Teaching the Google-eyed YouTube generation

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on how the University sector in the UK has undertaken a massive transformation over recent years, resulting in a current mass market. Institutions (and their managers) are facing enormous challenges to establish competitive advantages whilst attending to customer need and focus. A smarter, cost-effective, lean teaching and learning environment needs to evolve in order for UK universities to compete in a flatter global educational market place. Design/methodology/approach - Adopting an action research methodology the paper seeks to analyze how much-hyped Web 2.0, which moves away from static read only web sites to those which are read-write and interactive and are clearly here to stay. An eclectic mix of multi-media technology and social networking, blogs, Wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, social software, broadband and megalithic search engines are changing the way people live - and learn. Findings - This paper considers and highlights opportunities for increasing operational efficiency, from a personal perspective, based on a blended approach to technology enhanced learning by creating a 24/7 learning environment for the Google-eyed YouTube generation. The challenges of teaching large groups of students from a very diverse range of backgrounds and abilities are also discussed. Originality/value - This article balances interests in the immense potential of Web 2.0 in teaching and learning, with concern for the limitations of the technology.