Web 2.0 Tools the Term

Web 2.0 tools

The term Web 2.0 since 2004 has been commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Instances of 2.0 applications include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups and folksomnomies.

A Web 2.0 site is more interactive, it allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, unlike the non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.

Online learning has matured to an extent that many of the U.S. academic officers concur that online is as good as face-to-face. In fact, Elaine and Jeff (2007), emphasize that, "Online learning is offered by more than two-thirds of U.S. higher education institutions and the rate of compound annual growth in online enrollment has been 21.5% during the past five years."

There are several applications of Web 2.0 in institutions and are discussed as below:

Student-generated online content: Class blogs and online posting of college student work has been the trend in many schools. Alexander (2006), says "blogging has become, in many ways, the signature item of social software, being a form of digital writing that has grown rapidly into an influential force in many avenues both on- and off-line." College students frequently post assignments on 'myspace' blogs for their lecturers/instructors/supervisors perusal, they can get revision areas, comments from their lecturers.

Online content generation is another way in which Web 2.0 is utilized and shared in institutions. Teachers, instructors in different trainings like driving, motorbike riding, computer lessons etc. have developed multimedia presentations, lesson plans, student handouts for classroom activities, sets of links to digital resources using the Web 2.0. Alexander (2006), poses that "users can set up accounts, then write and revise their collaborative work."

Online social networking used as part of instruction in various institutions of higher learning, students have been able to exchange e-mail or text messages for educational purposes in institutions. Facebook-style online utilities for educational purposes, and opportunities to communicate online with students from other geographic areas with the aim of sharing information. For instance political science students can use the Web 2.0 tools to get to know what new political unfolding there are in other parts across U.S. Or the world.

There are also provision of online learning games and simulations. Fans of software games can get online drilling and practice games, multiplayer simulations, and virtual world and Second Life-type environments. These can be made possible through Virtual Worlds such as Second Life which utilize Web 2.0 technology.