Why Web 2.0 is Good for Learning and for Research: Principles and Prototypes Carsten Ullrich, Kerstin Borau, Heng Luo, Xiaohong Tan, Liping Shen, Ruimin Shen Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Overview Motivation Web 2.0 from a learning perspective Web 2.0 as a research tool Examples social bookmarking for learning object annotation microblogging for language learning Lessons learned

Motivation

Web 2.0 from a learning perspective

Web 2.0 as a research tool

Examples

social bookmarking for learning object annotation

microblogging for language learning

Lessons learned

Technology Pedagogy

Technology

Class room in 文庙 (Confucian Temple Wén Miào), Shanghai Teacher Students

Technology-Enhance Learning Learning Management Systems “Administered Learning” Teacher centered If a lesson is mastered, then allowed to continue ≈ Behaviorism

Learning Management Systems

“Administered Learning”

Teacher centered

If a lesson is mastered, then allowed to continue

≈ Behaviorism

Technology-Enhance Learning Learning Management Systems Cognitive Tutors Cognitive Learning Theories

Learning Management Systems

Cognitive Tutors

Cognitive Learning Theories

Web 2.0 and Learning? Often associated with constructivism Constructivism Learners play the active role Learning takes place in context and collaboration Teachers provide assistance, advice 不闻不若闻之，闻之不若见之，见之不若知之， 知之不若行之。 荀子 (300–230 BC) "Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I'll understand“ Xún Zǐ (300–230 BC) Picture by ryyo

Often associated with constructivism

Constructivism

Learners play the active role

Learning takes place in context and collaboration

Teachers provide assistance, advice

不闻不若闻之，闻之不若见之，见之不若知之， 知之不若行之。

荀子 (300–230 BC)

"Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I'll understand“

Xún Zǐ (300–230 BC)

What is Web 2.0? Until now, no analysis of the technological foundations of Web 2.0 from an educational perspective What is Web 2.0? Tim Berners-Lee: Works on the same standards as Web 1.0 Web always a tool for collaboration But the Web of today is different from the Web 5 years ago

Until now, no analysis of the technological foundations of Web 2.0 from an educational perspective

What is Web 2.0? Tim Berners-Lee:

Works on the same standards as Web 1.0

Web always a tool for collaboration

But the Web of today is different from the Web 5 years ago

Characterization of Web 2.0 In 2005, term “Web 2.0” became popular Used by Tim O’Reilly to capture principles of Web sites/services that distinguish themselves from earlier ones Here: From an educational perspective teacher/learner researcher

In 2005, term “Web 2.0” became popular

Used by Tim O’Reilly to capture principles of Web sites/services that distinguish themselves from earlier ones

Here: From an educational perspective

teacher/learner

researcher

Stimulation of Individual Creativity Enable and facilitate active participation pictures, videos, text, bookmarks, slides good usability Highly interesting for educational research & practitioners. Variety of ways for students to express themselves new tools for teaching Facilitates constructivist learning

Enable and facilitate active participation

pictures, videos, text, bookmarks, slides

good usability

Highly interesting for educational research & practitioners. Variety of

ways for students to express themselves

new tools for teaching

Facilitates constructivist learning

Harnessing the Power of the Crowd Value of a Web 2.0 service increases the more people are using it explicitly & implicitly Social Networks Education: large amounts of potential peers member of a community facilitates collaborative learning Photo by wishymom

Value of a Web 2.0 service increases the more people are using it

explicitly & implicitly

Social Networks

Education:

large amounts of potential peers

member of a community

facilitates collaborative learning

Diverse Data on an Epic Scale Huge variety of data available Accessible via browser & API Often annotated Semantic Web: LinkedData Education lots of information sources to read and to combine data from real contexts facilitates learning/teaching in real contexts

Huge variety of data available

Accessible via browser & API

Often annotated

Semantic Web: LinkedData

Education

lots of information sources to read and to combine

data from real contexts

facilitates learning/teaching in real contexts

Architecture of Assembly Web 2.0 makes data and functionality accessible Access via browser and API Functionality exported via Widgets Functionality on high level of abstraction e.g., Open Calais Education Students: combining data sources Research: building prototypes Learning environments can be extended easily

Web 2.0 makes data and functionality accessible

Access via browser and API

Functionality exported via Widgets

Functionality on high level of abstraction

e.g., Open Calais

Education

Students: combining data sources

Research: building prototypes

Learning environments can be extended easily

Personal Learning Environments Pic by Scott Wilson

PLE for Language Learning

Perpetual Beta Software development: Web 2.0 applications constantly refined Education improvement not a bad thing but can be confusing & distracting adapting manuals developers open to feedback

Software development: Web 2.0 applications constantly refined

Education

improvement not a bad thing but can be confusing & distracting

adapting manuals

developers open to feedback

Additional Principles Independent access to data Leveraging the Long Tail Lightweight models

Independent access to data

Leveraging the Long Tail

Lightweight models

Web 2.0 for Learning Analysis has shown that the defining principles of Web 2.0 enable social & active learning Best used for teaching & learning when exploiting these principles Active role for teacher

Analysis has shown that the defining principles of Web 2.0 enable social & active learning

Best used for teaching & learning when exploiting these principles

Active role for teacher

Web 2.0 for Research Wealth of functionality multitude of services (freely) available high-level functionality Architecture of assembly easy to combine/access services  Quick assembly of prototypes allow evaluation assessing research hypotheses

Wealth of functionality

multitude of services (freely) available

high-level functionality

Architecture of assembly

easy to combine/access services

 Quick assembly of prototypes

allow evaluation

assessing research hypotheses

Social Bookmarking for Learning Object Annotation Authoring learning resources is time consuming and difficult task Our goal: support lecturers with no or little knowledge about learning resources and metadata standards integration in existing workflow & LMS Hypothesis: social bookmarking can simplify integration of existing learning material in courses Method: lecturers bookmark resources use predefined tags

Authoring learning resources is time consuming and difficult task

Our goal:

support lecturers with no or little knowledge about learning resources and metadata standards

integration in existing workflow & LMS

Hypothesis: social bookmarking can simplify integration of existing learning material in courses

Method:

lecturers bookmark resources

use predefined tags

Predefined Tags Predefined tags concepts and relationships of subject domain instructional type difficulty level To minimize noise: use of prefix sjtu:type:exercise, sjtu:kp:linear_list, sjtu:difficulty:easy

Predefined tags

concepts and relationships of subject domain

instructional type

difficulty level

To minimize noise: use of prefix

sjtu:type:exercise, sjtu:kp:linear_list, sjtu:difficulty:easy

Implementation Usage of del.icio.us LMS: For each page about concept c , look up resources in del.icio.us and add them on the page Implementation effort of prototype: almost none

Usage of del.icio.us

LMS: For each page about concept c , look up resources in del.icio.us and add them on the page

Implementation effort of prototype: almost none

Results Lecturers’ feedback easy to use use it for students Students don’t look up external resources if the textbook is good enough Currently re-implemented in LMS with additional functionality

Lecturers’ feedback

easy to use

use it for students

Students don’t look up external resources if the textbook is good enough

Currently re-implemented in LMS with additional functionality

Micro-Blogging for Language Learning Context: distant university of SJTU vocational learners: limited time, seldom active, shy Goal: provide practice possibilities Hypothesis: Micro-blogging increases sense of community reduces transactional distance to teacher quick & easy way for active participation

Context: distant university of SJTU

vocational learners: limited time, seldom active, shy

Goal: provide practice possibilities

Hypothesis: Micro-blogging

increases sense of community

reduces transactional distance to teacher

quick & easy way for active participation

Twitter

Implementation Twitter-update downloader stores all Twitter updates in database automatic grading based on number of updates Based on Twitter API some effort due to API limitations not all functionality available through Web interface was in API

Twitter-update downloader

stores all Twitter updates in database

automatic grading based on number of updates

Based on Twitter API

some effort due to API limitations

not all functionality available through Web interface was in API

Quantitative Results English Listening & Speaking 98 students out of 110 participated 5574 updates during 7 weeks 35 students sent 1 to 19 updates 39 students sent 20 to 99 updates 12 students sent more than 100 updates Regular homework: 6 ‘originals’, rest are copies

English Listening & Speaking

98 students out of 110 participated

5574 updates during 7 weeks

35 students sent 1 to 19 updates

39 students sent 20 to 99 updates

12 students sent more than 100 updates

Regular homework: 6 ‘originals’, rest are copies

Qualitative Results Questionnaire at the end of the lecture Only 5% of the students disagreed with the statements that Twitter... improved the overall atmosphere relaxed of communication with teacher improved sense of community “ This "TWITTER" same as schoolyard~~~” 50% stated they communicated with native speakers Monologues and discussions of events Main criticism: seldom correction of mistakes

Questionnaire at the end of the lecture

Only 5% of the students disagreed with the statements that Twitter...

improved the overall atmosphere

relaxed of communication with teacher

improved sense of community

“ This "TWITTER" same as schoolyard~~~”

50% stated they communicated with native speakers

Monologues and discussions of events

Main criticism: seldom correction of mistakes

Lessons Learned: Learning in the Web 2.0 Individual creativity: Web 2.0 services can stimulate active participation Usage of Twitter continued after lecture was over Power of the crowd: social dimension was important students encouraged each other to participate discussions But: not task-centered (posts in other languages) pejorative messages  Teacher as moderator & participator Independent access: seldom mobile usage Architecture of assembly: not used by students

Individual creativity: Web 2.0 services can stimulate active participation

Usage of Twitter continued after lecture was over

Power of the crowd: social dimension was important

students encouraged each other to participate

discussions

But:

not task-centered (posts in other languages)

pejorative messages

 Teacher as moderator & participator

Independent access: seldom mobile usage

Architecture of assembly: not used by students

Lessons Learned: Web 2.0 for Prototypes Architecture of assembly quick prototypes  collecting feedback, requirements, suggestions BUT you become dependent of third-party API rate limits (were removed upon request) not all functionality is available as API yet another login, yet another social network changing user interfaces/metaphors  Fine for prototypes, be careful in case of regular usage

Architecture of assembly

quick prototypes

 collecting feedback, requirements, suggestions

BUT

you become dependent of third-party API

rate limits (were removed upon request)

not all functionality is available as API

yet another login, yet another social network

changing user interfaces/metaphors

 Fine for prototypes, be careful in case of regular usage

Conclusion Web 2.0 tools & learning less suited for designed instruction have potential to stimulate active participation & improve sense of community learners will think of unanticipated ways of usage requires active teacher: stimulation & monitoring one becomes dependent of third-party tools Web 2.0 & research functionality at high level of abstraction quick way to assemble prototypes one becomes dependent of third-party tools

Web 2.0 tools & learning

less suited for designed instruction

have potential to stimulate active participation & improve sense of community

learners will think of unanticipated ways of usage

requires active teacher: stimulation & monitoring

one becomes dependent of third-party tools

Web 2.0 & research

functionality at high level of abstraction

quick way to assemble prototypes

one becomes dependent of third-party tools

Thank You [email_address] Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ullrich

[email_address]

Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ullrich