Web 2.0 and Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning environments have displaced the old-fashioned chalk-and-talk classroom of yesterday. Known by various terms, such as Social Constructivism, social learning and aggregated learning, these collaborative learning environments engage students more fully by allowing them to take an active, social role in constructing knowledge. Parallel to this educational evolution are numerous collaborative developments taking place in the on-line world, most of which are currently being used by students outside the classroom.

New technologies emerging on the Web are transforming it from a location into a social collaborative platform. Known as Web 2.0, these new tools of the Web allow one to be an active on-line participant rather than a casual observer. It behooves educators to investigate these new tools, which our students have already adopted in their personal lives, and to implement them in our classrooms as a natural extension of the collaborative learning environment.

A listing of a few of these Web 2.0 (and other) technologies follows, along with a short description of each:

- Instant Messaging (IM) – Text-based messaging sent via the computer.
- SMS Text – Text messages sent to cell phones.
- Blogs – On-line diaries; where one can easily publish text, photos and videos. Others can post comments to the author’s entries.
- Podcast – An audio-based blog, where the audio file can be downloaded to an mp3 player.
- Vodcast – Similar to a podcast, but delivers video files.
- RSS – Really Simple Syndication allowing one to monitor changes to multiple Web sites, simultaneously.
- Chat – Live group discussion traditionally using text. It has been extended to include audio and video.
- Forums – Text conversations organized by topics and threads. Participation takes place when convenient for the participant, and is not live, as in a chat.
- Wikis - Web sites that are collaboratively updated.
- Content Management Systems (CMS) – On-line group creation of content with workflow control.
- Tags (Taxonomies / Folksonomies) – Informal tagging of content, allowing users to create their own tags, as needed.
- Social Bookmarking – Sharing Keyword tagging with others.
- On-line Games – Multi-user games that require collaboration.
- News Servers – Topic-based news sites allowing open posting and comments.
- Microblogging (Twitter) – Short text updates (with or without external links) to groups of followers.

A common factor among Web 2.0 technologies is their ease of use. Educators and learners remain in control of the educational process by rapidly creating and publishing their own content. By thus enhancing the collaborative learning environment with these, and other, on-line tools, students will become more engaged and learning is improved.

(c) 2009, New Vista Concepts, LLC