Web 2.0 Technologies and the Spirit of Online Learning

Knowles, Holton and Swanson (1998, 2005, 2011) define learning as emphasizing the person in whom the change occurs or is expected to occur. They define education as emphasizing the change agent who influences changes in others. Other scholars (Boyd et al., 1980) consider learning as the act or process by which behavioral change, knowledge, skills, and attitudes are acquired. Gagne (1985) defines learning as a process that leads to a change in a learner’s disposition and capabilities that can be reflected in behavior. Like human beings, animals also learn. However, the difference is, while animals learn via reflexes and behavior modification, humans learn through reflection (Wang & King, 2006, 2007). According to Dewey (1933), learners are faced with learning problems and these learning problems perplex and change the mind so that it makes belief uncertain. It is this perplexity that leads to reflective thinking, and hence learning. Without reflective thinking, learning may not occur. Those who are incapable of reflective thinking may be labeled as low IQ ABSTRACT