Comparison of Web 2.0 Technology Acceptance Level Based on Cultural Differences (Report‪)‬

Introduction Today, college students use Web 2.0 applications more frequently than ever in and out of the classrooms. Applications such as blogs, instant messenger, online communities, video sharing tool, and web conferencing tool are gaining popularity. Students use them to create their own contents on the web, contribute and collaborate with others, and develop social networks via multiple formats of media and representation (O'Reilly, 2005). These activities although imply the possibility of using Web 2.0 applications for instructional purposes in higher education (Weller, Pegler, & Mason, 2005), it also raises the question of whether or not students can efficiently utilize the same Web 2.0 tools for learning (Huang & Behara, 2007). Even though students already use a variety of Web 2.0 applications on a daily basis, they may not know how to use them efficiently for gaining new knowledge or developing new skills. Educators in higher education interested in using Web 2.0 applications also need empirical evidences to help them integrate Web 2.0 applications in their instructional environments. This study aimed to explore these issues as an effort to promote the utilization of Web 2.0 applications to enhance learning experiences. Specifically, we were interested in exploring cultural differences' effect on Web 2.0 application utilization since research has suggested that such differences are present in the virtual world as well as in the physical world (Pfeil, Zaphiris, & Ang, 2006). Through comparison between participants from the U.S. and South Korea we aimed to investigate the usage of, and the technology acceptance level of Web 2.0 applications among college students. This study intended to answer the following questions: