Research+Synthesis

**Web 2.0 and Social Networking in E-Learning: Internet-based Learning Environments **

**Summary of Research **

Over the last several years, we have seen an explosion of Web 2.0 and Social Networking websites and applications, with “Cloud Computing” being the newest buzz-worthy phenomenon. Most of us use Web 2.0 tools, or log in to Social Networking sites on a daily basis. Wikis, Google Docs, YouTube, Blogs, etc. now shape the way we search for and access information online. New Web 2.0 tools continue to emerge rapidly. Many of them changing the way we work, live, and learn. Facebook.com, a popular social network, now has over 500 million users (as of July 2010) making it the third largest country in the world; behind only China and India in terms of population. The sky-rocketing popularity of these internet-based tools is having a great impact on education, especially the field E-Learning, or online learning.

The purpose of this research synthesis is create a list of references to access for further research on how Web 2.0 and Social Networks will impact on E-Learning in higher education and professional development learning environments in the 21st century.

**Annotated Bibliography **


 * Higher Education **

Anderson, T. (2008). Social Software to Support Distance Education Learners. Theory and Practice of Online Learning, Chapter 9, 221-241.

This chapter discusses the difficulty of creating distance learning modes that afford maximum freedom to learners in a self-paced online learning environment, but still allow collaboration with others. Anderson defines and describes Educational Social Software (ESS) and the important features of these ESS applications. The author also discusses Paulsen’s idea that E-learning affords learners certain freedoms not found in the traditional classroom. Paulsen’s six dimensions of freedoms are discussed in depth and applied distance education and the use of Educational Social Software by online learners.

Bates, T. (2010). Understanding Web 2.0 and its Implications for E-Learning. In Lee, M., & McLoughlin, C. (Eds.), Web 2.0-Based E-Learning: Applying Social Informatics for Tertiary Teaching. 21-42.

This chapter outlines the evolution of Web 2.0 and E-Learning beginning in the 1970s with the use of the “blended model” combining traditional classroom instruction with a computer-based discussion component. This evolution brings us to the current idea of E-Learning with the use of Web 2.0, culminating with the term “E-Learning 2.0.” Through a thorough explanation of how Web 2.0 and E-Learning evolved, we can further understand best practices for integrating web-based tools into online instruction.

Conn, Boyer, Hu, and Wilkinson (2010). Scaling Large-size Undergraduate Classes at a Top Research University via E-Learning Strategies: A Facilitated Model of Instruction using a Web 2.0 Paradigm. Information Systems Education Journal, 8 (5). [|__http://isedj.org/8/5/__] .

This research study examines student satisfaction with interaction with the instructor, peers, and overall satisfaction with courses in large-size undergraduate courses at a research university in Virginia, USA. The researchers conduct a case study using E-Learning strategies to enhance student-instructor, student-student, and student-content interaction. The conclusion of the study is that students do view the integration of E-Learning strategies into courses as having value and a positive effect on overall satisfaction with their learning experience.

Dalsgaard, C. (2006). Social software: E-learning beyond learning management systems. (EURODL), No. 2. (12 July 2006) Retrieved June 26, 2011 from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2006/Christian_Dalsgaard.htm__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article argues that it is necessary to move e-learning beyond learning management systems and engage students in an active use of the web as a resource for their self-governed, problem-based and collaborative activities.” The article discusses the potential of social software beyond learning management systems. The author argues that learning management systems do not support a social constructivist approach which emphasizes self-governed learning activities of students. The article suggests a limitation of the use of learning management systems to cover only administrative issues. Further, it is argued that students' self-governed learning processes are supported by providing students with personal tools and engaging them in different kinds of social networks. Going beyond restricting Learning Management Systems can help foster more a authentic learning experience for students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eijkman, H. (2008). Web 2.0 as a Non-Foundational Network-Centric Learning Space. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 25(2), 93-104.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This paper discusses the advantages of Web 2.0 as a non-foundational network-centric learning space in higher education and seeks to begin a discussion between higher education instructors on the use of Web 2.0 in higher education learning environments. It discusses the methodology of implementation of Web 2.0 into formal education, and changing the perception of information retrieved from web 2.0 tools such as Wikipedia as educational invalid.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grosseck G. (2009). To Use or Not Use Web 2.0 in Higher Education? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1(1), 478-482.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The author of this paper argues that despite Web 2.0’s rapid emergence in popularity and causing of a range of evolutions regarding the internet and being described as the key technology for the next decade, those from the educational field do not really know what Web 2.0 means. The author sets out to explore the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom. Her goal is to “promote scholarly inquiry about the need of a new type a pedagogy (Web 2.0 based) and the development / adoption of best practice in teaching and learning with web 2.0 in higher education (HE). The article main objectives are: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">• to introduce theoretical aspects of using Web 2.0 technologies in higher education <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">• to present models of integrating Web 2.0 technologies in teaching, learning and assessment <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">• to identify the potential benefits of these technologies as well as to highlight some of the problematic issues / barriers encountered, surrounding the pedagogical use of Web 2.0 in higher education <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">• to propose an agenda for future research, and to develop pedagogy 2.0 scenarios for HE sector.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gunawardena, C.N., Hermans, M.B., Sanchez, D., Richmond, C., Bohley, M., & Tuttle, R. (Mar 2009). A Theoretical Framework for Building Online Communities of Practice with Social Networking Tools.Educational Media International, 46(1), 3-16.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The purpose of this paper is to attempt to develop a theoretical framework to understand learning among groups of individuals that utilize social networking applications to work towards a common goal. The authors discuss the use of wikis and other cloud computing applications to work collaboratively. “Smith (1994) used the term collective intelligence to describe, ‘how groups of individuals can occasionally and under particular circumstances meld their thinking into a coherent whole’(p. 1). Web 2.0 applications such as wikis provide the technological support for groups to move toward collective intelligence in a learning environment, a shared space in which a group of individuals can develop community, discuss an issue of interest, and reflect on practice.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Huang, Jeff J. S., Yang, Stephen J. H., Huang, Yueh-Min, & Hsiao, Indy Y. T. (2010). Social Learning Networks: Build Mobile Learning Networks Based on Collaborative Services. Educational Technology & Society, 13(3), 78-92.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article discusses the use of learner data to set up Mobile Learning Networks partnering similar learners with each other based on interests and specialities of learners. The goal is to create learner-oriented mobile learning knowledge networks.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Huang, Yueh-Min, Yang, Stephen J. H., Tsai, Chin-Chung. (Dec 2009). Web 2.0 for interactive e-learning. Interactive Learning Environments, 17(4), 257-259.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article describes Web 2.0 as “more than a technology; it is a new concept and has become a major discipline that supports content publishing over the Internet... Web 2.0 is shifting economical value of the Web to new business models for the next generation of interactive e-learning.” This article is examines research studies of how integration of Web 2.0 in E-Learning will create learner-centered interactive learning environments.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kearns, L. R., & Frey, B. A. (Jul 2010). Web 2.0 Technologies and Back Channel Communication in an Online Learning Community.TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 54(4), 41-51.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This paper describes a study that investigated how campus and distance graduate students in a library science program communicated with one another outside the official boundaries of their courses. The authors sought to answer two research questions: 1) What Web 2.0 technologies do students use to communicate with one another outside of the formal structure of their online courses? and 2) What do they talk about in such communication? Findings were that younger students favored more mobile technologies, and older students preferred a wider array of Web 2.0 tools.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lim, Wei-Ying, So, Hyo-Jeong, & Tan, Seng-Chee. (Sep 2010). eLearning 2.0 and New Literacies: Are Social Practices Lagging behind?.Interactive Learning Environments, 18(3), 203-218.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article discusses how many universities are changing from a content delivery paradigm of eLearning 1.0 to a learner-focused paradigm of eLearning 2.0. This paradigm shift is examined through the evaluation of student collaboration through Wikis. Researchers found simply implementing new technology into a traditional university learning environment is not enough to create a valuable learning experience for students. The authors discuss that changing the entire system of instruction must be updated to be successful in the 21st century.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Maja Pušnik, Boštjan Šumak, Marjan Hericko, "Investigation of Virtual Learning Environment in the Context of Web 2.0," elml, pp.1-6, 2010 Second International Conference on Mobile, Hybrid, and On-Line Learning, 2010.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This study seeks to investigate the value of E-Learning from the student perspective through a survey. The authors then discuss implications for further research.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moorman, H. (Sum 2009). Adventures in Web 2.0: Introducing Social Networking into My Teaching. Horace, 25(1), 9.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The author of this article describes her experience of using the social network, Ning for her higher education bound high school seniors participating in an off-campus internship program. She documents the process from start to finish, with gaining support through the school and community, to implementation, and results. The main goal of this article is give educators with little or no experience with Web 2.0 and Social Networking in educational contexts and road map of how to proceed in integrating these tools into instruction.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nicholas, H., & Ng, W. (Nov 2009). Fostering Online Social Construction of Science Knowledge with Primary Pre-Service Teachers Working in Virtual Teams. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 37(4), 378-379.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The purpose of this study is to investigate an online pedagogical activity that fosters the social construction of science knowledge by primary pre-service teachers working in small virtual teams. Pre-service teachers collaborated online in virtual teams to complete tasks. Their attitudes toward and beliefs about the effectiveness of the online learning experience were evaluated. The findings indicated that the virtual team-produced science resource materials were generally of high quality, with almost half the number of teams using wikis and blogs to construct their product. The findings indicated positive attitudes toward the collaborative learning even though beliefs about online learning varied.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Olaniran, B. A., Burley, H., & Chang, M. (2010). Social Issues and Web 2.0: A Closer Look at Culture in E-Learning. In Murugesan, S. (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Web 2.0, 3.0, and X.0: Technologies, Business, and Social Applications, 613-629. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Retrieved June 26, 2011 from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/chapter.aspx?titleid=39194__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This chapter examines the significance of culture in learning and E-Learning. It seeks to explore how Web 2.0 technologies impact learning, and focuses on social and cultural issues from potential users’ and learners’ standpoints. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oskar, C., Portillo, J., Ovelar, R., Benito, M., & Romo, J. (Sep 2010). iPLE Network: An Integrated eLearning 2.0 Architecture from a University's Perspective. Interactive Learning Environments, 18(3), 293-308.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article examines the shift from the institution centered model of traditional virtual learning environments (VLEs) to a more open model. The authors discuss how E-Learning 2.0 can be put in practice by universities to give learners the control of their learning processes. They propose an institutionally powered personal learning environment (iPLE) that constitutes how Web 2.0 tools (blogs, wikis, starting pages), services ("del.icio.us, Flickr, YouTube") and people arrangement and data sharing (social networking, learn-streaming) could be applied in an integrated manner to learning processes.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Smith, B., & Reed, P. (2010). Mode Neutral: The Pedagogy that Bridges Web 2.0 and e-Learning 2.0. In Yang, H. H., & Yuen, S. C. (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in E-Learning: Issues and Trends. 329-350. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Retrieved June 26, 2011 from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.igi-global.com/bookstore/chapter.aspx?titleid=38362__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The authors of this chapter believe there is a void between Web 2.0 and E-learning 2.0 - in the shape of pedagogy. E-learning does not necessarily blend well with traditional classroom pedagogies. Nevertheless, the common aim of using technology in education is intended to be learner-centered. Integrating any (new or old) technologies into education requires a pedagogy that is effective in information exchange, yet flexible enough to respond to the various demands placed upon learning and teaching by both the learner, and the technology. This chapter details the authors’ evidence-based pedagogical model – Mode Neutral – showing how contemporary education can promote the use of Web 2.0 tools to harness collective intelligence by utilizing Web 2.0 for collaborative learning.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Professional Development **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bauer, W.I. (Dec 2010). Your Personal Learning Network: Professional Development on Demand. Music Educators Journal, 97(2), 37-42.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article describes how Web 2.0 tools can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of music educators, supporting personal learning networks for ongoing professional growth and development. Personal Learning Networks are another “buzz word” in education with learners in all levels of education utilizing their PLEs as a way to organize and share information. This article includes an explanation of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and the use of an RSS reader/aggregator; a discussion of blogs, podcasts, wikis, folksonomies, and other resources that can be subscribed to via RSS, with examples of these media applicable to music teaching and learning highlighted; a list of tools that allow one to search for RSS-enabled content of interest; and instructions for accessing resources to create and develop blogs, podcasts, wikis, and folksonomies.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Greenhow, C. (2009). Tapping the Wealth of Social Networks for Professional Development. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(8), 10-11.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The author of this article, a Harvard university educated former teacher presents the idea of tapping into social networking for professional development and using popular social bookmarking sites (Delicious, Diigo, CiteULike) and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as Ning (an educational social network) for professional growth, as well as reaching out to the community.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wang, M. (2009). Integrating organizational, social, and individual perspectives in Web 2.0-based workplace e-learning. Information Systems Frontiers. [|Volume 13, Number 2], 191-205. Retrieved June 26, 2011 from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.springerlink.com/content/a79546v7002w42x6/__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This research study seeks to use Web 2.0 tools to integrate E-Learning into the workplace. They note that there is no known Web 2.0 tool/Social Network that is able to meet all organizational, social, and individual goals of the workplace. The study outlines those goals and implements a plan of study to meet professional development needs.

Click here to view on [|Google Docs].