Web 2.0 and its language learning purposes by Jennifer Gastelum Araujo

WEB 2.0 AND ITS LEARNING PURPOSES

Millions of people have been using the tools that are called Web 2.0. Although there is no consensus on exactly Web 2.0 is, the term refers to a second generation of World Wide Web, making it available for people to collaborate and share information online easier. Actually there are many definitions in the literature defining what Web 2.0 is. However, the definitions can display an extensive variety depending on how you approach Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is "a Web technology that aims to enhance creativity,information sharing and collaboration among users" [10]. The key words in this definition creativity, information sharing and collaboration actually represent how they can be used in education, in this case, English language teaching.

WEB 2.0 TOOLS

Materials used in traditional classrooms are mostly static text based materials [11].These include main course books, workbooks, lecture notes and handouts. All these materials are to a great extent static in essence and language teachers have the responsibility of bringing interactivity and dynamism into their teaching environments. However, the use of Web 2.0 tools can add interactivity to language teaching and learning environments and materials used in these environments. There have been many studies conducted to explore the use of Web 2.0 tools in language teaching settings [eg: 12-17]. The number of these studies are continuously increasing since educators and scholars have been seeking to investigate differents aspects of Web 2.0 tools. However, there is absolutely a need for experimental studies to investigate the use of Web 2.0 tools in language teaching in terms of many aspects. When considered the variety of Web 2.0 tools, the use of these tools mostly depends on the teachers’ enthusiasm in integrating technology into their lessons. We believe that, if used appropriately, these tools will have a positive effect on the teaching and learning process.