Introduction Online information and communication is changing the way instructors and learners interact and learn. Today, the Web is no longer just an information repository or a place to search for resources. Web 2.0 has transformed the Web into a global network community where every user is invited to create content. The Web is shifting from being a medium, in which information is transmitted and consumed, into being a platform, in which content is created, shared, remixed, repurposed, and exchanged. The unique feature of many Web 2.0 applications is that it harnesses the collective intelligence of users. Learners become part of a global human network in which they can harness the collective intelligence of people in the world that could have never been possible previously. Learners can interact with other learners, gain from their experiences, and then construct their own knowledge. The advent of Web 2.0 technologies allows teachers and trainers to empower learners and create exciting new learning opportunities. Web 2.0 in Education The Web 2.0 applications hold profound potentials in education because of their open nature, ease of use and support for effective collaboration and communication. They change the traditional view of human knowledge and open up more opportunities in teaching and learning. Teachers can use Web 2.0 tools attract students' attention and enhance their learning experiences. Today, over several hundreds of the Web 2.0 applications are available and have potentials in teaching and learning. Some of these tools include: podcasts (i.e., iTunes), blogs (i.e., Blogger), wikis (i.e., Mediawiki, PBWiki), social bookmarking tools (i.e., del.icio.us) , social networking tools (i.e., EduSpace, Facebook, MySpace), social media sharing tools (i.e., Flickr, SlideShare, YouTube), collaborative writing tools (i.e., Google docs, Zoho), virtual 3D community (i.e., Second Life), social library tools (i.e, LibraryThing), and Customized portals (i.e, Pageflakes, Protopage). The "digital native" students have already found many Web 2.0 tools integral to their daily life. Prensky (2001) stated "Our students have changed radically. Today's students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach" (p. 1). Teaching and learning should be moved away from conventional methods by which students are told what to learn, when, where, and how. Instead, knowledge should be actively constructed and students should be made responsible for their own learning. The opportunity for instant and global publication of information, thoughts, opinions, and ideas is something our "digital native" students take for granted as normal and commonplace. Hence, teachers should consider some of the Web 2.0 tools and integrate them into teaching and learning. It is important to realize that teachers' perceptions and opinions shape their actions. Many researchers have found that perceived usefulness, or the extent to which an individual believes that the use of technology will enhance performance, has a positive influence on behavioral intention (Davis, 1989; Hartshorne, Ajjan, and Ferdig, 2010; Roger 2003; Taylor & Todd, 1995). The greater the perceived usefulness of a technological application, the more likely it is for the individual to use the new technology (Hartshorne, Ajjan, and Ferdig, 2010; Rogers, 2003). Thus, studies of teachers' perceptions and opinions are critical because teachers' perceptions are significant to the implementation of technology innovations in teaching and learning. Accordingly, teachers' use and perceptions indicate their willingness to adopt a new teaching behavior such as teaching with Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom. This study examines teachers' use of Web 2.0 tools in education, assesses their awareness and perceptions of the pedagogical benefits of Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning, and investigates their interests and willingness of adopting Web 2.0 tools to support and supplement classroom instruction. The target population of this study is teachers at all levels in Mississippi. Participants at the 2010 Mississippi Educational Computing Association (MECA) Conference as well as the 2010 Creating Futures Through Technology Conference in Mississippi were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected in February and March 2010 by using an online questionnaire. A total of 366 participants completed the questionnaire online. The questionnaire contains 3 parts and 65 questions in total. Part One includes 13 demographic items for respondents, including items such as age, gender, years of teaching, online habits, and general attitude of using technology in education. Part Two contains 20 items exploring the participants' use of Web 2.0 tools or services. Part Three includes 32 five point Likert-scale items (ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree) examining teachers' perceptions and interests of using Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning. At present, the data collection phase was completed but the data analysis is still under way. It is expected the results of the study will be written in June 2010 and presented at the 16th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning in November, 2010. It is anticipated the findings of this study will provide useful information that enable administrators and teacher educators to better understand teachers' use and perceptions of Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning. Consequently, a well focused course or training program for pre and in-service teachers integrating Web 2.0 technologies in education can be design, developed, and implemented. References Davis, F. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13, 319-339. Hartshorne, R., Ajjan, H., & Ferdig, R. (2010). Faculty use and Perceptions of Web 2.0 in Higher Education. In H. H.Yang & S. C.-Y. Yuen (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in E-Learning: Issues and Trends. IGI Global: Hershey, PA. Prensky, M. (2001, September/October). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press. Taylor, S., & Todd, P. A. (1995). Understanding information technology usage: A test of competing models. Information Systems Research, 6(2), 144-176.
