Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is a term coined in 1999 following the introduction of technology that allowed internet users to interact and communicate beyond the static use of earlier web sites.Web 2.0 sites allow users to interact and collaborate through social media in a virtual environment. Examples of these include social networking, video sharing, blogs and wikis.

Inherently interactive, web 2.0 provides an invaluable resource to primary schools, and creates new ways for teachers to engage students. Similarly, it gives children the rare opportunity to have their voices heard on a global scale, with access to millions of internet users all over the world. Indeed, large amounts of research is now being conducted into the use of Web 2.0 within primary education. Will Richardson, in his book 'Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other Powerful Web Tools for the Classrooms' (2010) considers how this invention may change the practice of teaching:

"The web has the potential to radically change what we assume about teaching and learning, and it presents us with important questions to ponder: What needs to change about our curriculum when our students have the ability to reach audiences far beyond our classroom walls?"

Richardson, W. 2010. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. London: Sage 

The Department for Education similarly conducted their own research into the use of Web2.0 in schools, collating their findings into a document: Teaching and Learning with Web 2.0 technologies
Trial schools reported positive results, citing increased opportunities for "enriched teaching practice and improved student attitudes and behaviour as a result of integrating the technologies into curriculum areas". However, it was emphasised that educational focus needed to remain on the subject content, not on the technology itself.

Positive impacts of Web 2.0

• a change from teacher-centred to student-centred learning.
• more meaningful assessment, including publication to wider public audiences and peer review - both of which encouraged higher quality work from students.
• increased engagement of students, putting work into a context children were confident with.
• an increase in collaborative learning, including peers, experts, and parents/carers.
• supporting  SEND students through gaming, virtual classroom applications, and assistive devices. 

Negative impacts of Web 2.0

While Web 2.0 offers a wealth of educational opportunities, there are some challenges preventing some schools from accessing all these benefits. Access to technology and hardware is one of the biggest issues, with high set-up and internet costs a major prevention. Planning and implementation can also place demands on teachers time and create issues with schools' IT infrastructure. Lastly Web 2.0, with its global access and reach, can open the door to numerous safety issues, particularly for children. This issue of eSafety is discussed in my previous blog.

For a simple introduction and explanation to Web 2.0 you can watch the video below, entitled "Web 2.0 for Newbies":

Boom. Tell me that wasn't insightful!

E-Safety

Children, now often referred to as 'digital natives', are growing up in an environment where technology and ICT is embedded and immersed in everyday life. Research  has shown how impressive a resource technology can be to both teachers and learners, working to improve both social development and academic attainment in primary schools.  Alongside the exceptional educational and social opportunities provided by technology, there exist, unfortunately, a number of dangers and risks. With an ever increasing use of ICT  in schools, and a wide-spread use of the internet to assist teaching and learning, eSafety is now high on the agenda in primary schools as cause for concern.

ESafety defined

The term eSafety can be broadly defined as:

"All fixed and mobile technologies that children and young people may encounter, now and in the future, which allows them access to content and communications that could raise issues or pose risks to their well-being and safety." (DfE, 2008)

Following the Every Child Matters (2004) legal act, eSafety has become embedded within safeguarding strategies, with particular focus on aspects of the 'staying safe' outcome required by the act.

Risks associated with eSafety can consist of:

• exposure to inappropriate content which may upset or embarrass children
• content which could potentially lead to involvement in crime or anti-social behaviour
• communication with strangers, leading to issues of sexual exploitation or abuse
• e-bullying, with technology used as an instrument to torment other children
• access to personal information and content

Digital education

While schools can provide a certain degree of protection against these sorts of exposure, children can never be fully secure from inappropriate content and communication. It would therefore seem important to teach digital education, giving pupils the ability to be critical or wary of particular materials, information, or communications they come across on-line. 

CBBC have in fact dedicated a whole section of their website to educating children on the dangers associated with ICT. CBBC stay-safe.
An example of one of their humorous, educational videos can be seen below:

Good fun huh.


For a comprehensive overview of eSafety, it may be worth having a read through The Department for Educations'  'Safeguarding children in a digital world' document, which works towards outlining and developing an eSafety strategy. Similarly the DfE provide a good introduction to eSafety in their 'Signposts to safety: Teaching eSafety at Key stages 1 and 2' document.

Right, that's me done.
Until next time.