web 2.0 tools in education

Agricultural University of AthensAgricultural University of Athens

Co-funded by the European Union,through the Comenius Programme

Web 2.0 Technologies & Tools Web 2.0 Technologies & Tools in Educationin Education


Web 2.0 Technologies & Tools in Education

StructureStructure

• Semantic WebSemantic Web• XMLXML• RDFRDF• OntologiesOntologies• OWLOWL• Educational Web 2.0 ActivityEducational Web 2.0 Activity



What is Web 2.0?What is Web 2.0?

• Web 2.0 is a set of internet services and Web 2.0 is a set of internet services and practices that give a voice to individual practices that give a voice to individual usersusers– It implies a step-change in the structure of It implies a step-change in the structure of

a whole environment of computer activity – a whole environment of computer activity – namely, the World Wide Webnamely, the World Wide Web**

** Becta (2008) Becta (2008). . Web 2.0 technologies for learning: The current Web 2.0 technologies for learning: The current landscape – opportunities, challenges and tensionslandscape – opportunities, challenges and tensions



Semantic WebSemantic Web

• AA collaborative effort led by W3C collaborative effort led by W3C

• BBased on the Resource Description ased on the Resource Description Framework (RDF), which integrates a variety Framework (RDF), which integrates a variety of applications using XML for syntax and URIs of applications using XML for syntax and URIs for namingfor naming

• PProposed by World Wide Web inventor roposed by World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-LeeTim Berners-Lee

*http://www.uen.org/core/edtech/glossary.shtml



DefinitionDefinition

• ““The Semantic Web is an The Semantic Web is an extensionextension of of the current web in which information is the current web in which information is given given well-definedwell-defined meaning, better meaning, better enabling enabling computers and peoplecomputers and people to to work in cooperation.”work in cooperation.”**

*Tim Berners-Lee, James Hendler, Ora LassilaThe Semantic Web, Scientific American, May 17, 2001



ScopeScope

• The The Semantic WebSemantic Web provides a provides a common framework that allows common framework that allows datadata to to be shared and reused across be shared and reused across application, enterprise, and community application, enterprise, and community boundariesboundaries**

*http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/




• The Semantic Web is about two thingsThe Semantic Web is about two things:: – CCommon formats for integration and ommon formats for integration and

combination of data drawn from diverse combination of data drawn from diverse sourcessources

– LLanguage for recording how the data anguage for recording how the data relates to real world objectsrelates to real world objects



Old WebOld Web

• Downloadable Resources:Downloadable Resources:– identified by URL's identified by URL's

• Links:Links:– href, src, ... href, src, ... – limited, non-descriptive limited, non-descriptive

• User:User:– Exciting worldExciting world

• semantics of the resource, semantics of the resource, however, gleaned from however, gleaned from content content

• Machine processable:Machine processable:– Very little information availableVery little information available

• significance of the links only significance of the links only evident from the context evident from the context around the anchor. around the anchor.

Eric Miller. Weaving Meaning : An Overview of The Semantic Web. 2003




• Resources (any resource):Resources (any resource):– Globally Identified by URI's Globally Identified by URI's – Extensible & RelationalExtensible & Relational

• Links:Links:– Identified by URI's Identified by URI's – Extensible & RelationalExtensible & Relational

• User:User:– Even more exciting world, richer Even more exciting world, richer

user experience user experience • Machine:Machine:

– More processable information is More processable information is available (Data Web) available (Data Web)

• Computers and people:Computers and people:– Work, learn and exchange Work, learn and exchange

knowledge effectively knowledge effectively

Eric Miller. Weaving Meaning : An Overview of The Semantic Web. 2003



Semantics…Semantics…

“Now, that should clear up“Now, that should clear upa few things around here…”a few things around here…”

http://carpentier.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/semanticweb.jpg http://carpentier.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/semanticweb.jpg



Semantic Web Semantic Web Layer “Cake”Layer “Cake”

http://www.w3c.orghttp://www.w3c.org



URIURI

• Every resource available on the Web Every resource available on the Web has an address that may be encoded by has an address that may be encoded by

a a Uniform Resource IdentifierUniform Resource Identifier, or “URI”, or “URI”



What is XML?What is XML?

• ””A set of rules for defining and A set of rules for defining and representing information as representing information as structured documents for applications structured documents for applications on the Internet”on the Internet”**



eeXXtensible tensible MMarkup arkup LLanguageanguage

• ExtensibleExtensible: User tags can be defined: User tags can be defined– Supports a variety of applicationsSupports a variety of applications

• MarkupMarkup: The user can “markup”:: The user can “markup”:– ElementsElements, , AttributesAttributes, , CommentsComments and and

Processing instructionsProcessing instructions• Meta LanguageMeta Language: Gives the rules for : Gives the rules for

other languages to be implementedother languages to be implemented



E-mail in XMLE-mail in XML

<message><message> <to><to>[email protected]@mail.com</to></to> <from><from>[email protected]@mail.com</from> </from> <text><text> Is XML easy? I am giving a Is XML easy? I am giving a presentation...presentation... </text></text>

</message> </message>



What is RDF?What is RDF?

• ““A framework for constructing logical A framework for constructing logical languages that can work together in the languages that can work together in the Semantic Web. A way of using XML for data Semantic Web. A way of using XML for data rather than just documentsrather than just documents””**

• RDF extends XML by introducing RDF extends XML by introducing subjectsubject –– predicatepredicate –– objectobject expressions expressions

http://www.w3c.orghttp://www.w3c.org



RDFRDF

• A A general method for conceptual general method for conceptual description or modeling of information description or modeling of information that is implemented in web resourcesthat is implemented in web resources

• Describes documents, images, videos, Describes documents, images, videos, etc.etc.



RDF SchemaRDF Schema

• ““Extensible knowledge representation Extensible knowledge representation language, providing basic elements for language, providing basic elements for the description of ontologies”the description of ontologies”

• Extends RDF offering ontology building Extends RDF offering ontology building capacitycapacity



OntologiesOntologies

• ““An ontology is an explicit specification An ontology is an explicit specification of a of a conceptualizationconceptualization””**

• The term is borrowed from philosophy, The term is borrowed from philosophy, where an ontology is a systematic where an ontology is a systematic account of Existenceaccount of Existence

* Thomas Gruber, 1993



ConceptualizationConceptualization

• ““A conceptualization is an abstract, A conceptualization is an abstract, simplified view of the world that we simplified view of the world that we wish to represent for some purpose”wish to represent for some purpose”**

• Ontologies provide Ontologies provide controlledcontrolled, , consistentconsistent vocabularies to describe vocabularies to describe conceptsconcepts and and relationshipsrelationships

* Thomas Gruber, 1993



Ontology ConstructsOntology Constructs

• ClassClass– HumanHuman is a class, is a class, ManMan is a subclass of is a subclass of

humanhuman• AttributeAttribute

– Height & weight are attributesHeight & weight are attributes• RelationshipRelationship

– ““isrelatedtoisrelatedto” can indicate relationships ” can indicate relationships between menbetween men

*Gruber, Encyclopedia of Database Systems, 2008



Sample OntologySample Ontology

Human

Man Woman

George Maryismarriedtoismarriedto

class

subclass

subclass

relationship

Height: 1,90mWeight: 95kg

attributes



OWLOWL

• A family of knowledge representation A family of knowledge representation languages for authoring ontologieslanguages for authoring ontologies

• CCompatible with the architecture of ompatible with the architecture of the World Wide Web in general, and the World Wide Web in general, and the Semantic Web in particularthe Semantic Web in particular

* www.w3c.org



OWL extends RDFOWL extends RDF

• AAdds more vocabulary for describing dds more vocabulary for describing properties and classesproperties and classes. For example:. For example:– RRelations between classeselations between classes,,– CCardinalityardinality,,– EEquality, quality, – Properties (and their characteristics)Properties (and their characteristics)

* www.w3c.org



Why OWL?Why OWL?

• OWL has more facilities for expressing OWL has more facilities for expressing meaning and semantics thanmeaning and semantics than::– XML XML – RDFRDF– RDF-SRDF-S

* www.w3c.org



Versions of OWLVersions of OWL

• OWL Lite (decidable)OWL Lite (decidable)• OWL DL (Description Logic) (Decidable)OWL DL (Description Logic) (Decidable)• OWL Full (Allows classes as instances)OWL Full (Allows classes as instances)

• From OWL Lite to OWL Full expressiveness From OWL Lite to OWL Full expressiveness and logical complexity increasesand logical complexity increases



OWL ConstructsOWL Constructs

Person Country

Class (concept)

Animal

Individual (instance)

Belgium

Greece

Spain

Italy

Nick

Tom

Alex

Kylie

Kelly

Cat

Dog

lives_in

lives_in

lives_in

has_pet

has_pet

arrow = relationship

label = Propertyhas_

pet

* Introduction to Ontologies, Nick Drummond



ClassesClasses

• E.g. Person, Animal, JobE.g. Person, Animal, Job– Classes are Classes are setssets of Individuals of Individuals– Membership of a Class is dependent on its Membership of a Class is dependent on its

logical descriptionlogical description, not its name, not its name– Classes do not have to be named Classes do not have to be named

(they can be (they can be logical expressionslogical expressions))



PropertiesProperties

• E.g. hasPart, isMemberOf, ownsE.g. hasPart, isMemberOf, owns– Properties are used to relate IndividualsProperties are used to relate Individuals– We often say that Individuals are related We often say that Individuals are related

alongalong a given property a given property– Subject – Predicate – Object Subject – Predicate – Object

• E.g.: Nikos – hasPet – CatE.g.: Nikos – hasPet – Cat



IndividualsIndividuals

• E.g. Nikos, me, this room, this catE.g. Nikos, me, this room, this cat– Individuals are the Individuals are the objectsobjects (aka instances) (aka instances)

in our domain of interestin our domain of interest– Individuals can be members of multiple Individuals can be members of multiple

ClassesClasses



How are they linked?How are they linked?

• HTML and XMLHTML and XML– HTMLHTML uses predefined tags to tell a web uses predefined tags to tell a web

browser how to display a web pagebrowser how to display a web page– XML XML uses not-predefined tags to describe uses not-predefined tags to describe

data in order to carry and not to display data in order to carry and not to display themthem




• XML – RDFXML – RDF– RDFRDF also describes resources and is based also describes resources and is based

on XML providing a model for data, and a on XML providing a model for data, and a syntax so that independent parties can syntax so that independent parties can exchange dataexchange data




• RDF – OWLRDF – OWL– OWL OWL is built on RDF and is based on XMLis built on RDF and is based on XML– In a way, it extends RDF by allowing to In a way, it extends RDF by allowing to

create logical dependencies between create logical dependencies between structuresstructures



Are these linked to education?Are these linked to education?

• Semantic Web Semantic Web Links learning objects (LOs)Links learning objects (LOs)

Links them to the real worldLinks them to the real world

• XML XML Send around documentsSend around documents

• RDF RDF Send more than docs (LOs)Send more than docs (LOs)

• OntologiesOntologies Relationships between LOsRelationships between LOs

• OWL OWL Defines relationships between Defines relationships between

LOs and is compatible with the Semantic WebLOs and is compatible with the Semantic Web



Categories of educational Categories of educational Web 2.0 activity*Web 2.0 activity*

• Media SharingMedia Sharing• Media ManipulationMedia Manipulation• Conversational AreasConversational Areas• Online games and virtual worldsOnline games and virtual worlds• Social NetworkingSocial Networking• BloggingBlogging

** Becta (2008) Becta (2008). . Web 2.0 technologies for learning: The current Web 2.0 technologies for learning: The current landscape – opportunities, challenges and tensionslandscape – opportunities, challenges and tensions



Categories of educational Categories of educational Web 2.0 activityWeb 2.0 activity

• Social BookmarkingSocial Bookmarking• Recommender SystemsRecommender Systems• Collaborative EditingCollaborative Editing• Wikis Wikis • SyndicationSyndication



Media SharingMedia Sharing

• Synchronize slides with videoSynchronize slides with video– http://www.zentation.com/

• Storing and Sharing Class NotesStoring and Sharing Class Notes– http://www.notecentric.com/



Media ManipulationMedia Manipulation

• Online Diagram SoftwareOnline Diagram Software– http://www.gliffy.com/ http://www.gliffy.com/

• Linking literature to geographyLinking literature to geography– http://www.googlelittrips.comhttp://www.googlelittrips.com/ /



Conversational AreasConversational Areas

• Educational conversationsEducational conversations– http://vyew.com/site/ http://vyew.com/site/

• International conversationsInternational conversations– http://www.thinkquest.org/http://www.thinkquest.org/

• Conversations for young learnersConversations for young learners– http://b.whyville.net/smmk/nice http://b.whyville.net/smmk/nice



Social Networking & BloggingSocial Networking & Blogging

• Casual talks around school interests Casual talks around school interests – http://www.goldstarcafe.net/ http://www.goldstarcafe.net/

• Educational BlogsEducational Blogs– http://edublogs.org/ http://edublogs.org/



WikisWikis

• School WikiSchool Wiki– http://school20.wikispaces.com/ http://school20.wikispaces.com/

• Educational WikisEducational Wikis– http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/ http://wikisineducation.wetpaint.com/


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Web 2.0 Technologies & Tools Web 2.0 Technologies & Tools in Educationin Education

Informatics LaboratoryInformatics LaboratoryAgricultural University of AthensAgricultural University of Athens

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