Task 1b Professional Communication Technologies

Exploring Web 2.0

The term Web 2.0 refers to internet communications which extend to a large number of people. Examples would be the social networking sites such as facebook and twitter,Wikipedia and other collaborative sites as well as individual blogs. This is the next step from Web 1.0 which focuses purely on a one way communication, as seen in normal websites. In simple terms, in Web 1.0 there is a creator and a reader, where as in Web 2.0 these boundaries merge somewhat, meaning that the reader can also contribute to the writings of the creator and within the social networking sites, there is a great deal more communication which can take place. There is an ongoing debate over where exactly the line is drawn between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0; however, the list below is from Tim O'Rielly's article and it states quite clearly where he feels the divide is.


Original version can be found on: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

After reading Tim O'Reilly's article I discovered that the concept of Web 2.0 was formulated with a ''conference brain storming session between O'Reilly and Media Live International.''(http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html) The conference took place following the bursting of the Dot-com bubble in 2001. I have found it fascinating learning about this because to be honest, I did not even realise that this web crash happened. What I think is even more interesting is that although this appeared to be a time of crisis for the web, this conference unveiled that it was in fact marking a new beginning, as the surviving companies shared certain features which were to be categorised as the newly formed Web 2.0. Downes describes the revolution in a way which I found very clear in the following quote:

In a nutshell what was happening was that the web was shifting from being a medium, in which information was transmitted and consumed, into being a platform, in which content was created, shared, remixed,re purposed and passed along. And what people were doing with the web was not merely reading books, listening to the radio or watching TV , but having a conversation with a vocabulary consisting not just of words but of images, video multimedia and whatever they could get their hands on. And this became, and looked and behaved like, a network.
( Downes, 2005 on http://elearnmag.acm.org/featured.cfm?aid=1104968 )

Below is the Meme from O'Reilly's article which I have recreated as a collage. I tend to find it easier to absorb information if I explore it a bit more artistically.

Original version can be found on: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html

My own views on Web 2.0
I think that as for most people of today, Web 2.0 is a large part of my life. I have never been someone who has been hugely into technology and I have always preferred to learn from a book in my hand rather than a book online. Also until Easter this year I did not have a phone with internet on and only used my very old basic phone for emergency phone calls! However, I now realise that technology is a key part of current society and whether we like it or not, most of us have to engage with it. I have found it interesting to leave it until a bit later before engaging with it though. This is because I feel I can see more clearly some of it's limitations. For example I am often amazed how at a meal, people can very frequently spend more time socialising on facebook than they do talking to the friend sitting opposite them! Technology has made so much more communication possible, but it has also given people a place to disappear into every time they feel a little uneasy about themselves. Whilst I was in London, before I had my phone, I would feel so uncomfortable on the tube because everyone was on their phone or tablet and they would look at me very strangely, as if to say ''bless her she must have lost her phone or something!'' Gone seem to be the days when you would have a conversation with someone on the train, society is far to busy engaging with their online persona.

I have also been forced to see technology under a different light recently when trying to get started on this course! I had a great deal of difficulty with emails not being received and funding applications being delayed because a computer does not recognise the timing and course intensity of this BA. I was considering how in the past, I would probably have been able to speak to someone and the they would have been able to give me a simple answer. Where as now, I am continuing to get messages telling me that the situation is simply not recognised. It somehow seems quite strange that we live in a society where so often technology actually seems to dominate us rather than the other way round.

Nevertheless, saying this, technology has also made some incredible advancements to society and communication. Facebook, for example, is an amazing invention as it provides the opportunity for me to keep in touch with friends in and out of my profession, all over the world. There are so many people who I think, if it was not for Facebook I would probably have lost touch with that friend completely. For me, facebook is a professional profile. Everything I post I would be happy for the general public to see. I have always been quite a private person and therefore always used the messaging service that Facebook provides and emails to make my personal conversations. I think it is a great way to promote yourself as a professional and to keep up to date with other professionals and companies. Also, now that I have started this blog I can see just how important web 2.0 technology can be. It is wonderful that so much information is accessible to so many people.

Skype is also an incredible invention, allowing family and friends who are divided by geographical distance the opportunity to communicate in a very personal fashion. It is equally beneficial for distance learning courses such as this one, where it can be hard for all the students to gather at the same time in one place due to personal working engagements.
Since starting working with Ballet Cymru, I have also found Web 2.0 to be even more crucial. As the company dancers normally communicate through a group facebook chat and everything from what time class will be when we are on tour, to the stage door code is posted on the chat.



1. Architectures of Participation
This term basically refers to sites that actively involve the reader in their processes. Tim O'Reilly (2004) stated that he came to use the term ' ''The architecture of participation'' to describe the nature of systems that are designed for user contribution.' (http://archive.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/articles/architecture_of_participation.html )

Through reading the above article and Reader 1 I discovered that examples can be seen in sites such as Yahoo, The Open Dictionary Project, Wikipedia, Napster and Amazon. All of these sites encourage user participation and break down the barriers which are more evident in Web 1.0. Therefore the user is able to communicate more efficiently and the sites themselves benefit from these contributions allowing them to grow and develop. The technical term for this is the 'perpetual beta.'

2. Remixable data and transformations
The remix culture is a term which originates from hip-hop and rap music and is used to describe the recycling or re arranging of materials. In technology terms it refers to the sharing of web posts of any kind, whether it be photos, music or text. This sharing then promotes further participation and communication thus making it a central feature of Web 2.0.

3. Harnessing Collective Intelligence
This what is used to describe the effectiveness of web 2.0 in broadening social communication and allowing people from diverse backgrounds and communities to unite in a unique forum of networking. From this communication stems a sharing of knowledge which will befit both the user and the web. Indeed the way in which we are communicating on this very course is an excellent example of this. With all the students sharing their work via their blogs and students and teachers being able to comment and share ideas collectively.
I found it very interesting reading Stephen Downes' (2005) article 'Elearning 2.0' because he talks a lot about Elearning and Web 2.0 in relation to study and I found this to be very relevant to this BA.

Considering Ethics when using the web
It is essential to be very careful when using the web to ensure that copyright and confidentiality are addressed appropriately. It is so easy to post information without thinking of the implications involved. It is always best to get permissions with any posts involving others. Those involving children must be dealt with using consent forms, signed by a parent or guardian. It can also be difficult nowadays to no where the line is between student and teacher communication. For instance Facebook makes it possible for everyone to be friends on the same level as one another. I think this can have pros and cons because although it can make a teacher more united with the students, it can also allow the students to see them under a different light which could lead to a lack of respect. This is a difficult issue which in many cases is resolved by a ban on teachers accepting friend requests from students. Not all situations have this ban though. I think it can be especially difficult when you are a young professional starting out. For example, I could be teaching a dancer who is only a few years younger than me so therefore would that make it unprofessional for me to accept a Facebook friend request from them?
As a professional it is also very valuable to consider how you are presenting yourself publicly, always ensuring that your professional image is in the best interest of your company and employer too. Confidentiality is something that it is worth discussing with your employer when it comes to blogs and any other public forums where you may wish to talk about your work.

This has been such a fascinating task. I have learned so much about an area that I must admit I have never explored before and I feel like my skills in technology are already developing as my confidence builds.

Bibliography
Colombo, J (No Date) The dot-com bubble. Available from http://www.thebubblebubble.com/dotcom-bubble/
Downes,S (2005)E-learning 2.0, elearn magazine, vol.2005,no.10. Available from: http://elearnmag.acm.org/featured.cfm?aid=1104968 (accessed 27 October 2016)
O'Reilly, T . (2006) What is web 2.0: Design patterns and business models for the next generation of software, Available from: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html (accessed 23 October 2016)
O'Reilly, T (2004) The architecture of participation. Available from: http://archive.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/articles/architecture_of_participation.html (accessed 23 October 2016)
Peter, I (No Date) History of the dotcom bubble. Available from: http://www.nethistory.info/History%20of%20the%20Internet/dotcom.html (accessed 25 October 2016)