ELearning 2.0
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
eLearning 2.0 refers to a second phase of e-Learning based on Web 2.0 and emerging trends in eLearning. It can include features such as
- eLearning where students create content, collaborate with peers through mechanisms such as blogs, Wikis, threaded discussions, RSS and others to form a learning network with distributed content creation and distribution of responsibilities.
- eLearning that takes advantage of many sources of content aggregated together into learning experiences.
- eLearning that utilizes various tools including online references, courseware, knowledge management, collaboration and search.
The term itself is meant to imply that the traditional model of eLearning as a type of content, produced by publishers, organized and structured into courses, and consumed by students, is turned on its head. Insofar as there is content, it is used rather than read— and is, in any case, more likely to be produced by students than courseware authors. And insofar as there is structure, it is more likely to resemble a language or a conversation rather than a book or a manual. The e-learning application, therefore, begins to look very much like a blogging tool. It represents one node in a web of content, connected to other nodes and content creation services used by other students. The term first appeared in an online article eLearning 2.0.
Momentum in this area is based on the confluence of several important trends including:
- dramatically lower effort to compose eLearning solutions based on Web 2.0 technologies and tools
- demand in corporate settings for training that requires time and that engages learners in the process over a course of time
- recognition in eLearning of the importance of blended learning
- The trend toward student centered design
- The theory of [Connectivism] ([1])
- Free-Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) and open access
- educational blogging
There is some criticism of eLearning 2.0 as a term, primarily citing the lack of clear definition. There is also widespread support for dropping the "e" and just calling it Learning 2.0.
