Bringing Web 2.0 to web lectures

Abstract

PurposeAt many universities, web lectures have become an integral part of the e‐learning portfolio over the last few years. While many aspects of the technology involved, like automatic recording techniques or innovative interfaces for replay, have evolved at a rapid pace, web lecturing has remained independent of other important developments such as Web 2.0. The aim of this paper is to exemplify and discuss the benefits web lecturing can gain from a Web 2.0 perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes an implementation of three Web 2.0 features for the virtPresenter web lecture interface. These are time‐based social footprints, a mechanism for linking to user created bookmarks in a web lecture from external Web 2.0 applications and a special web lecture player that enables users to embed their own web lecture bookmarks in wikis or blogs.FindingsThe paper shows how conceptual and technical obstacles in bringing Web 2.0 features like social footprints to web lectures can be overcome. It also makes evident that linking web lectures in Web 2.0 systems require special adaptations due to the time‐based nature of web lectures. The technical discussion shows that many Web 2.0 features require feedback channels in order to communicate information back to servers (e.g. to understand how the content is used) and that most contemporary media players have to be modified in order to support feedback channels.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that web lectures can benefit from Web 2.0 ideas and presents examples how Web 2.0 and web lectures can be brought together.Originality/valueWeb 2.0 is a popular trend that transforms the way in which the internet is used. This paper shows how web lectures can be enriched with Web 2.0 features and how they can be integrated with Web 2.0 systems by discussing three implementation examples.

Design and use of web lectures to enhance GIS teaching and learning strategies: the students’ opinions

“…This is sometimes referred to as "near-distance" or "hybrid distance" courses (Roberts & Dyer 2005b;Chen et al 2010). Web lectures come in many forms and are sometimes referred to as lectures on the web or multimedia lectures (Dori et al 2003;Rafaeli et al 2004;Ketterl et al 2009). They usually consist of a combination of video, audio, and presentation slides (e.g., PowerPoint) streamed over the web (Day 2008).…”

“…Most recently, these evolutions can be linked to technological advancements, including the growing use of the Internet (e.g. Ward & Newlands 1998;Rafaeli et al 2004;Day et al 2005;Ketterl et al 2009). Because GIS is linked to technological advancement, it is obvious to implement Internet-use as a teaching strategy in both theoretical and practical sessions.…”

Moodle: Teaching Strategies in Distance Education in Oral Medicine

“…It is in this context the virtual learning environments (VLE) come up. New educational opportunities were offered where teaching conditions, both those developed at a distance and those carried out in classroom teaching, ensured and amplified the actions of this type of educational practice [3,4].…”

“…Currently, Moodle has been increasingly improved and it is possible constantly update and apply functions that meet a wide range of users; in addition, there is the possibility of applying different teaching practices [3,4].…”

“…It was in this context that the Moodle platform was implemented on the Department of Stomatology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo [3,4,10]. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate Moodle's effectiveness in students' learning of stomatology content for undergraduate dental students of a Brazilian university.…”