The impact of ICT is debated in the media, research studies, policy meetings, dinner tables, and the blogosphere. It is a complex conversation with political, social, cultural, and economic implications. Building on DOT's commitment to innovation in learning, this feature will offer perspectives, raise questions, and invite dialogue on the integration of ICT for education, economic, and social development. Insights gained from DOT's on-the-ground experiences will be woven together with the current research-informed debate.

Much has been written about how Web2.0 is changing ways of connecting, communicating, and knowing. The most heralded shift is a re-positioning of people from consumers to producers of information and knowledge; a movement especially critical in the global south.

Google Groups, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, Second Life, and Twitter: these are social media, a term often used when talking about Web2.0. These online media are characterized by participation, openness, conversation, community, and connectedness (Mayfield, 2008). 

Enthusiasm for incorporating Web2.0 into teaching-learning practices in schools is often linked to arguments that it makes sense to use communication practices already popular among youth and that the emphasis on participation in Web2.0 practices fits with strategies focused on active engagement of learners (Bonderup Dohn, 2008).

There are many examples of how Web2.0 applications are being integrated into K-12 classrooms in ways that truly enhance learning. Micro/macro social networks, blended on/offline collaborations, virtual worlds, mobile devices, the semantic web, gaming, data visualization, mashups, and innovative ways to distribute ideas and generate dialogue are all being explored.

However, there are tensions when these technologies are poised for large-scale integration into education systems:

• 1st and 2nd level digital divides - Given that Internet access is inconsistent in many parts of the world, technology experiences of youth are highly differentiated. Second level digital divides, based on capacity to actually use the technology, must also be taken into account and refer to quality, literacies, and choice. 
  
• digital disconnects - Despite enthusiasm for these new social media, tensions in the classroom seem to surface around control and freedom: who decides what technology can be used and for what purpose (see Project Tomorrow, 2009; Spires et al., 2008). 
  
• information and media literacies - The notion of the "digital native" (as popularized by Marc Prensky) is not universal. We need to be careful when drawing conclusions about youth's relationship to technology and their digital competency.    
  
• pedagogy first - The pedagogical need should provide an opening for technology integration, rather than a frantic casting around for curriculum onto which some technology (interactive whiteboard, wiki, podcast, or laptop) can be imposed. Fortunately, interest in these social media creates an opening for re-thinking teaching and learning practices and beliefs.

These issues warrant further exploration to ensure that these technologies will indeed help to address goals of quality education. Upcoming commentary will delve into these tensions in more detail as well as the impact of technology on educational policy and practices, the use of web-technologies for everyday learning, nurturing online communities, and technology-enterprise possibilities.

 

If you want to explore:

• a basic reference guide on social media is the e-book: What is Social Media?
• the Emerging Technologies for Learning (Vols 1-3) reports produced by Becta contain many examples of, and thoughtful discussions about, the integration of technology into teaching-learning practices in classrooms

 

References

Bonderup Dohn, N. (2008, May). Knowledge 2.0 - Tensions and challenges for education. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Networked Learning, 598-605. Halkidiki, Greece. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from: http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/past/nlc2008/Info/confpapers.htm#Top

Mayfield, A. (2008). What is social media? (V1.4 updated 01.08.08) Retrieved June 6, 2009 from http://iCrossing.com/ebooks. UK: iCrossing.

Project Tomorrow. (2009). The new digital advance team-America's K-12 students leading the way to transforming learning with 21st century technology tools. Retrieved April 9, 2009 from: http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU08_findings_final_mar24.pdf

Spires, H. A., Lee, J. K., & Turner, K. A. (2008). Having our say: Middle grade student perspectives on school, technologies and academic engagement, Journal of Research on Technology in Education 40(4), 497-515.