WhyWeb2

** Becta report shows benefits of Web 2.0 in the classroom **
Becta has published major new research into the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis, blogs and social networking, by children between the ages of 11-16, both in and out of the school environment. The reports found that young learners are prolific users of Web 2.0 technologies in their leisure time but that the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom was limited. However, schools and teachers who are innovating in this area have found benefits, such as: The research also found that over half of teachers surveyed believe that Web 2.0 resources should be used more often in the classroom. However, the majority of teachers questioned had never used Web 2.0 applications in lessons, despite being frequent users of technology in their personal and professional lives. Their main concerns involved a lack of time to familiarise themselves with the technology and worries about managing the use of the internet in class. The reports recommended that teachers should be encouraged to help learners to develop more sophisticated use of Web 2.0 technology and to give them the skills to navigate this space.
 * Web 2.0 helps to encourage student engagement and increase participation – particularly among quieter pupils, who can use it to work collaboratively online, without the anxiety of having to raise questions in front of peers in class – or by enabling expression through less traditional media such as video
 * Teachers have reported that the use of social networking technology can encourage online discussion amongst students outside school
 * Web 2.0 can be available anytime, anywhere, which encourages some individuals to extend their learning through further investigation into topics that interest them
 * Pupils feel a sense of ownership and engagement when they publish their work online and this can encourage attention to detail and an overall improved quality of work. Some teachers reported using publication of work to encourage peer assessment.

Web 2.0 technologies for learning at KS3 and KS4 - Project overview
Becta commissioned the University of Nottingham in conjunction with London Knowledge Lab and Manchester Metropolitan University to research Web 2.0 technologies for learning at Key Stages 3 and 4. The purpose of this research was to help shape Becta’s own thinking and inform policymakers, schools and local authorities on the potential benefits of Web 2.0 technologies and how their use can be effectively and safely realised. Outputs from the research include: [|**Report 1: The current landscape - opportunities, challenges and tensions (May 2008)**] [|**Report 2: Learners' use of Web 2.0 technologies in and out of school in Key Stages 3 and 4 (June 2008)**] [|**Report 3: Implementing Web 2.0 in Secondary Schools: Impacts, barriers and issues (September 2008)**] [|**Report 4: E-safety issues in using Web 2.0 (September 2008)**] [|**Report 5: Web 2.0 technologies for learning at Key Stage 3 and 4: summary report (September 2008)**] [|Video - Web 2 in education - Clunbury School in Shropshire balances the issue of safeguarding pupils]
 * Aims**

** What is Web 2.0? **
Web 2.0 is a catch-all term to describe a variety of developments on the web and a perceived shift in the way the web is used. This has been characterised as the evolution of web use from passive consumption of content to more active participation, creation and sharing – to what is sometimes called the read/write web. The term Web 2.0 covers a range of technologies, services and trends underpinned by the growth of a critical mass of internet users. It is about using the internet as a platform for simple, light-weight services that leverage social interactions for communication, collaboration, and creating, remixing and sharing content. Typically, these services develop rapidly, often relying on a large community of users to create and add value to content or data. The availability and ease of use of Web 2.0 tools and services has lowered the barriers to production and distribution of content. Some examples of Web 2.0 services include: social networking sites, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, media sharing sites, rich internet applications and web ‘mashups’.

** Why is Web 2.0 of interest to education? **
Young people seem to be particularly attracted to many Web 2.0 developments, often for the social aspects of easy communication, coordination and online expression of personal identities. At the same time, the affordances of Web 2.0 seem to harmonise well with current policy initiatives and modern thinking about educational practice. In particular, they seem to:
 * offer new opportunities for learners to take more control of their learning and access their own customised information, resources, tools and services
 * encourage a wider range of expressive capability
 * facilitate more collaborative ways of working, community creation, dialogue and knowledge sharing
 * furnish a setting for learner achievements to attract an authentic audience.

**The need for research**
While appropriating Web 2.0 ideas into education seems to have face-value appeal, there has been little research into the benefits of doing so, the extent to which this is already happening and the barriers and issues to implementation. This research project aims to address some of these gaps.

**Key questions for the project**
Published: 29 July 2008 []
 * How and to what extent are young people using Web 2.0 technologies outside of education and how does this compare to their experience in schools?
 * What are the potential benefits, opportunities and issues around using Web 2.0 approaches for learning and teaching?
 * How are schools currently using Web 2.0 technologies and what are the barriers and issues to effective implementation?
 * What are the e-safety/child protection issues around the use of Web 2.0 technologies? How aware are learners, schools, parents and teachers of the risks and how can Web 2.0 be used safely?