Dina Rosen

Web 2.0: A New Generation of Learners and Education

ABSTRACT New social-sharing applications are transforming the Internet from a read-only (Web 1.0) environment to a read-write ecology that many are calling Web 2.0. These tools (e.g., weblogs and wikis) enable Internet users to publish information online almost as easily as they can read online, and they have tremendous potential for learning. This article provides illustrative comparisons of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools to illuminate three key characteristics of the Web 2.0 platform: (a) user-initiated publishing of information without significant technical knowledge, (b) social networking, and (c) online communities formed around specific content. Key concepts, terms, and technologies central to Web 2.0, including Education 2.0, Web 2.0 students, Web 2.0 platforms and tools, and collective wisdom, are considered, along with implications for education and future research.

Developmentally Appropriate Technology Use and Early Childhood Teacher Education

Early childhood teacher education methods classes often emphasize the application of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). In todays digital age, it is important for teacher educators and their students to think about how to extend DAP to technology use. In this article, two contrasting classroom scenarios are provided to illustrate developmentally appropriate technology use (DATU), a new educational term coined by the authors. Briefly, DATU is defined as use that both respects the unique challenges presented by childrens levels of development and capitalizes on childrens natural desire to actively, collaboratively construct knowledge and solve problems. A five-element framework for guiding teachers toward DATU is explained.