The document discusses a taxonomy of Web 2.0 technologies, exploring their roles in enhancing participation and engagement in higher education, with a focus on platforms like Twitter, wikis, and blogs. It examines the communication and content characteristics of these technologies while addressing issues of digital literacy and the effectiveness of technology in learning environments. The conclusions emphasize the need for structured reflection, careful selection of technologies, and a focus on effective communication to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.

1. A Taxonomy of Web 2.0 Technologies (and the role of Twitter in Higher Education) ALT-C 2010 Guy Saward, University of Hertfordshire

2. What’s the point of Twitter? Why a wiki? Why not a blog? How do I podcast my lectures? Who Cares?

3. Participation Engagement Enhancement

4. Wikis Blogs Audio Video RSS Social Software Microblog Tumblelog IM Bookmarks SMS Forums Email

5. Digital Literacy ≠ ICT skills “ Staff capability with ICT is a further dimension of the digital divide … and effective use of technology to enhance learning is as much of an issue as getting it to work” [JISC 2009]

6. Knowledge: explicit and tacit Content Communication Information: transmission/decode encoding /

7. Content web (1.0) Which is “King”? email Communication

8. Content books What do we need? people Communication

9. Content What have we got? Communication

10. Content reference Communication narrative message presence

11. Content Communication reference narrative message presence

12. Online Reference material Wiki(pedia) as definitive web 2.0 reference large item size (lots of content on a page) large collection size (lots of pages) Delicious provide references links other online content smaller item size (1024 char in notes) RSS provide references to updates small items in themselves non-persistant => no structure / search wiki social book marks news feed

13. References – How much content? Can construct an order based on how much content each technology can / typically support Debatable what is web 2.0, e.g. RSS (yes?), ebooks (no?), annotations (yes?) => work to do wiki social book marks RSS more structure / persistence bigger items more items

14. blog tumblelog micro blog mixed media bigger items more structure Narrative forum email SMS bigger item mixed media more structure / context Messaging e-confer -ence virtual world online chat mixed media easier access Presence

15. Reference material – Comms Order Can order technology by how much communication each can / typically supports Note: focus on primary purpose of each tech, e.g. wiki’s can have forums to support comms … but not defining character wiki social book marks RSS higher freq. & push higher push in change indicators

16. Classification of Web 2.0 Technologies communication content freq+sync size+struct wiki blog forum email SMS twitter online chat tumblelog social book marks RSS 2Life eConfer-ence

17. Who Cares?

18. What’s the point of Twitter? Why a wiki? Why not a blog? How do I podcast my lectures?

19. How do I podcast my lectures? Content: audio vs video vs slideshow Comms: nothing notification enclosure vs url stream vs download auto vs manual (New Oxford American Dictionary no help)

20. tumblelog micro blog tumblelog micro blog blog wiki blog forum email SMS e-confer -ence virtual world online chat wiki social book marks RSS mixed media bigger items more structure bigger item mixed media more structure / context mixed media easier access more structure / persistence bigger items more items bigger items more items bigger items mixed media more structure / persistence more structure / persistence bigger items better structure? bigger items mixed media more structure / persistence more structure / persistence more items / structure more structure / persistence more structure / persistence more persistence

21. blog tumblelog micro blog forum email SMS e-confer -ence virtual world online chat wiki social book marks RSS comms classification higher freq. / intensity higher freq.

22. Does it help?

23. blog tumblelog micro blog forum email SMS e-confer -ence virtual world online chat wiki social book marks RSS content ranking by CPD learners

24. blog tumblelog micro blog forum email SMS e-confer -ence virtual world online chat wiki social book marks RSS comms ranking by CPD learners

25. Conclusions for CPD Taxonomy answers basic questions provides structure for reflection identifies areas for development => content=ref, comms=msgs => student plans content focussed Creating content/comms work in progress

26. Conclusions for Practice Invest more time in fewer things Design learning, select technologies Convergence will blur the picture

27. Does it work for you? Links with theory >

28. Application to Learning Theories Objectivism objective knowledge => content (creation of true models of reality/knowledge by authorities) transmission => comms (teacher-learner interact) Constructivism constructed knowledge => content (creation of personal/shared knowledge by learner) collaborative => comms ("effective", high content) active => content (engage with/apply to)

29. Application to Learning Theories Community of Inquiry social presence => comms (low content) teaching presence => content (structure) cognitive presence => high content needed to "construct meaning through sustained comms" Community of Practice domain of practice => content community to share/discuss/challenge => comms

30. Technology Classification tumblelog communication content freq+sync size+struct wiki blog 2Life forum email SMS twitter eConference online chat tumblelog social book mark RSS features multimedia blog tumblr/facebook content video, images low text content comms comments/forum track back