Tips for harnessing the power of Web 2.0 to improve student learning

Using Web 2.0 to Enhance Classes and Improve Retention

Online courses today share little resemblance with what was happening 5-10 years ago. With the right tools, what was once text-based content is now a rich, interactive learning environment that can accommodate more learning styles and improve engagement. If you’re not using Web 2.0 tools in your classes, you’re missing out, and so are your students.

Debates about the causes of poor student retention rates in online courses can involve a multitude of factors, but there are two issues that everyone agrees on: 1.) online students are more likely to be successful if they feel connected to their instructor and fellow students, and 2). online learning affords instructors the opportunity to offer a greater variety of learning options.

Enter Web 2.0 learning tools … blogs, wikis, social networking, photo-sharing sites and other interactive applications that build student engagement.

If your institution is looking for ways to overcome poor student retention rates, you’ll want to get a copy of this seminar. Led by Todd Conaway, Using Web 2.0 to Enhance Classes and Improve Retention will show you how to use these technologies to improve your online courses.

Conaway is an instructional designer at Yavapai College in Prescott, Ariz., and has more than 15 years of experience integrating various technologies into classrooms at both the college and secondary school levels.

During this seminar you will see examples of online instruction using Web 2.0 tools, including content developed by students and teachers using Web 2.0. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in learning how to incorporate Web 2.0 to strengthen instructional practices and better retain students.

After participating in this content-rich seminar, you’ll be able to:

Incorporate your presence into online courses with discussion boards and by bringing Web 2.0 products into content management systems.
Identify commercial products to help capture your lectures more effectively.
Use Web 2.0 tools in your online courses, including setting up a wiki or a Ning site to share ideas, using blogs as e-portfolios and using photo-sharing sites.
Integrate your personality into online courses and audio, using tools such as videos (YouTube) and audio software (Audacity).
Understand how to use Web 2.0 technologies in a less time-consuming way.
Develop the necessary skills for developing a professional portfolio of your work.

This seminar will benefit: