Reflection: What does Web 2.0 mean to E-Learning today?

Reflection :

What does Web 2.0 Mean to e-Learning today?
Nick Floro | MacWorld Convention

During the Mac World convention, Nick Floro presented information regarding Web 2.0, and how free open sources are available which allow viewers to publish, modify, and add content to websites which are continuously being updated enabling the viewer to control data. As the Web 2.0 develops more , Mashups’ combines information from several sites and merge together to create a real application. This compilation of multiple Web 2.0 technologies working together, is creating an open source environment which is impacting the ways in which enable us to work across multiple platforms without bouncing between several applications.

Before the explosion of the ‘Digital Age,’ people often had limited access to tools and software applications to do the things which they are now capable of doing, because of the expense or unavailability of adequate resources. As Web 2.0 technologies continue to develop, many open source websites are providing on-line applications which enable their users to create , publish, and react to new information with members within their social networks. Several of these emerging open source communities provide a variety of tools, widgets, and HTML editing features which allow the user to easily input new information into pre-existing templates. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) streams allow the users to link to websites which stream new information to its members via their interests.

The presentation was very interesting and eye-opening. I’ve become fairly familiar with Blogs, Wikis, and RSS feeds, but now I’m beginning to see how a connection between a variety of Web 2.0 open sources can be Mashuped to created an effective instructional plan which incorporates the strengths of a variety of websites’ resources, working together.

When Mr. Floro begin discussing the how ‘Gaming” is impacting the learners today, I was surprised that he had this topic on his agenda. Ironically, I went to the Gaming Convention at the Moscone Center, the day before reading this article, and I was mesmerized at how many people where actually participating in these virtual worlds of Gaming and Simulation. At the conference, many of the characters which are popular in the Gaming industry, were represented by people with character costumes , large display booths and memorabilia for sale. GAMERS incorporate Games and Simulations, and the average college student spends over 10,000 hours before they graduate from college playing games and interacting in virtual communities.

Lastly, Mr. Floro introduced the McGraw / Hill – Guide Online, an online tool which can allow teachers to monitor student with an account for easy management of the students work as it is submitted. The online guide is developed in modular format and had a variety of topics. I plan to look further into the McGraw/Hill website for my final project, because some of the materials which I have been developing in applications, such as, Flash and iMovie have already been developed at a professional level, so rather than reinvent the wheel, I prefer to let things just roll. The Web 2.0 presentation was “GREAT!!!”