Learning to succeed in a flat world: information and communication technologies for a new generation of business students

This article investigates the relationship of learning and its infrastructure using Web 2.0 technologies to facilitate the acquisition of skills needed to succeed in a global economy. We explore the learning phenomenon as a way to bring forward a process of continuous improvement supported by social software. We use a commonly accepted definition of learning to evaluate different learning theories, since it seems that the definition of learning itself is not a major source of difference between learning theories. Their differences are over issues of interpretation, not over definition. The theories reviewed are used in the design of a framework to assess the infrastructure against expectations of skill proficiency using Web 2.0 tools, i.e., wikis, blogs, social bookmarking, tagging, etc. which must emerge as a result of registering in an introduction to business information and communication technologies (ICT) course in a Canadian university. In this course, we use Friedman’s (The world is flat: a brief history of the twenty-first century release 3.0, Picador, New York, 2007) thesis that the “world is flat” to discuss issues of globalization and the role of ICT. Students registered in the course are usually familiar with some of the tools we introduce and use in the course. The students are members of Facebook or MySpace, regularly check YouTube, and use Wikipedia in their studies. These tools are the tools to socialize. In our course, we broaden the students’ horizons and explore the potential business benefits of such tools and empower the students to use Web 2.0 technologies within a business context.     

Designing pedagogic strategies for dialogic learning in higher education

This article focuses on the pedagogic value of dialogue to strengthen pre-service teachers’ reflective practices and improve their knowledge about the power of talk for learning. Dialogic learning was introduced to a unit of study taken by a final-year cohort of students in an initial teacher education degree at an urban university in Australia. Various opportunities for dialogue were designed into the unit through blended learning such as face-to-face tutorials, social networks and Viva Voce contexts. In the face of mixed opinion on their efficacy, the author profiles the use of social networks as a means of incorporating more interactive discourse through Web 2.0 platforms in higher education. The mixed-methods study reports on data collected from focus group interviews run at the end of the semester. An analytical framework based on Alexander’s principles of dialogic learning is used to interrogate the data set. The results illustrate the positive impact that dialogue employed as a pedagogic tool had on the value students perceived of their learning experience. It is recommended that designs for learning in higher education incorporate iterative exchanges across a variety of blended learning contexts to encourage productive interactions between students, peers and tutors.     

Perceptions of pedagogical formation students about Web 2.0 tools and educational practices

This study aims to examine pedagogical formation students’ perceptions about Web 2.0 tools and educational practices. A case study approach forms the methodological framework of this study. This study was conducted with 42 pedagogical formation students of an Instructional Technology and Material Design course during the 2014–2015 spring semester. During the course, the students created digital materials such as puzzles, concept maps, worksheets, presentations and posters by using software including Prezi, Glogster, and Webspiration. Furthermore they were introduced to numerous Web 2.0 tools which were required learning for the purpose of the course. The data for this study was collected by the researcher through a questionnaire and open-ended questions developed in order to identify students’ views on Web 2.0 tools and educational practices they will face in their future professional life. Content analysis, frequency and percentage were used in the analysis of data. Answers to the following were sought from the data analysis: (1) which Web 2.0 tools do students use or planned to use in their current and future professional life (teaching profession); (2) what are the reasons students want to use Web 2.0 tools in their professional life as a teacher; (3) what are the views of students about their use of Web 2.0 tools in the educational context; and (4) what are students’ views about Web 3.0 technologies and the changes and innovations that will be brought about by these technologies in the field of education.     

Discussion in College Math

Online videos are used increasingly in higher education teaching as part of the explosion of Web 2.0 tools that are now available. YouTube is one popular example of a video-sharing resource that both faculty and students can use effectively, both inside and outside of the classroom, to engage students in their learning, energize classroom discussion, and meet course learning goals. The authors, integrating current literature with their own classroom experiences, describe different types of assignments for which online video can be effectively used.     

Using Web 2.0 for learning in the community

This paper describes the use of a range of Web 2.0 technologies to support the development of community for a newly formed Land Trust on the Isle of Lewis, in NW Scotland. The application of social networking tools in text, audio and video has several purposes: informal learning about the area to increase tourism, community interaction, ‘ownership’ of the Trust's website and pride in the local landscape. The paper provides background theory related to informal learning and Web 2.0 technologies and describes an innovative application of them to a sparsely populated rural community.     

A comparison of Web 2.0 tools in a doctoral course

Adult, professional students in a doctoral-level course used Web 2.0 tools such as wikis, blogs, and online discussions to develop answers to six “Big Questions” related to higher education finance and also produced a research paper that used original data or the research literature to improve understanding of a specific topic. At the close of the course, students were asked to provide examples of learning for each question and each tool, and to evaluate the tools used. Bloom's Digital Taxonomy was used to evaluate levels of learning. Results indicated that the level of learning mirrored that of the Big Question or was at higher levels when students used new tools. Wikis generated objections from students who did not care for group work, although others found it a good collaborative tool. Blogs were more acceptable, but online discussions were preferred because of the interaction and sharing among students. Research papers allowed students to learn material of their own interest and to do so in depth.     

Capitalizing on Web 2.0 in the Social Studies Context

This paper focuses primarily on the integration of Web 2.0 technologies into social studies education. It documents how various Web 2.0 tools can be utilized in the social studies context to support and enhance teaching and learning. For the purposes of focusing on one specific topic, global connections at the middle school level will be the overlapping theme across the Web 2.0 technologies.     

An evolving Learning Management System for new educational environments using 2.0 tools

The tools used in learning processes are in a continuous state of flux. One of the most significant changes is the application of Information and Communications technologies (ICTs) to educational contexts. This provides new possible ways to carry out learning activities, new learning services, the possibility to use new kinds of contents and activities, etc. However, ICTs have not provided as many advantages as they were supposed to, so changes are necessary. In this context, a new set of tools, Web 2.0, offers a new way to understand the Web, in which the user is the centre. Further, users can cooperate in order to define contents. This concept is also applied in technology-mediated learning but there are important problems when one tries to integrate such tools and concepts with existing systems. This paper explores the integration of these tools in traditional learning environments, the various possibilities and their advantages and drawbacks. After that, an interoperability scenario is described and two experiences are presented to show how 2.0 tools can be integrated in learning activities, and its effect in educational process.     

ICT's participatory potential in higher education collaborations: Reality or just talk

Recently, interest has sparked in collaboration and networking within and between universities, industry, government and the wider populace. Knowledge transfer has gradually become a strategic issue, so that many governments and funding bodies now use economic‐based incentives to mandate collaboration in hope of stimulating innovation, improving efficiency and promoting inclusion. Web 2.0 has been heralded as an enabler of collaboration. Powerful new tools abound to enhance collaborative initiatives. I investigate uptake of these tools and their impact on collaboration in the Australian context. Although research is scant, the literature provided a preliminary picture of Web 2.0 usage patterns among Australian academics, researchers and professionals. Adoption of virtual collaboration tools for work activities is lower than expected. Connectivity, accessibility and availability do not seem to be major deterrents to Web 2.0 use, suggesting appropriation is the problem. It remains unclear whether these technologies have encouraged further collaboration; at present, these are primarily social devices and tools, their beneficial work applications yet to be fully unmasked. It is argued that further research and broader professional learning opportunities would support greater Web 2.0 appropriation.     

Investigating faculty decisions to adopt Web 2.0 technologies: Theory and empirical tests

While students are increasing their use of emerging technologies such as text messaging, wikis, social networks, and other Web 2.0 applications, this is not the case with many university faculty. The purpose of this study was to assess faculty's awareness of the benefits of Web 2.0 to supplement in-class learning and better understand faculty's decisions to adopt these tools using the decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB) model. Findings indicated that while some faculty members feel that some Web 2.0 technologies could improve students' learning, their interaction with faculty and with other peers, their writing abilities, and their satisfaction with the course; few choose to use them in the classroom. Additional results indicated that faculty's attitude and their perceived behavioral control are strong indicators of their intention to use Web 2.0. A number of implications are drawn highlighting how the use of Web 2.0 could be useful in the classroom.     

Implications of social network sites for teaching and learning. Where we are and where we want to go

This conceptual paper deals with some of the implications that the use of social network sites, though not originally developed and conceived for learning purposes, have for schools and academic activities when they are used as tools able to modify and innovate teaching/learning practices and academic culture. Beside the differences that characterize the two contexts, the attention that social network tools are progressively gaining in schools and higher education practices and pedagogies requires adjustments in learning and teaching that should be constantly considered by educators and policy makers. These environments are also presenting new and crucial opportunities for teacher training and teachers’ professional development. The purpose of the study is to reflect on some significant challenges and opportunities offered by social network sites, and how to exploit the latter, in relation to a number of themes. These themes have been identified as those that deserve better comprehension and further research investigation: communication between students and teachers and appropriate professional behaviours; pedagogical and technological challenges related to incorporating social networking practices into teaching and academic practices; how social networking can be exploited for teachers’ professional training and development. The study also provides some implications for policy and practice.     

Research results of two personal learning environments experiments in a higher education institution

This paper focuses on institutionally powered personal learning environments (iPLEs). The concept of the iPLE can be seen as a way universities can incorporate learner-centred approach into the architecture of their technology-enhanced learning environments. The aim of this paper is to pose that there are other ways to learn complementary to virtual learning environments, such as using distributed Web 2.0 tools from personal learning environments (PLEs). With that aim in mind, this paper presents an exploratory study with two different iPLE configurations, analyses how they modify the learning–teaching process, and reports their perceived usefulness from the students' point of view. These two case studies were carried out by a research group of educational technology from a Spanish university in graduate and postgraduate courses. As reported by other case studies, the results revealed that students use the environment basically in the academic context and this usage is conceived as another time and effort requiring task. This fact can be observed in the low level iPLEs customization. The overall conclusions we can extract are, on the one hand, that the new environment to integrate informal and formal learning should be flexible and adaptable to the student's needs and preferences and, on the other hand, that academic tools might someday become personal tools.     

The implications of a connectivist learning blog model and the changing role of teaching and learning

While the use of Web 2.0 tools and specifically blogs is becoming increasingly popular within higher education (HE) and has been shown to promote learning, relatively little is known about the manner in which such tools may affect how teaching and learning may change as a result of the use of such tools. It is within this context that a connectivist learning model was created and has been further developed within this paper in order to consider the implications of how the use of blogs may change the manner in which teaching and learning occurs. Within this research, a case study of the use of collective student blogs utilized as part of a formally assessed module, undertaken within an HE institution, is utilized to explore the manner in which teaching and learning can be seen to change through a connectivist learning model of blog usage. From this case study, it appears that connectivism does provide a theoretical model for the way in which teaching and learning may change as a result of the use of blogs by learners. However, the experience of staff and students who undertook the project suggests that while a number of elements of the connectivist model can be identified, these are not seen universally among all students.     

微博环境下虚拟学习社区研究

随着Web2.0时代的到来,社会性软件成为网络非正式学习的有效支持,虚拟学习社区成为人们非正式学习的重要场所之一。微博,作为Web2.0时代社会性软件的代表之一,其在网络教育中的应用现状值得我们探讨。文章运用社会网络分析法,对大学生为主要成员的高校微博群展开研究,通过量化微群成员间的交互关系,分析大学生在微博群这一虚拟学习社区中的人际网络的结构和特征,考察成员间的交互情况。得到如下研究结论:(1)虚拟学习社区整体结构松散,凝聚力差;(2)社区整体交互模式呈现网状结构;(3)虚拟学习社区中存在意见领袖。     

研究生个人学习环境重构初探

研究生的个人学习环境在社会化学习理念和Web2.0新信息环境下越来越向复合型和多元化发展。面对终身学习和非正式学习的挑战,研究生学习者只有不断寻找适合自己学习场所、资源和工具,重构个人学习环境,才能获得可持续的学习能力。文章为此提供了研究生个人学习环境重构的原则、方法、工具和例证。     

解读Web2.0对大学生校际协作学习的启示

Web2.0正吸引更多人走进数字化、网络化的生存方式和学习方式,并导致人们共同参与、共同创造、共同分享的全民织网时代的到来。Web2.0的互联理念和应用模式与大学生校际协作学习具有内在联系。基于此,文章从校际协作理念、协作学习活动、资源共建共享、协作学习平台四个方面进行了深入的反思,这对校际协作学习环境与学习活动设计具有重要启示。     

Online undergraduate students’ perceptions of the impact of Web 2.0 on higher education / Percepciones de estudiantes de licenciatura en línea sobre el impacto de la Web 2.0 en educación superior

Abstract

Although Web 2.0 has changed students’ roles, placing them at the centre of the teaching-learning process, attitudes towards Web 2.0 have been observed to have a relation with its use in a formal academic context. An instrument was applied to higher education students in Mexico to explore their perceptions by collecting information on students’ attitudes, training and use of Web 2.0, and its impact on higher education. The findings showed that training in Web 2.0 determines use of it, as well as the attitudes towards it and the possible impact these can have on teaching-learning processes. No differences were found regarding participants’ gender in relation to their perceptions of the use of Web 2.0 as a learning environment.     

The influence of extramural access to mainstream culture social media on ethnic minority students’ motivation for language learning

The educational potentials of social media both in the formal and informal learning contexts have been widely acknowledged. However, how social media use in the informal contexts might influence students’ learning in the formal contexts is still underexplored. Path analysis of 141 survey responses from secondary school ethnic minority students in Hong Kong revealed that voluntary access to Chinese social media in daily life influenced these students’ ideal L2 self and motivated efforts in learning Chinese both directly and indirectly via bicultural integration identity and bicultural competence. The findings confirmed that social media practices in the informal contexts may influence students’ motivated efforts in learning in the formal contexts. The study suggests promoting ethnic minorities’ extramural use of mainstream culture social media to influence their acculturation into the dominant culture and motivation in learning the dominant culture’s language. It further highlights the importance of equipping ethnic minority students with the necessary socio-cultural and communication skills to facilitate positive intercultural engagement on these sites so as to safeguard the positive influences of informal social media use on students’ motivation for learning.     

Effects of group reflection variations in project-based learning integrated in a Web 2.0 learning space

A Web 2.0 environment that is coupled with emerging multimodal interaction tools can have considerable influence on team learning outcomes. Today, technologies supporting social networking, collective intelligence, emotional interaction, and virtual communication are introducing new forms of collaboration that are profoundly impacting education. In this study, an empirical analysis was conducted on a Web 2.0 learning space designed to promote and support project-based group learning. Three different group reflection (GR) methods (i.e., self-reflection, GR, and instructor-supported reflection) were implemented for a micro community of undergraduate students completing a team project. Findings from this study suggest that promoting and supporting ‘deep learning’ through GR is essential for team project learning in a Web-based community. In addition, effective instructor intervention is a crucial component leading to better group performance. In terms of group learning evaluation rubrics, structural equation modeling revealed that the level of activeness in online contributions may not be as important as the evidence of collective reflection and critical thinking in team learning scenarios.