Even though I do not believe in the labeling of "Web 2.0", the impact that technology has made as far as learning cannot be ignored. Things like video chat, blogs, wikis, and the spread of broadband internet service have helped shape the environment that has been evolving. Instead of limiting a student to a classroom, we now have the capability of using the Web to influence learning. Take for example the videos that Bill uses for our lecture every week, that would not have been feasible 5 years ago.
We can even have discussions without being in the same area, and have the same level of depth and understanding that used to be limited to a classroom setting. Technology is finally catching up to what the Web was meant to be, an area free for expression and learning that is not tethered to any specific location. As long as you have a device capable of reaching the Web, you have access to the worlds largest tool for learning and sharing.
The Web of Learning Blog is also a great example. We have some great discussions, especially about the topics that require a deeper thinking and understanding. If you need to learn more about a topic that we are talking about, the Web is great for that too. At least for me, my first resource is a search engine. Even though sometimes you can get bad information, if you know what to look for in the results you can find any information you desire. We have become so used to looking for information this way, the company name "Google" is a noun as well as a verb. Even in the media, they tell you to find out about things by "Google-ing" it.
Whatever you like to call this advancement, there is no possible way to deny the impact it has had on the way we learn and search for information. Now that this capability is around, it would be dearly missed if it ever went away.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
You made some great points. These video lectures would have been much more difficult 5 years ago, than they are today. Producing streaming media, and low file sized (but high quality) videos has become easier with tools like Flash.
Discussion boards and blogs have made discussing easier than ever. Chat rooms and forums were around back in the early days of the web, but they were very basic and not as easy to use, and did not have the advanced tools that they have today.
The coolest part of all of this is where the tech is going to be another 5 years from today. Considering the trends, things are going to be advancing quicker than ever before. I stated in another comment that Audio/Video messaging is probably going to be the next standard fairly soon, and this technology has a lot of potential.
I am really curious to see things in the future, and how things evolve to that point.
Post a Comment