Wikilingua. ie: Towards using Web 2.0 technologies in language learning and teaching

Recent years have seen a trend towards the increasing use of Web 2.0 elements in education. Unlike; traditional Web 1.0 technologies, these so-called social web applications, e.g. social networks,; podcasts, blogs and wikis offer more extensive, outcome-oriented possibilities for communicative; language learning. Due to their participatory and interactive potential, they not only foster the students’; receptive language skills, but also their productive language skills as well as offering new opportunities; for intercultural learning.; Based on these assumptions and our own teaching experiences, the WikiLingua project sets out to; build a wiki platform for language teachers, to promote the use of Web 2.0 technologies in language; teaching and learning and to provide a forum for collaboration and exchange. In the initial phase of the; project, a survey was conducted among 254 language students and 34 third-level language teachers; in Ireland. As its main result it shows that, although most teachers use ICT for teaching, they do so; mainly for receptive learning aims, as opposed to enhancing the students productive language skills.; Correspondingly, while students may use Web 2.0 applications actively in their pastime, most of them; do not relate them to effective language learning. These results have informed the planning and focus; of WikiLingua.ie, which is still very much a work in progress.