Web 2.0 is redefining what and how and with whom we learn.
raises numerous questions
The term Web 2.0 reflects a shift in leading-edge applications on the World Wide Web, a shift from the presentation of material by website providers to the active co-construction of resources by communities of contributors.
from publication by a few to collective contribution by many. But in fact, the implications of Web 2.0 go much deeper
At first glance, this evolution might seem to be simply a shift in agency
Classical perspective, “knowledge” consists of accurate interrelationships among facts, based on unbiased research that produces compelling evidence about systemic causes.
Classical education, the content and skills that experts feel every person should know are presented as factual “truth” compiled in curriculum standards and assessed with high-stakes tests
Web 2.0 definition of “knowledge” is collective agreement about a description that may combine facts with other dimensions of human experience, such as opinions, values, and spiritual beliefs
contrasts between Classical knowledge and Web 2.0 knowledge are continua rather than dichotomies,
formal schooling today remains based on the Classical view of knowledge, expertise, and learning:
Advocates
would challenge
for a Web 2.0 view of knowledge
documented politically motivated inaccuracies in textbooks
biases
interpretations
omissions
an educational system oriented around Web 2.0 perspectives might posit the following:
variation
Active learning pedagogies
performances
peer review
participation
overall, like many other technology-driven shifts, Web 2.0 aids with some problems but exacerbates others and creates novel challenges
At present, the response of most educators is to ignore or dismiss this epistemological clash
analogy, of the contrast between three systems of governance
hierarchical meritocracy
pure democracy,
representative democracy
Any one of these three systems could work well if all participants were well informed, rational, and of good will—so the fundamental issue is which system works best given the human condition, which includes ignorance, irrationality, and the lust for power
