What is the Web 2.0 ?
Around 2004 a “new” version of the internet emerged, called Web 2.0. It is considered an evolution of the first World Wide Web. A vastly increased amount of user participation is what made Web 2.0 such a game changer. Before its evolution, users were considered “readers” (passive users) on the internet, but under Web 2.0, they also became “writers” (active users). Web 2.0 gave users the opportunity to create content and interact with each other in a deeper and more complex way.
With Web 2.0, websites changed to be much more dynamic and user friendly. The deeper interconnection between websites now facilitates more sharing of information, which allows for the growth of online communities. Web 2.0’s greater capacity expanded the flow of information, which has not slowed since it was introduced.. Some well known websites built on the foundation of Web 2.0 are Wikipedia, Facebook, and Youtube.
Web 2.0 in education
Web 2.0's major benefit in education is its user-focused tools. These intuitive tools help students transition into an educational style more deeply integrated with technology. Web 2.0 also allows for more complex live communication, which helps further the online learning process. When classroom peers can collaborate to create, edit, and share content, the learning process is more active and engaging. There are many Web 2.0 tools; these are the most common ones:
- Wikis: Webpages that can be edited by any user who has access. A collaborative tool that requires teamwork to build a base of information.
- Blogs: A basic webpage where the user can write posts about whatever they want, as well as share images, videos or links.
- Bookmarking and tagging tools: Digital tools that allow users to mark digital content they’re interested in so they can refer back to them.
- Multimedia sharing tools: Platforms for the storage and sharing of multimedia content like audio, images, or video.