From disconnected to connected: Insights into the Future of Distance Education and Web 2.0 Tools in Higher Education

the integration of information and communications technologies (iCt) in higher education, especially in north america and europe, has reached a tipping point, where one is hard-pressed to find a classroom utterly devoid of any digital technology. in the developing world, distance education models are increasingly being implemented in postsecondary schools, particularly to promote the development of professional skills. this special issue reviews some distance education models and sheds light on how the exponential growth of online social interactions via increased adoption of web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, and purposeful games has impacted student learning and instructional strategies in post-secondary schools from an international perspective. we critique the most common theoretical underpinnings for distance education and report some empirical evidence of how web 2.0 technologies are being employed to improve performance in higher education classrooms in Canada and abroad. below, we present some Canadian data for this special issue. we begin with a discussion of how Canadians use the internet, drawing heavily on reports by the association for Canadian studies on Canadians’ online reading habits and internet use in order to supplement their knowledge of Canadian history. one of our objectives is to help strengthen connections between practitioners and researchers, while involving multiple stakeholders in conversations concerning web 2.0 use in higher education. we then review the literature on iCt use in higher education to provide a solid empirical foundation for the manuscripts published in this special issue. Finally, we provide a counterpoint to opinions currently expressed in the popular media on the future of technology use in higher education by offering evidence from a recent study that examined students and instructors’ attitudes towards effective technology use in universities across Quebec.

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