Web Technology (Week 3)

This week in class we talked about Web 2.0 and the Internet’s role in a new generation. From a persons academic life to personal life, Web 2.0 offers thousands of programs or Web sites designed to help different areas of people’s lives. For instance, in a class forum we discussed applications such as WorkoutBOX, Hulu, Pandora or Wantz.it.

We also discussed in class the history of the Internet--from its early beginnings in the 1970s to 2010. Ethan Zuckerman outlines the history of the Internet, as well. The use of email actually began being used in 1965 and the first computer was created in 1969. As we now can see, computers have come a long way since its young beginnings.

Although the online world as many advantages, a reliance on the Internet can also have negative aspects for children, as discussed in a Frontline special "Growing Up Online." The video series documents the Internet’s impact on childhood. Many children are unmonitored when they are online, creating bad or false images of themselves, or becoming the victims of cyber bullying. Educators, however, have the ability to monitor this use and use educational programs on the Internet to help children learn even more.

Journalism is another example of a field that has been so largely influenced by the Internet and web technology. Today, anyone in the world can read the newspaper online for free instead of paying the usual price to get the print paper every day. One of the biggest topics with evolving technology is where print media will go. Will it be here in 10 years or will everyone get their news on the web? As the world changes, the media has to change with it, and as the Internet’s impact on the upcoming generation becomes increasingly important, the face of regular journalism is changing quickly.

The following video offers students insights to the role of Web 2.0 in education and in the future. The video gets perspectives from everyday users and offers opinions on how society is influenced by the Internet and online world. See what people think of Web 2.0:

The video was found on Youtube.com and was made by Raqeeb Thameem.