Communities and Web 2.0:
The use of Web 2.0 and technology in education has evolved students’ knowledge and is the way to a successful future
Abstract
This study aims to persuade schools to provide more web 2.0 technologies in educational contexts by highlighting and giving evidence of students’ and instructors’ language and learning advancements using web 2.0. This paper will discuss the benefits and positive impacts of utilizing web 2.0 and its technologies in education, with examples and evidence from previous studies. To determine the extent of the significance of utilizing web2.0 technologies in education, a study on Moroccan students’ and instructors’ use of blogs, wikis, and social media platforms in the classroom will also be covered. The report also reveals student responses regarding how using social media has enhanced their language abilities. This paper will also emphasize the many expectations for web 3.0 as well as its possible benefits for education in the future. Web 3.0 is projected to be a completely new world with numerous online communities and a space full of open and accessible information. Additionally, intelligent agents (IAs) and their role in gathering user information based on interests and actions will be covered. (IAs) will support Web 3.0 users by recommending content and materials that will make using Web 3.0 easier. To conclude, it is evident that web 2.0 has been a valuable learning tool in the educational environment, and web 3.0 has an even more bright potential.
Introduction
Web 2.0 has immersed us in an ocean of free, instantly accessible, and limitless information. Web 2.0, formerly known as web1.0, began as a platform where people could just read to acquire information, but it quickly evolved into a highly interactive platform where people could read, discuss, and exchange knowledge. Users found it challenging to interact with one another or respond to one another’s material when web 2.0 was still only web 1.0 (Aqil, Ahmad and Siddique 2011). However, with the evolution of web 2.0, users can now freely talk among themselves and interact with one other’s posted material. Above all, web 2.0 has benefited education by encouraging more dynamic and effective learning settings that enable students to become more academically engaged and competent. I argue that the implementation of web2.0 and technologies has a significant positive impact on teaching and education and that continuing to use web 2.0 and technologies is the path to a bright future in education.
Advantages of Web 2.0
Many studies and researchers claim that adopting technology and Web 2.0 in education has numerous advantages because they can serve as the ideal virtual learning and teaching environment. For starters, Faizi (2018) argues that using technology and web 2.0 in education offers four benefits for both students and teachers. The first benefit claimed, is that it fosters a feeling of community by allowing students and faculty members to socialize and work collaboratively on projects despite the time or location. The second benefit is that Web 2.0 technologies assist students in engaging in meaningful knowledge, which relates to a student’s desire and eagerness to attend classes, their ability to follow directions from their teachers, and their capacity to submit and do well on assignments. A student’s engagement may refer to how much physical and mental effort and energy they put into their studies. By using Web 2.0 online platforms students can be encouraged to commit some of their time and energy to participate in classroom activities since many of them are already present on these social networks (Lucz 2021). Not to add, these platforms can motivate shy, scared, and unmotivated students to come out of their shells and participate in these activities with other students, sharing their thoughts and ideas in the process. Thirdly, since collaboration is a key and vital aspect of the educational process, it is advantageous when web 2.0 platforms can be used to allow students and teachers to operate together to reach the same goal despite having different quality standards. Web 2.0 platforms feature ideal interactive and participative environments that students and teachers can leverage to fulfill projects and assignments on a regular basis, which can boost a student’s self-esteem and confidence and yield positive results (Riofrío-Calderón and Ramírez-Montoya 2022). According to research, more than half of higher education students in the United States actively post content on social networks such as wikis, blogs, pictures, and video-sharing websites like Instagram and Youtube, and some of these students post every day on at least three social networks (Conole and Alevizou 2010). Finally, web 2.0 and related technologies are valuable storage facilities for learning and teaching resources. Being an active user of web 2.0 is a normal thing, and Web 2.0 platforms now bring together a diverse group of people from varied backgrounds, we can conclude that a massive amount of knowledge and information is shared every day. As a result, these platforms have become a precious space for learning and collecting resources for any topic.
Web 2.0 in language learning and teaching
When used appropriately, Web 2.0 can be the most effective learning tool for language students and teachers. A study was conducted by (Faizi 2018) to determine the usefulness of web 2.0 and its technologies in language education. To illustrate the possible role of web 2.0 tools in education, questions were posed to Moroccan students in private and public higher education as well as the Mohammed V university language teachers. The students were first asked the questions, and after analyzing the data, it was discovered that the vast majority of the respondents had a social media profile on at least one social platform. The respondents used a variety of social media platforms, including “Twitter, LinkedIn, Viadeo, and Google+, but Facebook was the most popular.”(Faizi 2018, p.87) However, the motives for adopting web 2.0 among these respondents varied depending on the subject, but they all agreed that social media is used in both their academics and personal lives. Students can simultaneously personalize and contextualize their learning with the use of Web 2.0 tools (Conole and Alevizou 2010). Students will have the chance to learn about web 2.0 and its tools and experiment with them before using them in their coursework. Most importantly, the findings revealed that 82% of respondents use web 2.0 tools to enhance their language abilities and learn new languages, demonstrating the value of technology and web 2.0 in education. As evidently seen by the findings, social media platforms have proved to be the most commonly used tool to help students improve their language skills. This is demonstrated by Facebook, where the majority of its users are worldwide and from various nations, assisting pupils in learning new languages (McGuirk 2021). Users can comment on and share other people’s postings, follow topics that spike their interest and join virtual groups on Facebook, which can all help students learn something new. Individuals can interact with others in virtual groups and have in-depth discussions with them, as well as learn a language through real-life examples like audio such as voice messages, videos, and other media and content that others may share. Since many YouTube users come from many nations and frequently share their videos in their native language, YouTube is another well-liked platform for students to access or retrieve media that can help them develop their learning and language skills (Shaiful and Stapa 2021). Finally, students were asked to rank their essential language abilities (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) in order to evaluate the potential of web2.0 in helping students learn or develop these skills. Listening came in first place with 40% of the vote, but this can be explained by the various content-sharing applications that expose language learners to various media that enable them to listen to different people speak a variety of languages, such as their online friends, songs, influencers, lectures, and much more (BAYTEKİN, and SU-BERGİ 2021). Readings rank second with 32%, which may be explained by the previous reason because social platforms provide students with a variety of blogs, wikis, and other content that can help them improve their reading skills. Despite the fact that speaking came in third place with 16 %, many students have expressed gratitude for the opportunity to improve their speaking skills online because social media platforms provide a free space to practice speaking without fear of judgment since everyone is there to learn (Stevenson and Liu 2010). Writing came in last with 12%, however, this may easily be explained by how other people may utilize “slang” or abbreviations for certain terms, causing learners to become confused (Faizi 2018).
The teachers’ responses and views toward using web 2.0 technology in language learning make up the second component of this study. Firstly, teachers were asked about the impact that using web 2.0 technologies has on students and if they’re positive or not. The results found that teachers believe that social sites actually positively impact students learning in terms of evolving their knowledge and enhancing their understandings of different topics. 68.9% of the respondents believed that web 2.0 tools have a positive impact, and 13.3 believed they have a very positive effect. Learning a new language can be very challenging and complex to complete but employing web2.0 technologies can simplify and hasten the process, as stated by Narjis, Largani, and Shahrzad (2020). While 11.1% stated that there is no effect, only 6.7% believed it has a negative effect and absolutely no respondent believed it causes a “very” negative effect (Faizi 2018). Teachers who believe it has a negative impact do so because they often believe that teachers are the only individuals who can provide education and that using web 2.0 in class will distract students. For further understanding of the impact that the web 2.0 technologies had on Morocco’s higher education language learning, teachers were also asked to rank the 4 language skills from most improving to least improving. The results of the teachers’ responses showed similar results to those of students’ where at 35% and 33% reading and listening were believed to have been most affected by web 2.0 and at 21% speaking ranked 3rd while at 11% writing ranked last (Faizi 2018). This study and its conclusions demonstrated how web 2.0 technologies benefit both students and teachers in terms of education and language teaching and learning.
Web 3.0
Web 2.0 technologies have not only improved existing educational levels and evolved students’ abilities, but they also have a bright future in education. To begin, our generation will soon be expecting web 3.0, which is “a new idea in the field of Web evolution”, according to Rudman and Bruwer (2016). Additionally, similar to web 2.0, web 3.0 will become more diversified, with the content being very freely accessible to customers, due to the massive amount of data and information being exchanged online. Data integration is the core of web 3.0, and with metadata (information within data that provides information about contents), data may be transformed into meaningful information that can be shared, saved, or even supplied to people through intelligent agents (IA) (Rudowsky 2004). Intelligent agents are computer programs that gather information depending on a person’s online activities and involvement. These programs will only be able to comprehend the data gathered following the development of expressive languages that represent information in a machine-readable manner. After recommendation engines focus on the behaviors and preferences of users, more accurate and personalized information will be produced In a hierarchical form, IAs will gather and store data on the tastes and interests of users through the recommendation engine (Rudman and Bruwer 2016). As a result, Web 3.0 will be able to obtain and supply any data that can then be converted into knowledge, information, and wisdom.
Furthermore, through web 3.0 and IAs, any procedure will become automated and quicker to complete, and sharing or producing information will be faster and more accurate, with everything being easily accessible, resulting in new opportunities. For starters, besides allowing users to interact, communicate and share or retrieve information, websites will provide web services that will be more personalized based on the user’s preferences. Secondly, knowledge management “focuses on the retrieval of relevant information and rationalization thereof through the experiences and mental process of the individual end-user,” (Rudman and Bruwer 2016). Web 3.0 can assist organizations by utilizing various knowledge management approaches that can lead to increased sales, more employment, and increased productivity, among other factors that can contribute to organizational performance and success (Lai et al. 2013). Finally, and most importantly, web 3.0 in e-learning and research can assist students or learners in gaining more conveniently accessible information as well as guiding them through their learning journeys. Web 3.0 applications, for example, aid in the creation of “hypermedia systems,” which are described as “information silos that can adjust to changes in their environment.” These hypermedia systems are vital because the ability of databases to adjust to changing settings is a critical component of e-learning (Popescu 2008). These are just a few of the many advantages and opportunities that web 3.0 offers. With the help of IAs, web 3.0 will provide a sea of information and data that is more customized and targeted to the end-user, and in education, this will make it easier for students to find and obtain the information they require.
Conclusion
Although the traditional learning techniques have evolved with time, the adaptation of web 2.0 and technologies in classes has helped education flourish and the upcoming web 3.0 is even more promising. Through web 2.0, students have gained and shared knowledge, interacted with other students and faculty members easily, and improved language skills from reading and writing to speaking and listening. Since web 1.0 became web 2.0 where people not only read but also reply to and share online content, learning and communicating have become incredibly easy. The several web 2.0 applications are home to a diverse group of people from various backgrounds who are eager to learn and share their experiences and skills. Teachers cannot prepare students for their futures in the same way as web 2.0 with its large amount of information and data can, but teachers may use web 2.0 to learn for themselves and teach others. In conclusion, web 2.0 has aided students in gaining knowledge that would otherwise be difficult to attain, and web 3.0 holds a bright future for education if adopted and used appropriately.
References:
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Hi Hiba,
Very well written paper on how Web 2.0 and 3.0 improve students learning abilities and skills for future success and the support that provides for the teacher in their teaching methods. But for platforms like social media, I would say there will be difficulties in differentiating what posts are valid and true as there is no peer review for these educational posts. Therefore, this can create biased within the education they received and can be misinformed about the information that they received.
Hello Min, I completely agree with your point that sometimes information online can be misleading. However, web 3.0 is continuously evolving, and now students and teachers can easily find out if the information is valid or not. Additionally, other students can be taught how to easily find credible and valid sources, the same way we were taught in our university.
Hey Min & Hiba,
As a reply to the insight brought forward by Min, as well as in addition to the response you put up, I believe that with the increasing utilization of social media as a source of information, these social media platforms could attempt to create and integrate specialized features, such as a ‘validation check’, which can be labeled on posts that involve educational arguments/discussions. Also, social media platforms can also create specialized sub pages that cater to educational information, i.e.: similar to having ‘Facebook Marketplace’. The implementation of this can present great possibilities and contribution towards education, especially as it fosters the affordances of social media.
I hope this could pose a viable solution to the problem of misinformation.
Hi Hiba & Baher
Thank you for your responses, your solutions to my question are valuable.
Hi Baher, yes this is extremely helpful, and I believe there have been efforts made to solve such issues. For example, on Instagram if you view a post about COVID-19 you will notice a little banner pop up at the bottom of the post that shows you where you can find real and true COVID-19 information.
Hello Hiba,
Great paper I really enjoyed! I agree with you that web 2.0 and web 3.0 really help students in their studies and research and I think they really helped students and even faculties members to be updated and more informed. Even though sometimes these researches may be fake I agree that web 2.0 and web 3.0 have brought great evolution in the world and have facilitated education.
Good job!
Thank you so much Pierrine! your feedback is really appreciated. And yes sometimes these articles can be fake but there are many websites and way that faculties have been providing to identify the valid sources from the fake ones.
Hello Hiba,
Great job!
Dear Hiba,
Your paper on the utilization of web 2.0 and web 3.0 in education sectors is very insightful and well written. Indeed by employing this technology in education the learning process is becoming easier for both the student and the tutor.
Hi Shija, yes it has honestly been so easy and a bliss to be able to use web2.0 and its technologies in our education.
Agreed. Another tangent of using technology in education (personal opinion) is the aspect of making the lives of students easier. Technology would save money in traveling to the location of education center (online classes), and will also be able to reach to students outside of the country, thereby eradicating geographical isolation (Sumeri’s paper talks about it in aspects other than education). All in all great paper, really enjoyed reading it!
Hi Hiba,
Very well written and informative paper. I agree with you about the benefits of technology and Web 2.0 in the field of education. How technology has helped the students and teachers in learning and teaching process, we are prime example of it. But I want to ask how will technology and Web 2.0 facilitate to learn and education from it in underdeveloped countries or remote areas of the world where there is no concept of learning or literacy rate is very low and also technology is not so advanced?
Hello Sumeri, very interesting question. I believe that developing countries can save some money towards education and adapting Web 2.0 and its technologies in education. After doing some research I discovered “free/libre and open-source software” (FLOSS). According to resources, “FLOSS plays crucial role here with not only saving money but also freeing educational institutions from vicious circle of paying money continuously in a ascending direction and as often as software companies ask. This in turn gives the opportunity to ensure given education competitiveness at labour market and economy in general of whole country.” You can read more about this topic on https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-39483-1_63
Hello Hiba,
I have read your paper and your explanation of the Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 is very comprehensive. We have become even more tilted towards learning online after the COVID-19 situation. I think Web 3.0 will further enable the students to gain knowledge and interact socially. Is there any specific example you would share with me for Web 3.0 so i can better understand its utility in education?
Hi Hiba,
This article has given me a better understanding about web 3.0. It has helped me in understanding about Web 3.0 and its advancements. which is also able to obtain any data which can then be further analyzed and eventually synthesized into knowledge. It was a very insight full paper about how the upcoming web 3.0 is significantly more promising than it’s predecessor web 2.0.
Hi Hiba,
Your paper has pointed out really well regarding the use of web 2.0 and 3.0 in the education sectors. I agree that it has benefitted the students and teachers greatly using this technology especially since web 3.0 is still evolving.
Great job!