Web 2.0 and Online Learning and Teaching: A Preliminary Benchmarking Study

The context of online learning has been transformed by the advent of Web 2.0. While universities have just recently started to use Web 2.0 applications, these applications already exist in the students’ personal and educational world. Yet it is still not clear in what ways universities may be able to incorporate Web 2.0 applications in learning and teaching practices. This paper gives an overview of Web 2.0 applications for universities and discusses new opportunities that Web 2.0 has brought for universities. Examples of how some universities have used these applications are then outlined and categorized. The paper also discusses some of the main issues with Web 2.0 applications and provides recommendations for resolving these issues