After reading through the Course Reader on Professional Communications Technologies I feel I have come away with a much better understanding on Web 2.0 making me think in ways I never had before. When I first started this Blog I wasnt sure what I would have to say but before I knew it my thoughts spiralled and I just kept writing and writing so appologies if this is long.
Web 2.0 is something I use and work with everyday in my own professional practice. I certainly rely on the web to gain work. I am registered on two promotional websites (Stuck For Staff and Promo Jobs Pro) that list agencies and jobs you can apply for. You can upload your own profile to include a CV, photos, availability and once you have completed a job gain a rating from the agency. Promotional work is now my part-time job in-between dance contracts as I can pick and choose which job I apply for and when. I can pick it up at anytime and come and go on the sites as I please. Without the use of Web 2.0 I would not have been able to do this.
The course reader has taught me the difference between Web 1.0 and 2.0 which I never really knew. In simple terms Web 1.0 is material published by the writer that the consumer can "read-only" resulting in a one way flow of information. Web 1.0 can contain information that might be of use but it never changes, therefore making it most likely a onetime visit to that particular site. As well as no changes being made by the writer the consumer also is unable to comment or add to it.
Web 2.0 however has opened up a whole new way in which we now communicate and work. It allows us to become more involved, a prosumer (producer and consumer) and interact with others through social network sites.
"Web 2.0 practices and infrastructures facilitate creating, sharing, and interacting with information"
- What It Means To Be Net Savvy, George Lorenzo, Diana Oblinge and Charles Dziuban 2006
I found this interesting YouTube clip explaining the evolution of Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 to Web 3.0. How the web is rapidly developing shows how we as professionals need to keep up with this ever developing technologies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsNcjya56v8&feature=related
The picture below shows some Web 2.0 themes.
Web 2.0 is something I use and work with everyday in my own professional practice. I certainly rely on the web to gain work. I am registered on two promotional websites (Stuck For Staff and Promo Jobs Pro) that list agencies and jobs you can apply for. You can upload your own profile to include a CV, photos, availability and once you have completed a job gain a rating from the agency. Promotional work is now my part-time job in-between dance contracts as I can pick and choose which job I apply for and when. I can pick it up at anytime and come and go on the sites as I please. Without the use of Web 2.0 I would not have been able to do this.
The course reader has taught me the difference between Web 1.0 and 2.0 which I never really knew. In simple terms Web 1.0 is material published by the writer that the consumer can "read-only" resulting in a one way flow of information. Web 1.0 can contain information that might be of use but it never changes, therefore making it most likely a onetime visit to that particular site. As well as no changes being made by the writer the consumer also is unable to comment or add to it.
Web 2.0 however has opened up a whole new way in which we now communicate and work. It allows us to become more involved, a prosumer (producer and consumer) and interact with others through social network sites.
"Web 2.0 practices and infrastructures facilitate creating, sharing, and interacting with information"
- What It Means To Be Net Savvy, George Lorenzo, Diana Oblinge and Charles Dziuban 2006
I found this interesting YouTube clip explaining the evolution of Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 to Web 3.0. How the web is rapidly developing shows how we as professionals need to keep up with this ever developing technologies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsNcjya56v8&feature=related
The picture below shows some Web 2.0 themes.
Whereas before we might have set up a personal website for people to view, we now have social networking sites such Twitter, Facebook and MySpace allowing people to comment and add more information to our page. Web 2.0 is rapidly developing and will continue- for example as we become smarter in what we may type into say a search engine to get the answers we want. Sites such as Facebook are now showing us “people you might know”, events we might want to attend or site we might want join or “like”.
With over 500 million users this online Social community has become MASSIVE!Below is an extract taken from 'Wales Online' website- 'The Facebook phenomenon', Oct 11 2010
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/film-in- wales/2010/10/11/the-facebook-phenomenon-91466-27450139/
"EXTRA TIME – FACEBOOK
50 per cent of active users log on to Facebook in any given day.
People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook.
Facebook has developed a formula for the precise number of ’Aha’ moments required for a newcomer to be hooked. The number remains a secret.
If Facebook were a country it would be 1.5 times as populous as the United States."
These facts really are shocking! It makes me wonder what is next for the Web? Three years ago I was introduced to Myspace and soon became addicted. A year later and Facebook seemed to be the "in" thing with more and more of my friends joining. Since joining I would now say I am addicted! Logging on to Facebook every morning is like brushing my teeth! My 'Aha' moments probably were not a lot before this happened to me. Why? Well in this profession where we are constantly on the go it has been a cheap and easy way to communicate with family and friends. You can instant chat, update your status, upload pictures of your adventures and send private messages to one or many friends.
"the development of Web 2.0: make it as simple, as time cheap, and inexpensive as possible for ordinary Web users to contribute."
- 'Beyond Current Horizons' Justin Reich, Dec 2008
Something that was brought to my attention at the campus session on 1st Oct 2010 and that our group were left wondering was 'Should we set up different accounts? Personal and Professional?' on these sites. Some people in my group had already done so which I thought was a great idea and I am now going to do. I now receive messages from agencies with work and was asked to be friends with one of my agents recently, which I still haven’t accepted! This is how professional management plays a big part. We need to be smart in how we come across to future employers, agencies and managers. I don’t feel mixing personal and professional would be a good idea. With multiple users having the ability to 'tag' and comment on our pages what can be viewed by many is taken out of our control.
The collaboration of E-mail and Google search engine is a great tool. E-mail is fast, easy to use, saves money and time and can allows you to communicate with possible employers anywhere in the world. We can attach links/photos/CV's/Show reels allowing the consumer to see what we have to offer. The use of Gmail attached to that enables us to research any questions we may have on future employers or companies. The disadvantages? We will lose that personal communication and are judged by what the consumer sees on paper, in a photograph etc. Are they really seeing the true us? It is amazing how Web 2.0 has changed society and the way businesses are run. My cousin is getting married in a week and I recently found out that pretty much everything- dresses, tuxedo, accessories, decorations, invitations were all ordered online! My Grandma will often do a weekly shop on Tesco online too. Cheap, easy and quick seem to be the main attractions but what are they missing out. The future?
"we should expect to see greater integration between Web 2.0 tools and handheld devices"
- Beyond Current Horizons, Justin Reich, Dec 2008
The reader and campus session have made me think about how we need to use Web 2.0 wisely to boost our careers and be careful we don’t put them in jeopardy! If every picture we or a friend uploads can be viewed by a potential employer I would rather have a separate account where I control what they are viewing!
As I said before I use web based technology everyday for my career. Agencies now have their own Facebook pages and will send out posts of new jobs. Casting websites such as Dancers Pro or The Stage can help you search for auditions. These sites definitely increase your chances of gaining more work. In my career so far the use of Web Based Technology has helped me gain 95% of my employment as a Professional Dancer, whether through finding the audition on a website, E-mailing agencies or companies my CV or researching a particular company to find out more about them. It is a vital part of Professional Practice and important that we keep up to date with the ever evolving technology.
So after looking through all this what can I personally conclude and take-away? Well my first step is to create a professional Facebook page. I will post the link on this blog and you can let me know what you think. Secondly I have learnt a lot from how sites such as Flickr and YouTube can benefit me as a dancer. I am now able to use both these sites to my advantage by sending the links to future employers or agents, which in turn can help me gain more work. I am still learning and exploring the wide range in Web 2.0 technologies and hopefully as I improve on my skills and become more "net savvy" I will expand my career further.
this was a very well thought through argument, which has clearly engaged your thinking. I enjoyed reading it!
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most interesting things was your tag cloud diagram. One of the terms there was 'joy of use'. I think that is what has been sucked out of the concept of social networking. Social interactions should be fun. It is a perhaps a little problematic that employers believe that they have right to 'control' the behaviours of potential employees or that these behaviours that occur in the 'fun time' represent the way they behave in the 'professional time'.
Do you think the advent of permanent archiving, the rise of the scare article (on-line stalking etc) is making the web 2.0 world a less fun to be? Should there be a recognition of the social role of web 2.0 outside of our professional practice?
Indeed yes. I think there is a lot of negative press on social networking sites. Every week there is something I either read or hear about on the downsides to these sites. I think it is making it slightly less fun but at the same time people do need to be aware of the downsides if you do not engage properly. We need to be smart about privacy settings for example.
ReplyDeleteBut the social role of networking is very important both in and out of practice. For me however, the two tend to mix. I am great friends with dancers from college and past contracts. Socializing with these friends on sites such as facebook even if for fun can also be a great networking tool.