A proposal for the Web 2.0 revolution in online design education: Opportunities for virtual design learning using social networking technologies

New Web 2.0 tools are enabling new avenues for online communication. Social networks that have sprung up from these tools are not only the basis of information dissemination but also a means of sustained learning. By exploring learning theories and the philosophies of design education, this research proposes a framework for leveraging recent innovations in social networking technologies to facilitate these values in an online environment. Unlike many other subject areas, at the center of design learning is an underlying method of inquiry and dialogue that cannot be objectively transferred to students through typical learning management systems. The growth and popularity of social networking services has created a communications space that is distinct from the confines of the physical world. By taking advantage of the rich complement of applications that comprise this alternative communication space, educators can import the reflective learning approach essential to design education.