Familiarity of Web2.0 and its application in learning: A case study of two Indian Universities

Abstract

This study was conducted in two Indian universities to assess the familiarity of Web 2.0 tools and their application in learning. The investigators conducted a survey of about 500 respondents, including students, teachers and research scholars of Utkal and Sambalpur Universities in the State of Odisha. A structured questionnaire was designed to elicit information pertaining to the familiarity of the academic community with the Web 2.0 tools and their use for teaching, learning and research. Results revealed that the usage of Web2.0 tools is not very significant in either of the two universities in Odisha. Wiki and social networking sites are most commonly used by the respondents. However, blog, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) social bookmarking and audio/video, etc., with high degree of educational value, are not yet popular among the academic communities. Further, the research found that the academic communities are quite interested to use those tools in their learning process, but they do not have sufficient knowledge and skills to use them. The findings of this study have both theoretical as well as practical implications for academicians, learners and policy makers in the universities. Key words: Web 2.0, blog, wiki, social networking, podcast, videocast and tagging.