Why Web 2.0 is Good for Learning and for Research: Principles and Prototypes

Why Web 2.0 is Good for Why Web 2.0 is Good for Learning and for Research:Learning and for Research:Principles and PrototypesPrinciples and Prototypes

Carsten Ullrich, Kerstin Borau, Heng Luo, Carsten Ullrich, Kerstin Borau, Heng Luo, Xiaohong Tan, Liping Shen, Ruimin ShenXiaohong Tan, Liping Shen, Ruimin Shen

Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai Jiao Tong University

25.4.2008 – WWW 200825.4.2008 – WWW 2008 Carsten Ullrich: Web 2.0 for Learning & ResearchCarsten Ullrich: Web 2.0 for Learning & Research

OverviewOverview

MotivationMotivation Web 2.0 from a Web 2.0 from a learning perspectivelearning perspective Web 2.0 as a Web 2.0 as a research toolresearch tool ExamplesExamples

social bookmarking for learning object social bookmarking for learning object annotationannotation

microblogging for language learningmicroblogging for language learning Lessons learnedLessons learned


TechnologyTechnology PedagogyPedagogy


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

TeacherTeacher

StudentsStudents


Technology-Enhance LearningTechnology-Enhance Learning

Learning Management SystemsLearning Management Systems ““Administered Learning”Administered Learning” Teacher centeredTeacher centered If a lesson is mastered, If a lesson is mastered,

then allowed to then allowed to continuecontinue

≈ ≈ BehaviorismBehaviorism


Technology-Enhance LearningTechnology-Enhance Learning

Learning Management SystemsLearning Management Systems Cognitive TutorsCognitive Tutors

Cognitive Cognitive Learning Learning TheoriesTheories


Web 2.0 and Learning?Web 2.0 and Learning?

Often associated with constructivismOften associated with constructivism ConstructivismConstructivism

Learners play the active roleLearners play the active role Learning takes place in context and collaborationLearning takes place in context and collaboration Teachers provide assistance, adviceTeachers 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)(300–230 BC)"Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may remember. "Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may remember.

Involve me, and I'll understand“Involve me, and I'll understand“Xún Zǐ (300–230 BC)Xún Zǐ (300–230 BC)

Picture by ryyo

Carsten Ullrich

Daten von Xun Zi


What is Web 2.0?What is Web 2.0?

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

What is Web 2.0? Tim Berners-Lee: What is Web 2.0? Tim Berners-Lee: Works on the same standards as Web 1.0Works on the same standards as Web 1.0 Web always a tool for collaborationWeb always a tool for collaboration

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


Characterization of Web 2.0Characterization of Web 2.0

In 2005, term “Web 2.0” became popularIn 2005, term “Web 2.0” became popular Used by Tim O’Reilly to capture principles Used by Tim O’Reilly to capture principles

of Web sites/services that distinguish of Web sites/services that distinguish themselves from earlier onesthemselves from earlier ones

Here: From an educational perspectiveHere: From an educational perspective teacher/learnerteacher/learner researcherresearcher


Stimulation of Stimulation of Individual CreativityIndividual Creativity

Enable and facilitate active participationEnable and facilitate active participation pictures, videos, text, bookmarks, slidespictures, videos, text, bookmarks, slides good usabilitygood usability

Highly interesting for educational research & Highly interesting for educational research & practitioners. Variety ofpractitioners. Variety of ways for students to express themselvesways for students to express themselves new tools for teachingnew tools for teaching

Facilitates constructivist learningFacilitates constructivist learning


Harnessing the Harnessing the Power of the CrowdPower of the Crowd

Value of a Web 2.0 service increases the Value of a Web 2.0 service increases the more people are using itmore people are using it explicitly & implicitlyexplicitly & implicitly

Social NetworksSocial Networks

Education:Education: large amounts of large amounts of

potential peerspotential peers member of a communitymember of a community facilitates collaborative learning facilitates collaborative learning

Photo by wishymom


Diverse DataDiverse Dataon an Epic Scaleon an Epic Scale

Huge variety of data availableHuge variety of data available Accessible via browser & APIAccessible via browser & API Often annotatedOften annotated Semantic Web: LinkedDataSemantic Web: LinkedData

EducationEducation lots of information sources to read and to combinelots of information sources to read and to combine data from real contextsdata from real contexts facilitates learning/teaching in real contextsfacilitates learning/teaching in real contexts


Architecture of AssemblyArchitecture of Assembly

Web 2.0 makes data and functionality accessibleWeb 2.0 makes data and functionality accessible Access via browser and APIAccess via browser and API Functionality exported via WidgetsFunctionality exported via Widgets Functionality on high level of Functionality on high level of

abstractionabstraction e.g., Open Calaise.g., Open Calais

EducationEducation Students: combining data sourcesStudents: combining data sources Research: building prototypesResearch: building prototypes Learning environments can be extended easilyLearning environments can be extended easily


Personal Learning Personal Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

Pic by Scott Wilson


PLE for Language LearningPLE for Language Learning


Perpetual BetaPerpetual Beta

Software development: Web 2.0 Software development: Web 2.0 applications constantly refinedapplications constantly refined

EducationEducation improvement not a bad thing but can be improvement not a bad thing but can be

confusing & distractingconfusing & distracting adapting manualsadapting manuals developers open to feedbackdevelopers open to feedback


Additional PrinciplesAdditional Principles

Independent access to dataIndependent access to data Leveraging the Long TailLeveraging the Long Tail Lightweight modelsLightweight models


Web 2.0 for LearningWeb 2.0 for Learning

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

Best used for teaching & learning when Best used for teaching & learning when exploiting these principlesexploiting these principles

Active role for teacherActive role for teacher


Web 2.0 for ResearchWeb 2.0 for Research

Wealth of functionalityWealth of functionality multitude of services (freely) availablemultitude of services (freely) available high-level functionalityhigh-level functionality

Architecture of assemblyArchitecture of assembly easy to combine/access serviceseasy to combine/access services

Quick assembly of prototypesQuick assembly of prototypes allow evaluationallow evaluation assessing research hypothesesassessing research hypotheses


Social Bookmarking for Social Bookmarking for Learning Object AnnotationLearning Object Annotation

Authoring learning resources is time consuming Authoring learning resources is time consuming and difficult taskand difficult task

Our goal: Our goal: support lecturers with no or little knowledge about support lecturers with no or little knowledge about

learning resources and metadata standardslearning resources and metadata standards integration in existing workflow & LMSintegration in existing workflow & LMS

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

Method: Method: lecturers bookmark resourceslecturers bookmark resources use predefined tagsuse predefined tags


Predefined TagsPredefined Tags

Predefined tags Predefined tags concepts and relationships of subject domainconcepts and relationships of subject domain instructional typeinstructional type difficulty leveldifficulty level

To minimize noise: use of prefixTo minimize noise: use of prefix

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


ImplementationImplementation

Usage of del.icio.usUsage of del.icio.us LMS: For each page about concept LMS: For each page about concept c, look , look

up resources in del.icio.us and add them up resources in del.icio.us and add them on the pageon the page

Implementation effort of prototype: Implementation effort of prototype: almost nonealmost none


ResultsResults

Lecturers’ feedbackLecturers’ feedback easy to useeasy to use use it for studentsuse it for students

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

Currently re-implemented in LMS with Currently re-implemented in LMS with additional functionalityadditional functionality


Micro-Blogging for Micro-Blogging for Language LearningLanguage Learning

Context: distant university of SJTUContext: distant university of SJTU vocational learners: limited time, seldom vocational learners: limited time, seldom

active, shyactive, shy Goal: provide practice possibilitiesGoal: provide practice possibilities Hypothesis: Micro-bloggingHypothesis: Micro-blogging

increases sense of communityincreases sense of community reduces transactional distance to teacherreduces transactional distance to teacher quick & easy way for active participationquick & easy way for active participation


TwitterTwitter


ImplementationImplementation

Twitter-update downloaderTwitter-update downloader stores all Twitter updates in databasestores all Twitter updates in database automatic grading based on number of automatic grading based on number of

updatesupdates Based on Twitter APIBased on Twitter API

some effort due to API limitationssome effort due to API limitations not all functionality available through Web not all functionality available through Web

interface was in APIinterface was in API


Quantitative ResultsQuantitative Results

English Listening & SpeakingEnglish Listening & Speaking 98 students out of 110 participated98 students out of 110 participated 5574 updates during 7 weeks5574 updates during 7 weeks

35 students sent 1 to 19 updates35 students sent 1 to 19 updates 39 students sent 20 to 99 updates39 students sent 20 to 99 updates 12 students sent more than 100 updates12 students sent more than 100 updates

Regular homework: Regular homework: 6 ‘originals’, rest are copies6 ‘originals’, rest are copies


Qualitative ResultsQualitative Results

Questionnaire at the end of the lectureQuestionnaire at the end of the lecture Only 5% of the students disagreed with the Only 5% of the students disagreed with the

statements that Twitter...statements that Twitter... improved the overall atmosphereimproved the overall atmosphere relaxed of communication with teacherrelaxed of communication with teacher improved sense of communityimproved sense of community

““This "TWITTER" same as schoolyard~~~”This "TWITTER" same as schoolyard~~~” 50% stated they communicated with native 50% stated they communicated with native

speakersspeakers Monologues and discussions of eventsMonologues and discussions of events Main criticism: seldom correction of mistakesMain criticism: seldom correction of mistakes


Lessons Learned: Lessons Learned: Learning in the Web 2.0Learning 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


Lessons Learned: Lessons Learned: Web 2.0 for PrototypesWeb 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


ConclusionConclusion

Web 2.0 tools & learningWeb 2.0 tools & learning less suited for designed instructionless suited for designed instruction have potential to stimulate active participation & have potential to stimulate active participation &

improve sense of communityimprove sense of community learners will think of unanticipated ways of usagelearners will think of unanticipated ways of usage requires active teacher: stimulation & monitoringrequires active teacher: stimulation & monitoring one becomes dependent of third-party toolsone becomes dependent of third-party tools

Web 2.0 & researchWeb 2.0 & research functionality at high level of abstractionfunctionality at high level of abstraction quick way to assemble prototypesquick way to assemble prototypes one becomes dependent of third-party toolsone becomes dependent of third-party tools


Thank YouThank You

[email protected][email protected] Slides: Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ullrichhttp://www.slideshare.net/ullrich

Why Web 2.0 is Good for Learning and for Research: Principles and Prototypes

Technology

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