Teachers Taking Advantage of Web 2.0
Elizabeth Edwards, Bryan Heidorn & Taylor Willingham (Graduate School of Library Information & Science)
We've all come to enjoy using interactive applications and services based on Web 2.0 and it's a great way for people to come together and share information seamlessly. The educational technologists over at the Graduate School of Library Information & Sciences (GSLIS) are actively engaged in finding out newer, more innovative ways to implement Web 2.0 in the classroom.
Elizabeth Edwards is a visiting Computer Aided Instruction Specialist at GSLIS. She explained that she works with instructors on campus to see how technology can be effectively incorporated in the classroom. While on independent study, she extensively used Wikis to structure all her content and keep track of things in spite of working from different places.
Recently, GSLIS implemented a blogging tool for the University. The idea was for instructors to let students use blogging for sharing information, engaging in personal reflection, posting documents, getting feedback, and many other pedagogical activities. Moodle is another course management tool that is extensively used here on campus.
Bryan Heidorn, an instructor on our campus, started out by briefly explaining the difference between Web 1.0 and 2.0. He highlighted in particular the fact that Web 2.0 allows for more interaction between the students and their instructors, thus improving student participation.
In his online class, he has extensively used Web 2.0 technology. The course design required group projects with extensive collaboration between students throughout the semester. Bryan broadcasts all the class material via online radio so that students in the physical classroom and those taking it online can seamlessly share material.
Taylor Willingham joined the brown bag remotely (an example of Web 2.0 participation) and she then discussed how she has been using Web 2.0 to run "Texas Forums" for the OPJ Library where people can come in and discuss policy issues and other topics.
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