Web 2.0 is a phrase commonly attributed to Tim O’Reilly who founded the open source movement and began the O’Reilly Media Conference Web 2.0 on the early 2000′s. The phrase was meant to depict the way our internet use has changed. Previously, the web was a storage centre of information that was accessed and consumed, but very few users contributed to its content by creating, producing and storing work on the web. However, the second generation of Web applications (2.0) encourages users to collaborate and share information on line.
For a more detailed explanation that explores rich internet application (RIA), service oriented architectures (SOA), and the social web, view the video “What is Web 2.0?” by Andy Gutsman of Zend and “Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0“
What Can Web 2.0 Do For Educators?
Technology is changing how we interact and view our world. Our students are learning in new and exciting ways. Web 2.0 helps us to harness the creativity and instinctively collaborative natures of our students allowing them to network, discuss, challenge, share, collaborate and create. They learn to inquire and that learning does not only take place in the classroom or in the textbook. Students can consume and produce faster, more effectively, and more interactively. Best of all, many of great Web 2.0 tools are absolutely free! If you want to read more about the power of Web 2.0 in the classroom check out the followin resources:
Steve Haragdon – Web 2.0 is the Future of Education
