Patchy use of web2.0 in UK universities — Times Higher Education May 8, 2009
Posted by Jonathan Hewett in : delicious links , trackbackA preview of the findings of the Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience:
"The committee's report, Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World, will also say that universities face a "digital divide" when it comes to the ability of tutors to use social networking in their teaching.
While some academics have embraced the use of websites such as Wikipedia, MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, others lack the technological knowhow or are "hostile to all but the most cursory engagement with ICT".
Use of Web 2.0 technologies in learning and teaching was "considerable but patchy", and driven by the enthusiasm of individuals or small groups.
The inquiry found that students as yet only "dimly perceived" the potential of Web 2.0 as a learning tool, and could be uncomfortable with staff-initiated online discussion."
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Part of the reason for educators’ reluctance to embrace web 2.0 is to do with lack of understanding. But my impression is that pure pressure of time is one of the biggest factors. So far I have only anecdotal evidence for this but I’ve come across academics who are reluctant to use new web-based approaches (a) because they need to put their effort into their research and (b) because they want to be risk-averse in their approach to teaching