Studios, Mini-lectures, Project Presentations, Class Blog and Wiki: A New Approach to Teaching Web Technologies

Introduction Today's World Wide Web offers dynamic services and applications that emphasize interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and online collaboration. These technologies embody the philosophy of a user-centered Web, referred to as Web 2.0 (O'Reilly, 2005). Meanwhile, our students are keen on using technologies in their social life--the Internet, email, instant/text messaging, computer games, and, more recently, social networks such as Flickr, YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Digg. Students' familiarity with digital technologies and the emergence of Web 2.0 facilitate the application of social constructivist pedagogy in higher education. Teaching Web Technologies has become a more imperative yet challenging task in this changing environment, particularly the task of how to design courses that match the background and learning style of new generation students, and foster both knowledge and practical skills. Both objectivism and constructivism contributed to computer science education, software engineering education, and e-learning (Kamthan, 2009). In the objectivist view, knowledge is considered to be external to an individual, and learning involves a transfer of knowledge from the instructor to the student. Constructivist learning theories (Bruner, 1966; Piaget, 1950; Wood, 1998; Vygotsky, 1978) on the other hand suggest that learning is an active, social process; learners develop or construct their knowledge more effectively through their own experiences and interaction with others than through traditional objectivist methods, such as lectures and exams. Examples of active learning processes promoted by constructivist learning theory include hands-on experiments, lab assignments, group projects, and field studies. Constructivist learning theories also suggest that collaborative learning is critical in constructive cognitive development (Piaget, 1928). Collaborative learning brings students to work and learn together. In collaborative learning, interaction between peers (students) is equally shared, thereby helping sustain the students' interests and providing more natural learning environment. Both constructivist and collaborative learning theories suggest that a teaching approach that promotes more student hands-on practice, interactive information sharing and collaboration would benefit student learning more than traditional lecture and exam based course design. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] A Studio Centered Approach to Teaching Web Technologies In the following, we describe the detailed design (including class activities, objectives, description, suggested usage, and instructor's and students' role) of a studio centered approach to teaching web technologies. A Studio Centered Approach Based on the above discussion, we propose a new approach to teaching web technologies, which is studio-centered, supplemented with mini-lectures, project presentations and workshops, and class blogs and wikis. Figure 1 shows a graphic view of the organization and interaction of various class activities within this approach. Each Studio is supported by a number of mini lectures that explain the relevant knowledge concepts and industrial examples. The project presentations and tutorials showcase complex web applications and web-based systems that provide real business solutions. The class blog and wiki provide communication channels for students and instructor(s) to share information, resources, and feedback. Table 1 shows the types of class activities, including objectives, a brief description, and suggested usage in this new approach. The Instructor's Role In addition to being a leader and administrator as in traditional classrooms, the instructor in this new approach also acts as a designer and facilitator, similar to the roles of instructors for online classes. The instructor designs the contents and arrangement of the studios and mini lectures, invites guest speakers for presentations and tutorials, monitors class blogs and wikis, and facilitates various classroom activities to ensure effective and efficient learning outcomes. …