Web 2.0: A New Generation of Learners and Education

ABSTRACT New social-sharing applications are transforming the Internet from a read-only (Web 1.0) environment to a read-write ecology that many are calling Web 2.0. These tools (e.g., weblogs and wikis) enable Internet users to publish information online almost as easily as they can read online, and they have tremendous potential for learning. This article provides illustrative comparisons of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools to illuminate three key characteristics of the Web 2.0 platform: (a) user-initiated publishing of information without significant technical knowledge, (b) social networking, and (c) online communities formed around specific content. Key concepts, terms, and technologies central to Web 2.0, including Education 2.0, Web 2.0 students, Web 2.0 platforms and tools, and collective wisdom, are considered, along with implications for education and future research.