ABSTRACT
Internet revolution has changed the face of learning from elementary to tertiary levels. Just like any other field, internet has enabled the integration of learning using technology to yield the best results. The sector of education is integrating information technology to aid students in learning. This will change the learning process for the better. As such, this research is going to review some of the Web 2.0 technologies that are relevant for use in classroom learning. This includes, YouTube, VoiceThread and Diigo. The research is going to focus on the mechanism of use of these tools, its advantages and disadvantages. The research will use literature review that is from various sources.
INTRODUCTION
The importance of technology transfer and acquisition for educational purposes is beyond questioning. The use of technology in learning forms the basis of improved performance and successful and timely completion of elementary and tertiary education system. The acquisition of technology and relaying it to reach the intended user is critical for productivity and economic developments. Technological innovations are taking place at a faster rate than ever before. Most developed and developing countries rely on integration of technology with education in order to provide the necessary training and improvements in the learning capacity of its young generation.
YOUTUBE
YouTube is a web 2.0 application that promises to change the face of communication. It can extensively be used for educational purposes from elementary to graduate level. The teacher and students can together look for videos that articulate ideas found in the weekly chapter readings. Also, knowledge enhancing videos is available for both professors and students thereby, increasing availability and engagement in real time. Video-sharing applications such as YouTube are practically useful in today’s classrooms. Traditional teaching methods are rigid, and students easily get bored for the younger generation who are increasingly wired. Thus, YouTube may provide an insight into using today’s technological assets to solve educational challenges (Crane 2008).
YouTube is useful in a number of ways. First, it is used as a communication medium between students and teachers. Instead of students mailing their videos to the instructor, they simply upload to YouTube class site. The instructor and the classmates can view their videos as often as possible. By so doing, the gap between the traditional and online courses in oral performance is significantly reduced. Performance communication courses can be executed in a three way process involving; creation of the video, uploading of the video and discussion of the video. It is also cheap to learn to use videos uploaded in YouTube unlike the purchase of textbooks. Not all participants in a classroom need to purchase their own equipment. Rather, only single equipment is necessary for the whole classroom which can easily be availed by the school or parents. Every student will require a book in the traditional brick-and-motar form of learning (Akyeampong, 2012).
The instructor and the classmates can provide constructive criticism via threaded discussions. The instructor can provide written post commenting on the video leading to superior learning experience. Video sharing can be integrated, into traditional classes, to create and build student portfolios. This will, in effect, promote greater density and totality of student learning in contrast with traditional learning systems (Communications, 2009).
Features such as Playlist on YouTube allow users to organize and arrange videos on the site in a systematic manner for easy access. The order of videos can be arranged according to the needs of the user or the topic of discussion. When one video comes to an end, the next one plays without displaying related videos. This creates a curated environment for the pupils. This arrangement provides an easy way for selecting which videos the students should view. Orderly playlists involve the students in the lesson and provide real-world context such as visual displays involving chemical reactions charts.
Archiving the work is easy and can be utilized for later discussions and new students. Capturing and saving projects and discussions can be used later in the year to save time. The tutor stands to benefit in that he can review part of the lesson and how he taught it previously. A student who misses a class can get a link from the instructor making sure they will not lack behind. The videos are easily customized using the privacy settings.
Videos play a vital role in leveraging struggling students with sharp students. Students have the chance to review at home what was taught earlier in the day to revisit difficult concepts.
Using YouTube, however, has the flip side in that it badly portrays the arena of poorly served student’s performance. A student who posts a poorly-designed video might feel demoralized. The criticism might not turn out to be positive as envisaged and might negatively impact on the performance.
In addition, YouTube has been used to show case vices such as binge drinking, fighting and promiscuity among college students. Thus, if not efficiently managed, it can lead to culmination of vices among teens at a tender age.
VOICETHREAD
VoiceThread is interactive media albums of images, documents and videos that allow viewers to comment on each slideshow through audio, video, text, or graphic drawing on the slide. Collaboration between teachers has led to the launch of the www.Ed.VoiceThread.com site to serve educators and students. It is an extension of the classroom as it allows students to comment seamlessly on the topics presented at their own free time. The threads are organized as a series of images with small boxes that represent the student icons. The comment of a student is contained in the small box, in the form of audio or text form that can be read. Temporary circles act as students or teachers point of emphasis of a certain feature on the image. They are referred as doodles and fades out immediately the comments are displayed to the end (Prasad, 2012).
Threads have the advantage of encouraging more participation than those in ordinary classrooms. The elements of timidity and lack of audibility are removed. Students are free to interact and post their comments without the fear of not been clear enough or audible. Also, a sense of safety is exercised by the students before they post their contents online. VoiceThread provide a multiple thread of conversation at a single instance providing the required flexibility. Unlike conventional classrooms, where communication is one way at a single instance, students have the capability to switch to a more captivating conversation when one seems to bore.
In VoiceThread, the teacher exploits the students’ enthusiasm by asking them to take part in free writing after viewing the slides. Free writing is often overlooked but forms a crucial part of students learning process. Because the slides are already motivating to the students, they have no option but to do the writing which in conventional writing systems could not be achieved. For example, a teacher requesting his students to write about their taught on a topic such as Sudan or injustice will elicit fewer responses than a multimedia content in the form of videos, audio and pictures depicting the battlefields of Sudan.
Voice Threads are easy to use and can use virtually any technology including; telephone, microphone on a computer, text or webcam. It is also easy to master the basics of communication such as doodling, pausing a video and making the still image.
DIIGO
Diigo refers to Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff. It serves as a research and collaborative software as well as knowledge-sharing application and social content site. Diigo is an indispensable tool for capturing, storing and recalling information and can be used extensively for educational purposes. Its advanced features allow, for saving of websites and capability, to access them from any computer. The tool categorizes websites according to their titles, keywords, lists, groups, and notes. As a result, searching and sharing websites with a group or the entire Diigo community is simplified. A class can form a group as per the topic of discussion. Educator’s forms student or class accounts which store discussions and class contributions and can be used to recall information at a later date.
For instance, a revision of a past CAT can be saved and retrieved for revision purposes a day before the main exams. Information on a page or a bookmark can be saved under keywords or tags which can quickly be retrieved at a later instant. Through the use of bookmark lists, students create annotations and graphics and save them on a group or lists. Other students in later years or other departments can access the annotations and comment on them. Therefore, the technical expertise of a class or group of students can be transmitted to the next group to be used as motivation and continued innovation. Diigo has significantly created a communication channel that has never been witnessed before in the history of learning. As much as it is fun, it is also engaging and enthusiastic to use.
Tracking can also be initiated in a page where a screenshot is saved and monitored how it will change over time. Annotation is also possible with virtual sticky notes or highlights.
An educator invites comments from a saved bookmark or shared bookmarks between fellow educators or students. A challenge facing students learning through computers is the fact that they cannot access their saved bookmarks while at home away from school. Diigo software enables students to bookmark necessary software and access them anywhere from an internet connected computer.
Diigo is a powerful tool for research and extending a topic details. Each student can research on the particulars of a certain topic through formal and informal means and post their findings in a list or a group. A class could for instance, begin with a search for information drive from the internet. Classes then discuss the previewed content in the bookmarks and write annotations. Information from the web is used to supplement class textbooks and annotations used to test student thinking and understanding.
It also facilitates the development of professional growth in parts of the educator and the students. The collaboration and sharing capabilities act a point of reference for educators studying education trends and curriculum review. Scholars conducting research on matters related to education will surely make use of various active and collaborating groups in Diigo.
The software presents a number of advantages especially when used for learning purposes but still exhibit some disadvantages. First, the tool needs an internet connection in order to access its contents. This feature is not the main factor because many other applications require internet connection. With the proliferation of internet and mobile computing, many students and homes are utilizing internet as a basic need in order to remain relevant in the digital world. Secondly, the comments made on the postings cannot be viewed if the page is printed. This means that the tool is only effective in the online media but not useful in case material need to be reproduced for offline viewing. Finally, the tool is not universally recognized and used by many educators and institutions. This implies that the technology is only relevant to those educators and students whose institutions have embraced information technology.
CONCLUSION
It is evident that the integration of technology with education systems provides better and quick results than the conventional system of learning. YouTube is an efficient communication tool between the instructors and the students. It facilitates the sharing of videos in near real time thereby increasing availability. Diigo is used as a research and collaborative software that also functions as a social content tool that facilitate capturing recalling and storing of educational materials. VoiceThread is a powerful media of communication and collaboration that allow interaction through audio, video, text and graphics. It allows the sharing of ideas between the instructors and the students in and outside the class. All these tools are beneficial to the learning process and functions much better than conventional learning methods.
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