Web 2.0 is changing the way people use the Web. The developments in Web-based communities and hosted services such as social networking sites, wikis and blogs have enhanced creativity, information sharing and collaboration among users. Now, Web 2.0 is transforming the teaching and learning space.

Both Raja Maznah (left) and Zoraini believe that Web 2.0 technology has the power to transform learning.

Web 2.0 provides an opportunity for students to be as creative as they possibly can.

Both Aliza (left) and Norherani think that Web 2.0 applications are pertinent for teaching, particularly at the tertiary level.

Connected learning and teaching
By Izwan Ismail

BLOGS, podcasts, wikis, social networks and the like are no longer mere buzzwords but effective tools to network, communicate and collaborate. Now, these Web 2.0 tools are making their way into the classroom.

Social networking in education is opening doors to an unprecedented array of learning opportunities in an environment where educators can feel free to express themselves, share their ideas and be a catalyst for change. It transforms the classroom into a digital learning portal, and inspires student learning and creativity.

“The potential of Web 2.0 technology is that it has the power to enable us to transform learning. For example, from a situation where students wait for content to be provided or given to them, or for learning activities to be spelt out to them, to a situation where students themselves decide on how and when to learn what they should know,” says Open University Malaysia (OUM)’s director, Centre for Quality Management and Research and Innovation Professor Dr Zoraini Wati Abas.

According to her, where previously learning was pushed to students, Web 2.0 now creates an environment where students are able to “pull” the various forms of content or go into activities that can be made available through the Internet.

Zoraini says OUM is taking

Web 2.0 seriously. “As more than

90 per cent of our learners have access to the Internet, we have provided podcasts in the form of streamed video of tutorials and streamed audio in the form of iTutorials and iRadio for some courses.”

Some OUM tutors also are starting to experiment with wikis, and plans are in the pipeline to include tools such as blogs, wikis and Second Life into one of the university’s new programmes.

“The next move is to pilot m-learning for selected courses. With good infrastructure made affordable to distance learners, we should achieve significant learning experiences,” Zoraini points out.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya’s professor in instructional technology, Education Faculty Professor Raja Maznah Raja Hussain says Web 2.0 has provided an opportunity for lecturers, teachers and students to be as creative as they possibly can.

She adds that Web 2.0 technology will be able to support learning even outside school hours.

“Forums, blogs and wikis allow lecturers to monitor and support student development 24x7. A continuous process of teaching through mentoring, modelling and scaffolding is now possible,” Zoraini elaborates.

Raja Maznah believes that Web 2.0 also enables students to experience “deep” learning through discourses and debates beyond what is possible in a face-to-face environment.

“This will enable intellectual development through questioning, reflecting, acting and assessing of knowledge created by students or from available resources,” she says.

Teachers reap from Web 2.0 possibilities
By Rozana Sani

IF you think that the teaching and learning process is confined to lecture halls and that the chalk-and-talk method still rules at local teaching institutes, then you are wrong.

At Institut Perguruan Ilmu Khas (IPIK) in Kuala Lumpur, trainee teachers not only are aware of

Web 2.0 applications, but also use them in both formal and informal learning environments.

For students training under lecturer Dr Norherani Moning, the Net is a platform for discussions to exchange and develop ideas.

“Web 2.0 applications are useful and pertinent to teaching at the tertiary level. As a lecturer, there are times when I need to finish a particular lecture and so there will be less chances for students to interact with me. Students have lots of questions and these cannot be answered within the stipulated time.

“The Internet is not only for resource, but also a place for students to discuss intellectually with the lecturer as an observer or as an initiator of developing ideas. Even when I’m not in college, I can still be there for my students since I can access the Net from anywhere in the world,” she shares.

Norherani also has introduced Wikispace to her students. Wikispaces (www.wikispaces.com) are simple Web pages that groups, friends and families can edit together.

“I have operated Wikispace for over a semester and it is definitely working,” she says.

In her case, Wikispace serves as a place where students throw in ideas that they were not able to highlight during a particular lesson.

“For one class where I teach reading and writing, Wikispace is a platform for drafts of writing pieces to be edited by me and the students’ peers. Wikispaces allow students to edit and help other students edit and expand their ideas without feeling awkward or shy about their pieces,” Norherani elaborates.

The Internet, she says, gives allowances for anonymity, and this gives students the courage to write and at the same time extend a sense of belonging to the group, making them accountable for what is written.

“E-mail is also used extensively by students to send drafts of their dissertations, especially when they are not within the vicinity of the college. These are checked by the lecturer and sent back with the necessary comments. I had two students who went back to their kampung to do their dissertations and we actually communicated via the Net using e-mail; another went abroad to visit her parents for two months and she used to send chapters of her dissertation using e-mail.”

Meanwhile, fellow lecturer Aliza Alwi uses the instant messaging chatroom to hold discussions with students.

“My job requires me to constantly hold meetings and conferences with groups of students. But work and classes at the institute take up a lot of my time and prevent me from having face-to-face discussions with them at a desirable length of time. By having chatroom sessions, I can hold discussions with students staying in different places, giving them feedback on the same piece of assignment,” she says.

Recently, IPIK introduced blogs to members of its community.

“We believe that we could use blogs with our trainees who are away on practical teaching. Since they have to write daily and weekly journals, they could post them on their blogs. We could post our comments daily instead of reading them once a fortnight when we visit them in schools,” Aliza says.

Personalised learning through Weblogs

Professors are keeping research blogs and requiring students to create course Weblogs. For students, Web 2.0 is helping them learn in a more enjoyable manner. Here, three students share their Weblogging experience with Izwan Ismail.

• Siti Sukainah Che Mat, third-year TESL student, Universiti Malaya (UM)

The use of Web 2.0 technology has helped me get a better understanding of what’s been taught in class.

Weblog is a concept where students have their own learning blog which they need to update at least once a week. I use it to write about what I’ve learnt and my views about the subject. Normally, I post about seven entries weekly.

The use of such technology helps me in my learning process as I can get comments from friends on the subject matter I have posted. It also creates a personalised learning environment.

For example, during a project work, we have to submit an entry about how we went through the process. In a way, it helps in reflecting on what we’ve learnt, and other students or lecturers can give their input.

Besides that, Weblog has eliminated the need for students to form traditional group discussions. Now, all can be done online.

• Ng Huey Zher, tutor, Academic Development Centre, UM

The idea of using Weblogs is to encourage students to learn from reflection and communication. We hope that Weblogs can develop the skills needed for students and also help ease the burden of lecturers who are surrounded by challenges ranging from covering the syllabus and cramped teaching schedules, to large class sizes and limited class time.

The Weblogs created and updated by students can also become a reference when preparing for examinations.

After three semesters of implementing it, we find that Weblogs have managed to enhance personalised learning among students.

• Joshua Paul Gilbert, third-year TESL student, UM

Through Web 2.0 tools like Weblog, I have the opportunity to understand the subjects better through sharing of information and ideas with lecturers and fellow coursemates.

As this learning tool is effective, I have set up an online forum for my coursemates to share their thoughts and experience.

As I hope to teach one day, the entries can be used as a teaching resource, with its huge archive of information.

Mobile mania

MOBILITY solutions have the capability to improve efficiency and empower people on the move. This convenience and functionality have got mobile device adoption expanding fast across the world.

Ordinary people and corporations are turning to mobile devices to help them lead an always-connected and flexible lifestyle. For the corporate world, mobile solutions also extend the means to have a competitive edge in the business world.

To enhance the mobile lifestyle, mobile vendors, network operators, service providers, software giants and media and entertainment companies are all coming onboard to provide various solutions and services.

Seeing the mobile revolution taking shape in the country, Tech&U will publish a special issue called Mobile Mania on Friday, in conjunction with the cash-and-carry information and communications technology

event PC Fair.

Don’t miss IT!