Using Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning

David Woo
Methodist College
Hong Kong SAR, China

Technology continues to evolve and create new opportunities for its use in education.The rise of the Internet -- and, in particular, Web 2.0 technologies (e.g. blogs, wikis, social bookmarking and RSS) -- has enabled teachers and students to foster individual expression and create cohesive learning communities.Indeed, new technologies allow educational stakeholders to shape their students' perspectives on technology, to prepare them for the future. There is every incentive to adopt technology, as growing numbers of teachers and students abandon old practices to embrace it.

Using the Web 2.0 for teaching and learning requires teachers and students to navigate websites, interpret different text types, and scan and skim information. Participants must be information-literate to achieve the goals, but even in pedagogical situations where students lack the most basic literacy skills, ICT can help them to build the necessary proficiency to succeed.

The author wishes to share his experience in using new technologies as educational tools, in an ESL context, as a means of disseminating pedagogical information to enhance the learning experience. This session will demonstrate how teachers and students can integrate blogs and other Web 2.0 technologies into their classroom experience to be ready to live in a rapidly changing world. There will be a tour of the author's blog, an explanation of its use, and demonstrations of ESL projects using Web 2.0 technologies.