How Web 2.0 Facilitates E-Learning in IUG

How Web 2.0 Facilitates E-Learning in IUG

To contact Dr. Ayman Abu Samra aasamra@mail.iugaza.edu.ps Hanan M. Abed hanan.abed86@gmail.com Haneen T. Matar haneen.mate@gmail.com Somaya I. Duhair somayaduhair@gmail.com

Outlines

Abstract • Many universities adopted web 2 technology in education. • Islamic University of Gaza highly exploits web 2 in its applications. • In our paper we toke the Moodle and blogs as two application used by IUG. • We made a survey to asses the utilization of these two systems and finally suggest some recommendations.

Introduction • The trend toward conversion from traditional classroom to online courses follows the shift of learning theories. • The dominant trend in most universities nowadays is to increases the fraction of e-learning in the overall learning process. • To achieve this goal the new offered services require using more advance technologies and principles. • Web 2.0 is one of the technologies that provide a good support to e-learning.

Other works • One research evaluate nine learning management systems (LMS). • The LMS programs are WebCT, BlackBoard, Jones E-education, Educator, Angel, .LRN; McGraw Hill Pageout, moodle, and e-College AU. • As a result of the comparison the best LMS was Web CT, although it is not free. • Research framework presented in another paper is supported by the data collected through user surveys, experiments performed with incorporated technologies and student performances in a web programmingcourse.

What is Web 2.0? • The term Web 2.0 was used for the first time on a conference in Silicon Valley that was held at the end of 2004. • Web2.0 the second phase in the web’s evolution. • Web2.0 harnesses the web in a more interactive and collaborative manner. • A Web 2.0 site gives its users the free choice to interact or collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user generated content in a virtual community.

What is E-learning 2.0? • E-learning has been around for fifteen years or so. • It is defined as all forms of electronic supported learning and teaching. • E-learning is evolving with the World Wide Web as a whole and it's changing to a degree significant enough to warrant a new name: E-learning 2.0 . • The dominant learning technology employed today is a type of system that organizes and delivers online courses. • The learning management system takes learning content and organizes it in a standard way

E-Learning Systems in IUG • IUG is one of the Palestinian universities that try to use the best technologies in e-learning. • They always search about the best system for instructors and students. • Nowadays IUG rely on moodle and blogs systems to support the best services in the learning.

IUG Moodle • Moodle is a software package for producing Internet-based courses and web sites. • Moodle is provided freely as open source software. • The word moodle was originally an acronym for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. • Moodle can be installed on any computer that can run PHP, and can support an SQL type database. • It can be run on Windows and Mac operating systems and many flavors of linux.

Cont’d • Moodle features: • Access to all lesson assignments can be made time or password restricted. • keeps automatic log reports of each student work. • The instructor can set deadlines or timeframes when assignments must be completed. • Students can look up their grades themselves. • Students can look up the assignments on a calendar. • Moodle allows for the integration of a wide range of resources. • Moodle allows for a wide range of assessment strategies.

Cont’d • Moodle is the IUG choice for E-learning since 2005. • IUG offers many courses on it for the various colleges. • IUG activate some of moodle services like forums, wiki, calendar, exams and quizzes and upload files by students and instructors. • Instructors can enable or disable any service according to their courses’ needs. • The majority of moodle users are from Education and IT faculties.

Cont’d

Cont’d • We try to study the Moodle services that used by instructors in IUG. • The most services are not utilized correctly. • The most used service is upload files by instructors and students. • About 20% of instructors use Moodle quizzes and exams. While only 5% of instructors use wiki in their courses.

IUG Blogs • Blogs are an easy way to disseminate information to both colleagues and students. • Blogs in the classroom serve a valuable purpose, to allow students to carry out critical and productive dialogues about the course content and skills. • Instructors use blogs as a way to communicate and enhance classroom instruction among their students.

Cont’d • The ability for both the instructor and student to edit content allows for study to take place outside the classroom environment. • Students can access information from home, or from any computer that is connected to the Internet.

Cont’d • In 2010, the Islamic university of Gaza provided the ability for her employees to use blogs. • They used wordpress for deploying and publishing the blogs. Some instructors are familiar with blogs before IUG lunched them. • Most of the instructors that are using blogs entered their C.V, courses and researches. • They use blogs for the announcement of any news such as instructor absence or make up lectures or quizzes. • The majority of instructors closed the door for students to add comments and participate in their blogs

Cont’d • The survey result for instructors using blogs indicated that most of them prefer using the blog as a normal website page. • Most of them are unaware of blogs capabilities. • Others don’t want to use it. • Other instructors reacted very positively to blogs and made them active in all their courses.

Recommendations • Studying “Introduction to Computers” course for all students. • Exploring Moodle by instructors and students. • Increasing the number of courses that offered on Moodle. • Moodle is a very helpful in crisis situations. • IUG may encourage each department to provide at least one course which depends totally on Moodle. • IUG may encourage each instructor to provide at least one course material’s on Moodle.

Cont’d • Permit students to sing up in the instructor page, so they can add posts. • Instructors should use their front page of the Blog to post announcements, so students can make an RSS feeding. • Instructors can provide a desktop snapshot for their work during the class in a video file; it will help the students on focusing in class and revise the video at home.

Cont’d • Finally we say that every new thing in our life needs some time to get used to it, and it is the university responsibility to help the students in adapting the new technologies.

Thank you Dr.Ayman, Hanan, Haneen and Somaya

How Web 2.0 Facilitates E-Learning in IUG