1. Web 2.0 Technologies and Community Building Online by
Rena Palloff, PhD
Keith Pratt, PhD

2. Community Building Online
Intentional work on the development of a learning community and presence online is the vehicle through which online courses are most effectively delivered
Until recently, the use of asynchronous threaded discussions in response to instructor discussion questions as the main means by which this community is developed
Collaborative activities, such as ice breakers, debates, and fishbowls are additional means by which community can be achieved asynchronously

3. More Recent Community Building Tools
Blogs
Social networking – MySpace, Facebook, Twitter
Wikis
Second Life, Turtle, Cybertown, Muse
Skype

4. Web 2.0 refers to the Second Generation of the World Wide Web and offers:
Higher levels of user interaction and collaboration
Self-expression through creation of content posted on the Web
Easy communication with peers
Ways to stay connected to friends

5. Why Web 2.0?
Interest in and engagement with Web2.0 technologies is no longer relegated to younger people or people who are technologically savvy.
Adults are now using Web2 technologies in greater numbers
Businesses are making use of these technologies for marketing purposes and to communicate more effectively with consumers

6. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Blogs – online journals kept by individuals and used to comment on various topics
Used to keep a journal about course content and reflections
Some instructors use them in place of discussion forums and to post assignments
Can be used to replace the “lecture” – instructors can comment on content and student discussions via a blog

7. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Learner-Generated Context (or Collective Intelligence) – collects the expertise of a group and makes group decisions
Wikis are one form
Can utilize many other collaborative tools to compile content including Flickr, YouTube videos, Google docs

8. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Wikis – collaboratively created web pages
Students are able to add to or edit content if they have permission to do so
Small groups in an online course can be working on multiple wikis simultaneously with the ability to share the final products with the other groups, the instructor, or outside experts
Now incorporated into course management systems

9. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Podcasts (or vodcasts) – audio or video recordings that
can be downloaded and played on a computer or an MP3 player
Easy to create, download, and use
Generally used for the delivery of “just-in-time” lecture content
Availability of open source software for audio and video allows students to create content as well

10. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds – real-time information, news, blogs, or podcasts that can be streamed to a website in real time
Can be used with most course management systems
Students can subscribe to RSS feeds on mobile devices

11. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Social networking sites, such as MySpace, Facebook, and others – allow people to connect with a select group of people around personal or professional interests
Contain applications such as wikis and the ability to create groups
Allow for posting notes, photos, video, and sharing documents
Can be used to create asynchronous discussion

12. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Twitter – a form of a social networking space that allows for very short (140 character) micro-blog entries known as “tweets”
Can be used for class announcements
Some instructors are experimenting with Twitter discussions to replace chat

13. How Web 2.0 Technologies are being used in Online Courses
Skype – an internet-based phone service that also allows for conference calling, video calls, document sharing, and text messaging
Free!
Can be used to teach languages or where voice contact is important
Especially useful when students are located all over the world

14. Second Life (SL)! Users create avatars and interact in real time
A virtual world in which users interact in real time through the use of avatars
Users create avatars and interact in real time
Physical manifestation of people and places may help to enhance a sense of community

15. Concerns About the Use of 2.0 Technologies in Online Courses
Because these technologies are, for the most part, available in the public domain, issues of copyright may emerge.
Because sites like Facebook and Second Life are primarily social in nature, students can “wander” into areas that may be questionable.
Because materials are created on and posted to another site, there may be concerns about archiving and loss of content.

16. Concerns About the Use of 2.0 Technologies in Online Courses
Privacy concerns emerge in the use of social networking sites and Second Life.
The use of social networking sites blur the lines of formality – some instructors object to being “friended” by their students.
Instructors fear the loss of control that accompanies the collaborative and more social nature of Web 2.0 technologies
There is a need to develop new norms for their use

17. Do the Positives Outweigh the Negatives?
They do have the ability to enhance the development of community online
The inclusion of a variety of means by which community is developed in an online course increases the means and amount of communication possible between students and the instructor
The depth of a sense of community can be significantly enhanced
Web 2.0 technologies are designed to connect people to one another also serve to increase the sense of social presence in an online course through these various forms of communication
You Decide?