Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is a definition that was first coined in 1999 by Darcy DiNucci, an information architecture consultant. It is commonly used to refer to a more interactive collaborative web experience rather than the conventional experience of accessing a static website. This is the main difference between “Web 1.0” and “Web 2.0”; the interactivity and use driven content. Examples of traditional “Web 1.0” content include the business models of Encyclopedia Britannica online compared to Wikipedia. The former is focused on an end point user targeted product and experience. A product is developed, produced and released to the users who interact with it and gain knowledge from it. Compared to Wikipedia (a wiki) which is a user driven experience. Rather than providing material that users consume, all the material on Wikipedia is driven by user demand and created by users. This is the hallmark of a Web 2.0 tool, one which focuses on giving the users a tool to create their own interactive content rather than rely on existing content created by a company.

Web 2.0 technologies consist of 5 key features which have educational advantages :

·        The free classification of information as governed by users, such as “tagging” which uses keywords to allow streamlined searching and information association.

·        A rich user experience that is dynamic and responds to audience input as users can see their influence affect the media being developed and the focus of the content.

·        User participation:  there is a two way flow between users and the site owner/operator that is transparent and observable by all users. This is distinct from the Web 1.0 presentation and curation of information by a distinct administrative group.

·        Software provides a service and allows for automation or updates and curation.

·        Mass participation:  the ubiquity of web access allows for mass input by the entire user base, rather than a select few administrators or curators.

Web 2.0 tools are defined by their communal, collaborative and, above all, social nature where they are driven by user input rather than by providing content that a specific group has decided is relevant.

Web 2.0 Tools have seen significant uptake in the areas of teaching and education due to the freedom and differentiation that they provide to teachers and students.

Web 2.0 has several key concepts. It is a rich experience which comprises a variety in inputs from a web perspective. It is entirely web oriented, rather than desktop based and is socially based, with the end user a key driver.

It also relies on a number of key elements which have been given the acronym SLATES by Andrew MacAfee

Searching: Searching out new information is a key part of Web 2.0 Technology

Links: Physically linking and drawing connections between information is also considered vital.

Tags:  To facilitate searching and linking, the ability to use one word tags to identify pages or material in a user driven manner is a key part of web 2.0 technology.

Extensions: Applications that turn the web into a multimedia experience rather than a document server through the integration of sound, video, pdfs etc.

Signals:  The use of syndication technology such as RSS to make users aware of changes in content.

As a result WEB 2.0 technologies including blogging, podcasting, wikis, RSS curating and social networking are all collaborative user driven tools which are focused around the sharing of information and opinions.