I'd like to touch on several points in the article that really resonated with me. First, the article talks about the fact that there is great potential for application of Web 2.0 technologies in higher education and the students are ready - and already using it without institutions of higher education promoting it. Specifically, the authors talk about a study of students in UK higher education institutions:
In a recent study of students in UK higher education institutions (the JISC LXP Study; Conole, de Laat, Dillon, & Darby, 2006) the conclusions were that students already, on their own initiative, make the Web the “first point of call” for their self-regulated study activities where they, in sophisticated ways, find and synthesize information, integrated across multiple sources of data. Their use of Web 2.0 tools is “pervasive and integrated” and “personalized”. They are members of several Web-based communities of practice, sharing resources and asking one another for help and assistance. They are developing “new forms of evaluation skills and strategies (searching, restructuring, validating) which enable them to critique and make decisions about a variety of sources and content” … “The use of these tools is changing the way they gather, use and create knowledge … shifting from lower to higher regions of Bloom's taxonomy … to make sense of their complex technologically enriched learning environment” (p. 6). Parallel to these sophisticated informal uses of Web 2.0 technology, the students are “frustrated … because of the mis-use or lack of use of the tools” in the technology practices formally supported by their institutions (p. 95)" (Collis, B and Moonen, J, p.95).
Another point of interest for me was the authors' discussion of various barriers to Web 2.0 tools becoming embedded in formal higher education instructional processes - two of which include the technology infrastructure and and the experience and skill gap between students and instructors in regard to Web 2.0 tools and processes.
Finally, I'd like to point to a portion of the authors' conclusion:
"The rapid uptake of Web 2.0 tools and dynamics in society at large is no predictor of a similar uptake in formal learning practices in higher education. Given the many mismatches in quality perspectives, as well as the difficulties in carrying out new pedagogies in higher education, it can, unfortunately, be predicted that the empowerment offered by Web 2.0 tools and processes will not be able to overcome the inertia in higher education institutions when it comes to the mainstream uptake of new views of learning facilitated by new technologies."...."But there is hope. The suggestions offered related to instructional, institutional, and technical perspectives on quality are based on implementation research and with planning and leadership can be acted upon in the university. But most fundamentally, a mindset change is needed." (Collis, B and Moonen, J, p. 104).
Very interesting article. And good to see that our IDE curriculum has overcome the "inertia in higher education institutions". Prior to this class, I did not use all of the various Web 2.0 technologies like my classmates may have, and I'm learning quite a bit about how learning in a Web 2.0 world can be very different from the past.
Resource:
Collis, Betty and Moonen, Jef (2008) “web 2.0 tools and processes in higher education: quality perspectives”, Educational Media International, 45: 2, 93-106
Retrieved on October 11, 2010 from:
Hi Sue:
ReplyDeleteGreat article and posting! I must say that some of the points that the article made did not come as a surprise to me because in my readings for the Web site evaluation project and other IDE 611 courseswork, I came across other articles making similar statements. For example, I learned that the kids that are 21 years old and younger are referred to as the "Net Gen" or "Millenial Generation" and one of their defining characteristic is that they are very technologically savvy and feel extremely comfortable in utilizing Web 2.0 technologies. As I read the following statement in your above blog posting: Their use of Web 2.0 tools is “pervasive and integrated” and “personalized” I was alerted once again that for those of us who may seek to teach this generation of young students, having hands-on practical knowledge and training in the various Web 2.0 technologies is of vital importance, if not an out right necessity in order to stay on the same level playing field with these incoming and future students.
I agree with you about the IDE curriculum. Prior to taking IDE 611, I did not have any actual hands-on experience with some of the Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, and podcasting. IDE 611 has not only provided me with a theoretical and methodological framework to situate these various emerging technologies, but also applied practical knowledge for utilizing them.
~Aja
See Carlson, S. (2005, October). The net generation goes to college - TECHNOLOGY SECTION.
http://chronicle.com/article/The-Net-Generation-Goes-to/12307
Aja,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. As you talked about the Mellenials (Next Gens), also called Gen Y or Echo Boomers (born between years of mid-1970s to early 2000s), my mind immediately went to not only education and associated learning methods but to the workplace and associated norms and expectations. Right now, many companies are struggling a bit with the differences among the 4 generations in the workplace. Just think about how the workplace as we know it today may change significantly as we begin to create new ways to do work / new norms by utilizing and responding to the Mellenials' comfort and ease with Web 2.0 technologies.