Web 2.0 has been a buzz term for awhile now. It’s a little hard to define but I know a 2.0 site when I see it; the function and logos are distinct. Wikepedia calls it “the 2nd generation of web-based communities and hosted services — such as social-networking sites, wikis and folksonomies — which facilitate collaboration and sharing between users.” Yawn, that’s not very helpful. Try Bill Seaver at MicroExplosion who has summarized the subject of Web 2.0 in a way that’s much easier to understand.
What does Web 2.0 have to do with homeschooling? Simply put, it greatly increases the opportunity and quality of online learning tools and resources. Collaboration is a key function of Web 2.0 and that’s something very common to home education. There are many, many sites and tools that can be useful for homeschoolers and we confess to be connoisseurs of useful Web 2.0 sites.
Here’s a well-known Web 2.0 site, YouTube, with a popular video on the internet and Web 2.o.
[youtube 6gmP4nk0EOE]
[…] you watched the earlier post on Web2.0 you saw how the internet is content-dependent. RSS brings that content to your desktop. Homeschool […]
I agree — Web 2.0 offers homeschoolers an unprecedented opportunity to expand learning opportunities, expand horizons, and to expand connections to other learners around the world.
In my experience, the value of Web 2.0 is not in the tools, but in the connectivity that the tools provide — connectivity to others which results in rich dialogue and conversations around a wide variety of topics. Our homeschool students are able to meet (in a virtual sense) other students around the country and around the world — and are able to participate in collaborative learning projects with other students. Time and space become erased and learning truly becomes “any time, any place” and much more collaborative.
Dawn
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