Whether or not you agree with the validity of the term Web 2.0 – does the new generation of software warrant the title, or is it just an effective marketing term? – the fact remains that people are doing amazing things with the latest programs. They meet through social networks, watch creative videos made for pennies, and share music and podcasts with their friends.

 

But this web technology is bigger than that. To say it’s changing the largest industries in this country is not overstating its impact.

 

Let’s start with education. For many of us, a classroom is a classroom; chairs, desks, a chalkboard, and occasional chaos. These days, though, a classroom can be your computer.

 

Websites used to be static; there was a one-way flow of information. People learned from those pages, sure. But they couldn’t interact with each other, and that interaction is so valuable in a classroom setting. That’s changed. Whether in grammar school, high school or college, students are using blogs to capture ideas, wikis to share knowledge and podcasts to download information, so if you want to review a lecture, or you missed it altogether, you can still experience it as if you were there.

 

Software has evolved to support college and graduate students earning their degrees online. The image of people staring at their computers and simply reading and e-mailing, though, is history. Through discussion boards, group projects, and synchronous presentations, students are communicating as effectively as they do in a traditional classroom setting. If a certain graduate program does not exist in your city for what you want to study, you can often find it online and take classes in your pajamas.

 

Healthcare is another industry affected by this new software. New tools are being developed that allow doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to share information online like never before. For an industry that is cutting-edge in so many ways, many argue that the healthcare industry has lagged in adopting new forms of technology to communicate.

 

Now, however, as more computer-savvy professionals enter the field, attention is being paid to create decision support tools that help doctors with making diagnoses, establishing drug interactions, and so much more.

 

In addition, electronic medical records (EMRs) keep track of a patient’s medical history digitally to deliver patient data more efficiently through improved storage and retrieval methods, and they’re being integrated into hospitals all over the country.

 

Medical wikis can be created – and, indeed, some already have been, although they’re often limited to specific institutions – to allow medical professionals to share information about specific cases. A site moderated by medical experts could alleviate some of the concern that the openness of wikis (the ability for any user to add information) could lead to misinformation.

 

Our ability to manage our money is also evolving, thanks to Web 2.0 technology. Whether trading stocks, looking for a mortgage, or paying your bills without the use of pesky stamps, information is being viewed and shared like never before. Identity theft has also increased as people bank and shop online, but most businesses and financial institutions conduct thorough security analyses and create software that they hope will beat those trying to hack into your personal information.

 

Have you taken an online class or benefited yet from some of the medical and financial advances made using Web 2.0 technology? We’d like to hear about your experiences.

 

-End-