Special Sessions
Web2.0 Stream
The Ed2.0Work LLP project aims to establish a network of organisations, known as Specialist Interest Groups (SIGs), consisting of practitioners from within education and the workplace that will allow individuals who have successfully adopted the use of Web 2.0 tools to share this knowledge with those who lack expertise in their use. One of the salient catalysts for the Ed2.0Work project is to bridge the knowledge gap between higher educational institutions and organisations in terms of exchanging knowledge concerning issues associated with best practice on how to implement and apply Web 2.0 tools in education and the workplace. The academic literature indicates that whilst there appears to be a wealth of empirical studies associated with the use of Web 2.0 tools in education there continues to be a lack of empirical evidence concerning their use in organisations, especially in relation to the concept of organisational learning. It can therefore be surmised that there is a need to address this apparent disparity in knowledge about the adoption of Web 2.0 tools between educational institutions and organisations.
Though it can be argued that the concept of Web 2.0 is not a novel one with term having been coined since 2004, there still appears to be little or no empirical evidence in the literature that details the steps taken by academic institutions or organisations in implementing Web 2.0 tools. Through the creation of the Specialist Interest Groups (SIGs) the Ed2.0Work project aims to provide a Web2.0 services portal for educationalists and employers to facilitate widespread dissemination across Europe to share their experiences of applying Web 2.0 tools in various contexts for the purposes of learning and knowledge sharing. Furthermore, the sustainable network that will evolve from the Specialist Interest Groups will in addition provide a forum for educators and employers to discuss their needs and requirements regarding the adoption of specific Web 2.0 tools.
Based on a review of the academic literature associated with Web 2.0 tool adoption, the Ed2.0Work project has identified a clear need for:
- An evaluation of empirical evidence regarding the usage and effectiveness of existing Web2.0 tools used in education and the workplace;
- Understanding how Web2.0 tools can be used practically and effectively within education and the workplace;
- Identifying the barriers towards the adoption of Web 2.0 tools;
- Developing implementation models and frameworks at an appropriate level to assist educators and employers in the adoption of Web 2.0 tools;
- Empirical examples of best practices of applying Web 2.0 tools in differing educational and workplace related contexts;
The aim of the proposed stream at the conference is to disseminate the initial results and continued research of this three-year project. The stream will run six sessions presenting the background and an overview of the Ed2.0Work project in addition to covering the following presentations deemed salient to the academic underpinning of the project:
- An introduction to and overview of the Ed2.0Work project
- An empirical analysis of the application of Web 2.0 tools in education and organisations a review of best practices of Web 2.0 tools to exemplify how they can be practically and pedagogically applied in education and organisations
- Identification of the barriers towards the adoption of Web 2.0 tools addressing the barriers of Web 2.0 adoption through the evaluation of current Web 2.0 tools implementation models and frameworks a review of the state of the art of the use of Web 2.0 tools in education and organisations and assessing future directions in the area.
Given that there is a lack of empirical evidence on the implementation of Web2.0 tools in education and organisations in addition to a lack of empirical frameworks that specifically address the implementation of Web 2.0 technologies in education and industry; we believe this stream will be of interest to a wide range of attendees of the conference.
The workshop will be delivered by partners in the Ed2.0Work Network of Excellence that includes:
University of the West of Scotland (coordinator); (UK);
The Poznan University of Economics (Poland);
Uludag University (Turkey);
University of Barcelona (Spain);
Menon Network EEIG (Belgium);
Eesti Infotehnoloogia Sihtasutus (Estonia);
European Business & Innovation Centre Network (EBN), (Belgium);
Kindersite Ltd (UK);
Steirische Volkswirtschaftliche Gesellschaft (Austria);
Fundacio Universitat-Empresa de les Illes Balears, (Spain);
Inspectoratul Scolar Judetean Prahava, (Romania).