Learn About All Things Web 2.0

I am a big fan of "Web 2.0" applications and web sites. According to a definitions search in Google, Web 2.0 is

"a term often applied to a perceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Web from a collection of websites to a full-fledged computing platform serving web applications to end users. Ultimately Web 2.0 services are expected to replace desktop computing applications for many purposes."

There are countless cool applications and web sites now which can help you do so many things you've never thought about before. I will admit that I like playing with web applications because they are fun. Some of my favorites are Blogger for writing this web site, Del.icio.us for tracking and tagging my bookmarks, Flickr for storing pictures, and 43Things for tracking my goals.

Yesterday I came across a great learning resource. The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County has created a blog called Learning 2.0 for the purpose of encouraging their staff members to experiment and learn about the new technologies available. It's designed as a self-discovery tutorial with 23 modules to guide your learning. Learning 2.0 very much employs a "learn by doing" format. For example, one of the first tasks assigned is to set up your own blog to which you will post entries to track your progress.

Learning 2.0 teaches you about blogging, about Del.icio.us, RSS feeds, Flickr, audiobooks, YouTube for videos, podcasts, and so much more. Have you ever heard some of these terms and wondered what they meant? More importantly, Learning 2.0 encourages your independent exploration.

If you believe in lifelong learning and are interested in knowing more about web applications I recommend checking out Learning 2.0. In typical blog style, the latest post (right now #22) is at the top. To go to the beginning find the archives links on the right side of the page and click on August 2006. Then you can scroll to the bottom of the screen and read up. Or, you can click on this link to see a simple list of the 23 modules and click on the links in each step there.