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- Higher education and Web 2.0: barriers and best practices from the standpoint of practitionersPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pífano, SaraThe abundance of evidence of Web 2.0’s value in educational settings has provided both educators and researchers with prized information about the application of a panoply of technologies. The experience that this evidence portrays can be used to meaningfully direct teachers in their own ventures of Web 2.0 implementation. In online learning environments, any collaboration between the students must occur with the support of technology, so it is fundamental that technology functions as an enabler, maximizing the opportunities that online settings offer, and that students can tap into those technologies to enhance their learning experience. This chapter focuses on the implementation of Web 2.0 within higher education from the viewpoint of e-learning experts. It reports on the findings of on online questionnaire that examined both the barriers and the best practices of implementation and that was applied internationally among researchers and teachers in the higher education sector.
- Learning with the practitioners: defining and implementing active learning in higher educationPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraIncreased student engagement, development of high-order thinking skills, promotion of collaboration among students and enhanced reflection constitute some of the benefits commonly cited when advocating the use of active learning. As this learning strategy becomes increasingly more prevalent in higher education, it is important to reflect on how it is being implemented in practice. This paper draws on the experience of 338 university lecturers and examines thedefinition of active learning and how it is being implemented and assessed for effectiveness. Their views were manifested in two phases, firstly via an online questionnaire, and secondly through semi-structured interviews with a subsample of the initial questionnaire respondents. The results show that the participants have a multi-layered understanding of active learning and that they use mainly activities that promote group work, they follow specific design guidelines, and assess their experiences using mostly learning outcomes measurement instruments.
- Framework for Web 2.0 implementation in higher education: experts’ validationPublication . Isaías, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pífano, SaraTechnology, and Web 2.0 in particular, has been the focus of many universities’ efforts to respond to 21st-century learners’ demands and the volatile nature of the modern workplace. Web 2.0, with the numerous benefits it presents, seems to fit the needs of a socially connected and information-led society, but its integration in educational settings remains an intricate process. This paper examines the factors that potentiate the successful integration of Web 2.0 tools in higher education, by structuring them into a framework composed of six elements. The framework was validated by an online questionnaire that was distributed among higher education experts, who reiterated the importance of all the factors: technology selection, user-friendly tools, students’ participation, high number of active students, relevant content, and features for content addition and communication.
- Towards an effective e-learning 2.0Publication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraWeb 2.0 has brought major changes to education systems. These systems have become more complex and mature with time and technology. Education has evolved from traditional learning to distance learning and, later, to e-Learning. This paper starts by making a comparison between traditional learning, distance learning and e-Learning. Then it contextualizes e-Learning, identifies its major strengths and weaknesses and provides answers to what extent Web 2.0 can minimize those weaknesses and even overcome some of the key issues in order to have effective e-Learning 2.0. It concludes by addressing the challenges that lie ahead of e-Learning 2.0.
- Framing social media and web-based communities within the COVID-19 pandemic: enduring social isolation and subsequent deconfinementPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraAs images circulate of people, all around the world, watching their cities from their windows and balconies, a sense of solemnity emerges. The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to seclusion in an attempt to control contagion. The social isolation deriving from the adoption of containment strategies have displaced social interaction to online settings. Social media and web-based communities assume an increasingly central role in this scenario of pandemic, with an ever-growing number of people turning to these platforms to maintain social connection, to obtain information and to keep a sense of community. This paper aims to examine and frame the role of social media and web-based communities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reviews current literature to propose a framework based on five main purposes of social media use and web-based communities: preserving physical health, promoting mental health, tending to education/business, searching and sharing information and socializing.
- Practice from implementing Web 2.0 tools in higher educationPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pífano, SaraEach new technology, tool, or resource that is introduced in higher education practice with the promise of enhancing the students’ learning experience and/or increasing their academic performance is subjected to meticulous scrutiny. In the early days of Web 2.0’s implementation in the context of higher education, many educators expressed their concerns and were reluctant to embrace it. As it slowly proved its pedagogical value and an increasingly higher number of teachers began to incorporate it in their teaching practice and courses, the body of evidence speaking to its advantages increased and offered other educators the confidence and proof they required to do the same. This chapter examines Web 2.0 in the context of higher education by debating both its benefits and shortcomings and presenting cases of actual implementation. The cases in question pertain to the use of YouTube, Wikis, and Twitter as valuable resources in the development of different types of skills and to support the acquisition of knowledge.
- E-assessment systems: an evaluation framework from the perspective of higher education expertsPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraAssessment represents a central aspect of the learning process. As learning environments become more flexible and unbound by the restrictions of traditional education and as students increase in number and diversity, technology assumes a critical role in the support of a more adequate, scalable and personalised assessment. The employment of eassessment systems can assist teachers in the development of several e-assessment initiatives, especially at a time when there is an unprecedented migration towards online learning. This paper aims to identify the essential characteristics of effective eassessment systems by appraising an evaluation framework to assist teachers to select efficient systems. The learning technology and e-assessment experts, who completed an online questionnaire, validated the identification of the key characteristics of effective e-assessment systems: variety of assessment design options, scalability, security, accessibility and usability, feedback features, personalisation, financial cost and interoperability.
- Successful implementation of Web 2.0 in non-profit organisations: a case studyPublication . Pífano, Sara; Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, PaulaNon-profit organizations are becoming aware of the resourcefulness of Web 2.0 in terms of user engagement, communication, collaboration, and fundraising. Nonetheless, within the context of these organizations, the full potential of Web 2.0 technologies remains unrealized. This chapter explores the aspects that contribute to the successful implementation of Web 2.0 in non-profit organizations by using a case study of an international non-profit entity. The case study is based on an online questionnaire that was distributed among the members of the organization. The findings place an emphasis on the importance of the user-friendliness of the application, the participation of the users, on the availability of relevant content, and on the existence of features to create/exchange content in a multiplicity of formats.