Using Web 2 Technologies to Enhance 21st Century Distance Education

Abstract

The debate about the use of technology in distance education continues to present both challenges and opportunities for educators and learners. As discussions about the concept of the digital natives and digital immigrants (Prensky, 2001) abound, the institutions of distance education must respond to the needs of the 21st century learner in non-traditional ways which, to a very large extent must be underpinned by the use of technology. Extensive Internet use together with the use of mobile technology, especially the cell phone, has created new opportunities for the migrating of these technologies into the educational domain; if only to provide more meaning and diverse ways of communicating, collaborating, sharing and presenting educational content to learners with the principal objective of improving the way learners learn.