Web 2.0 in teaching and learning

Web 2.0 and social media are everywhere on the internet and the idea of sharing and collaborating now seems to be the norm.  We know it is used extensively by media literate internet users; is constantly in the news; and has all sizes of organisations scrambling to embrace it as a means of connecting with their clients and customers.

One area of particular interest, to this blog, is web 2.0 and social media within learning.  In a previous post I had drawn your attention to its use within the classroom and last week a colleague of mine discovered the work of John Larkin.  He has created a great resource on Web 2.0 in teaching and learning that could form the basis of many workshops in the classroom.

“John Larkin is an educator and instructional designer presently living in Australia. He has a rich experience in the development and application of educational technologies in primary, secondary, tertiary and corporate educational fields.
About John

One of the benefits of John’s work is that he has made it available under a Creative Commons licence (some rights reserved) so others can share it.  If you believe his work will be of benefit to you it may be worth sending him a quick email.

A Beginner’s Guide to the Internet

myguide is a website that offers an easy and clear introduction to the internet for absolute beginners.

It provides free email, internet search and basic IT courses.  It is also possible to personalise your experience by saving settings such as colour scheme, text size and screen resolution – a very useful feature.

The ‘Welcome courses’ require no registration and will provide a great way for many learners to address any online fears, particularly the ‘Feeling fine online’ course which includes video feedback from learners.  Courses within the other categories of ‘First & Next steps’ and ‘Moving on’ do require registration but after the ‘Welcome courses’ this should not be a problem.

This is a very useful starter tool for those who wish to embrace the benefits of the internet and join the digital revolution.  Visit AbilityNet to read more about this website.

myguide appears to be English based so if you’re looking for any local basic IT courses in Northern Ireland try the free EGSA course search or telephone one of our helpful advisers on 0845 602 6632.