  The students I work with are already discussing these issues and after this conference, there will be new idea for them to explore.  In the birds of a feather session on web 2.0 the question was raised, "what can educators do now?"  I know that I can take the information I have learned to my students and engage them in genuine conversations about and experiences with web 2.0.  I can also teach them to strive for the top and take pride in what they create.  I can teach good writing, good design and the knowledge that what they put up on the internet is a reflection of them. In the next few years, what will matter most is how we use our constantly evolving technology.  As a teacher, I hope the students I work with aim high.

   Tara Smyth on Monday, 07 May 2007, 17:40 EDT # |

10. Hi Tara,

    Your comment really made may day! 

    I would love to hear how things are going with you and how you have used the tools with your students.  Please keep coming by Commun-IT.org and continue sharing.  We are stronger together!

    Quentin D'Souza on Monday, 07 May 2007, 23:29 EDT # |

11. Hi Tara,

    Web 2.0 tools are tools of engagement.  What is important is that we share not only our ideas, but our experiences as well.  It would be great to know how you are using Web 2.0 in your teaching and how the students are responding - both socially to this paradigm shift and academically in terms of their achievement.  What would be interesting to know as well is how your colleagues are reacting to your use of these tools.  I would definitely be interested in this information!

    Rob De Lorenzo on Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 11:09 EDT # |

12. Rob,

    This is a really important issue: "How your collegues are reacting to your use of these tools"? I think we really should have more informal discussion like the Birds of a Feather discussion you and Tim had. I really enjoyd that discussion because we were able to listen to different opinions, ask questions, challenge each other anddiscuss the doubts. I have introduced blogging to my collegues in 2005 and many of them have started using it in their teaching, but what we really haven't done is getting together and discussing the challenges, potentials, ideas, etc. These kinds of discussions are really producative and I wish we had more of them - next year's Leading and Learning, I guess!

    Patricia Glogowski on Sunday, 20 May 2007, 19:50 EDT # |