I have just been reading through Peter Bryant's Blog 'Making Social Media Tick'. I found the video interview with Don Tapscott an interesting view, quite scary in some ways about how things are changing and possibly daunting for the future.
He starts by explaining how the new generation of 'tech-savvy' kids have the ability to multi-process- listen to music, surf the Internet and talk on the phone all at the same time. I would agree, I have often been found doing all three at the same time! The interviewer argued that surely then this mean kids will grow up with a short attention span and inability to focus. Tapscott's response to this was no, kids can focus just fine. His example was how kids can spend hours concentrating on a video game. Well yes a perfect example of that would be my 15 year old brother who we cannot tear away from his PlayStation 3! Does he have problems focusing at school? Unfortunately yes he does. So I do not agree that because a kid can sit on a video game or the Internet for hours that is a good measure of their focus. I can quite easily be very focused in dance for hours but not necessarily housekeeping!
He goes on to talk about a new "Generation Lap" whereby children are advancing on their elders in their digital knowledge, lapping their parents on the info track. This is very true. Two years ago I introduced my Mother to the world of emailing and the giant social site Facebook. It took some time but she eventually got the hang of it. Now there was good reasoning in introducing her to this new cyber world. Since I am often away on contracts it has been a cheap and easy way to stay in contact. She can send me a message, see my pictures of where I have been and even figured out instant chat! Now this was not an easy task to teach someone who was scared of computers how to find her way around. But now she has the basic knowledge and sees the benefits. E-mail has come in very handy. My brother attends The Royal Ballet Associates Course in London and they regularly email her about updates and classes. She regularly uses trip advisor most recently to search reviews on restaurants for their upcoming holiday. Now although no expert (she probably couldn't upload a YouTube video unless properly shown) she has become one of the millions that relies on the Internet.
As long as she doesn't take any advice from How parents stalk then I should be safe!
Tapscott feels that companies need to rethink the way they are targeting their customers. "Don't focus on customers, engage them" (Growing Up Digital, Don Tapscott). Prosumers want to be engaged in co-creating products they buy. He gave an example of The Threadless Company whereby the Customer is the Company. You can design your own product which will be put to the public to vote on and when there is enough demand for it they put it into production giving you some prize money andonline store credit. Is this innovative concept where producer and consumer collaborate slowly shaping the way businesses will be run in the future?
Tapscott does warn at the end of the video that the problem with this new generation is that we have a"cavalier attitude to privacy" (Growing Up Digital, Don Tapscott). I am glad to see that he did raise an important issue Web 2.0 technology faces. Going through every one's blog it is something that we all seem to raise concerns on, especially in professional practice. You wouldn't want a future employer to suddenly see pictures of you on a drunken night out and for this reason I have created a whole separate Facebook account. We leave a trail of digital media behind us that can end up being the image of us therefore we need to take the time to understand privacy settings and protect are personal information. I agree with Tapscott that or generation are too cavalier about privacy exposing more and more of themselves. We can see how this can lead to trouble from my blog about the school teacher that may get fired.
I then went onto watch the video called Social Media Revolution from Socialnomics. One clip that really stood out to me was:
"In the near future we will no longer search products and services,
they will find us via social media"
In my earlier post about Web 2.0 technologies I touched on how I think the web will develop in the future and I felt search engines will become more personalised to our needs. No doubt social media is changing the way we now socialise (who doesn't have a Facbook account?) and the way businesses are run and marketed. Developing at such a rapid pace it is overwhelming to think of the possibilities for digital media in the future.
The Future of Social Media (Steve Rubel,13th Jan 2010)
I found the above video on socialmediaexaminer.com. It is an interview with Steve Rubel, the director of Insights for Edelman Digital, the world's largest independent PR firm that help clients identify new trends in digital technology. He gives advice to businesses talking of "shared mutual gain" in which the customer wants to walk with you. Like Tapscott he shows us another example of a company listening to their consumers- My Starbucks Idea where anyone in the world can give Starbucks their feedback and ideas. At the end he closes with a powerful statement:
"Digital is not optional, its is mandatory" (Steve Rubel, 2010)
He predicts "there will be no tangible media in 5 years" and "it is where the world is going". Good or bad there is nothing we can do except hold on, be careful and embrace it!
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
2c Thoughts so far on Reflective Theory
Over the past week I have been going through the Reflective Practices Reader, doing my own research on the theories mentioned and trying to condense my thoughts. I think reflection will be a great tool in learning more about ourselves and a path to self-discovery. Part of the reason I undertook this course was to try and figure out what kind of career path I might like to take after dancing. By reflecting on my dance practice I will be able to realise my strengths and weaknesses and see places where I can improve myself.
Generally the way I reflect on events is by talking them through with other people. This past Saturday I attended my cousin’s Wedding along with family and friends. On Sunday the topic of conversation amongst the family was about the day and what we thought. We talked about how the day evolved, what went well and what didn’t go according to plan, what we liked and didn’t like etc. Since I am getting married next year we were very critical to see what we might take from their day to help us plan ours.
'I learnt that by experience!'
I think I have said that many times before. For task 2a on Reflective writing, I chose a recent audition I attended. One of the things I realised from that day was that ways I now act in auditions are very different from when I first started out, as I have 'learnt from experience'. I agree with John Dewey's idea of continuity that we learn from experiences from the time we are born and that each experience we have will shape us as a person carrying through to our future. Past auditions I have attended will influence and shape my future ones.
Along with Dewey, David Kolb stressed the importance that role experience plays in learning and developed the idea of a learning cycle. At first I was not very sure where I came in on the learning cycle. I have experienced choreographers asking me to try something out (Active Experimentation) and at other times to just do it (Concrete Experience). When first looking at the reader I thought I was point C (the center) since in different situations I touch some or all of the points mentioned.
I felt that as a professional dancer, learning a particular dance routine or move might go something like this:
1) Reflective Observation: Watching the choreographer demonstrate a move or another performer trying it out (reflective observation)
2) Abstract Conceptualisation: Understanding the technique behind the move and how to achieve that
3) Concrete Experience: Trying the move and receiving tips/critiques from the choreographer/teacher
4) Active Experimentation: Trying new ways to improve the move, having a go at it
So now I started to think I came in the Reflective Observation point of the cycle. This became first evident when we came to creating our blog. Rather than just get stuck in on the task, I looked through other people's blogs not only from this year but last year's class. I observed what I liked, didn’t like and then reflected on what I could learn from observing other people’s work.
To understand the points of the cycle further, I decided to do some more research into Kolb's Learning Styles and found the four styles explained:
Converger- Combines Abstract Conceptualisation with Active Experimentation
These people tend to focus on problem solving, coming up with ideas and theories and enjoy more technical tasks than social issues.
Diverger- Combines Concrete Experience with Reflective Observation
These people tend to observe and are able to see things from different points of view. They are interested in people and cultures and have strong imagination.
Assimilator- Combines Abstract Conceptualisation and Reflective Observation
These people can take a load of information and put it into a theory. They are more concerned with abstract ideas than people.
Accommodator- Combines Concrete Experience and Active Experimentation
These people tend to be risk takers, problem solvers and learn from "hands-on" experience. They tend to go on gut instinct relying on people for information rather than their own point of view.
Now this was making more sense to me. I could now see that I am a Diverger- in between Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation.
As a dancer our learning is more hands-on than text driven. My learning cycle for dance might look something like this:
Nb. I couldn't get my arrows transferred onto this blog, so help with how you do that would be greatly appreciated.
DEMONSTRATION
(watch choreographer)
PRODUCTION DANCE
(it’s show time!) (repeat the moves)
CRITIQUE
(listen to corrections and make any changes)
One of Kolb's ideas was that of perception continuum, referring to our emotional response, which people learn by thinking or feeling. Feeling and being aware of the sensations felt by movement was a key element in my learning to dance and watching others. In the professional world of dance we rely heavily on vision taking in what is being demonstrated before copying the same movement. We have the ability to learn not just by feeling our own body move but by watching others. Professional dancers have the ability to watch someone do a short routine and repeat it.
At Elmhurst, sometimes teachers would have us facing away from the mirrors for us to learn whether the movement 'felt' right. You don’t dance with a mirror in front of you onstage they would say so we would practice without one.
Donna Silva "I try to get them to feel it from the inside out" (Dance Magazine, Nancy Alfargo, 2007)
I think this is an interesting point of feeling from the inside out. As dancers we learn a movement by watching and then doing. It seems to me that as artists we learn from the inside out whereas other professions learn from the outside in. This is an important issue when it comes to teaching students.
By now understanding where I come in on Kolb’s learning cycle and by creating my own I have discovered my strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: imaginative, understand people, have cultural interests, can see things from different perspectives
Weaknesses: not good at making decisions or problem solving
For teachers Kolb’s cycle can be of great benefit as it allows them to understand their pupils further. However, my only problem with the cycle is that a number of the points can happen at the same time whilst certain points can be missed or skipped altogether.
Generally the way I reflect on events is by talking them through with other people. This past Saturday I attended my cousin’s Wedding along with family and friends. On Sunday the topic of conversation amongst the family was about the day and what we thought. We talked about how the day evolved, what went well and what didn’t go according to plan, what we liked and didn’t like etc. Since I am getting married next year we were very critical to see what we might take from their day to help us plan ours.
'I learnt that by experience!'
I think I have said that many times before. For task 2a on Reflective writing, I chose a recent audition I attended. One of the things I realised from that day was that ways I now act in auditions are very different from when I first started out, as I have 'learnt from experience'. I agree with John Dewey's idea of continuity that we learn from experiences from the time we are born and that each experience we have will shape us as a person carrying through to our future. Past auditions I have attended will influence and shape my future ones.
Along with Dewey, David Kolb stressed the importance that role experience plays in learning and developed the idea of a learning cycle. At first I was not very sure where I came in on the learning cycle. I have experienced choreographers asking me to try something out (Active Experimentation) and at other times to just do it (Concrete Experience). When first looking at the reader I thought I was point C (the center) since in different situations I touch some or all of the points mentioned.
I felt that as a professional dancer, learning a particular dance routine or move might go something like this:
1) Reflective Observation: Watching the choreographer demonstrate a move or another performer trying it out (reflective observation)
2) Abstract Conceptualisation: Understanding the technique behind the move and how to achieve that
3) Concrete Experience: Trying the move and receiving tips/critiques from the choreographer/teacher
4) Active Experimentation: Trying new ways to improve the move, having a go at it
So now I started to think I came in the Reflective Observation point of the cycle. This became first evident when we came to creating our blog. Rather than just get stuck in on the task, I looked through other people's blogs not only from this year but last year's class. I observed what I liked, didn’t like and then reflected on what I could learn from observing other people’s work.
To understand the points of the cycle further, I decided to do some more research into Kolb's Learning Styles and found the four styles explained:
Converger- Combines Abstract Conceptualisation with Active Experimentation
These people tend to focus on problem solving, coming up with ideas and theories and enjoy more technical tasks than social issues.
Diverger- Combines Concrete Experience with Reflective Observation
These people tend to observe and are able to see things from different points of view. They are interested in people and cultures and have strong imagination.
Assimilator- Combines Abstract Conceptualisation and Reflective Observation
These people can take a load of information and put it into a theory. They are more concerned with abstract ideas than people.
Accommodator- Combines Concrete Experience and Active Experimentation
These people tend to be risk takers, problem solvers and learn from "hands-on" experience. They tend to go on gut instinct relying on people for information rather than their own point of view.
Now this was making more sense to me. I could now see that I am a Diverger- in between Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation.
As a dancer our learning is more hands-on than text driven. My learning cycle for dance might look something like this:
Nb. I couldn't get my arrows transferred onto this blog, so help with how you do that would be greatly appreciated.
DEMONSTRATION
(watch choreographer)
PRODUCTION DANCE
(it’s show time!) (repeat the moves)
CRITIQUE
(listen to corrections and make any changes)
One of Kolb's ideas was that of perception continuum, referring to our emotional response, which people learn by thinking or feeling. Feeling and being aware of the sensations felt by movement was a key element in my learning to dance and watching others. In the professional world of dance we rely heavily on vision taking in what is being demonstrated before copying the same movement. We have the ability to learn not just by feeling our own body move but by watching others. Professional dancers have the ability to watch someone do a short routine and repeat it.
At Elmhurst, sometimes teachers would have us facing away from the mirrors for us to learn whether the movement 'felt' right. You don’t dance with a mirror in front of you onstage they would say so we would practice without one.
Donna Silva "I try to get them to feel it from the inside out" (Dance Magazine, Nancy Alfargo, 2007)
I think this is an interesting point of feeling from the inside out. As dancers we learn a movement by watching and then doing. It seems to me that as artists we learn from the inside out whereas other professions learn from the outside in. This is an important issue when it comes to teaching students.
By now understanding where I come in on Kolb’s learning cycle and by creating my own I have discovered my strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: imaginative, understand people, have cultural interests, can see things from different perspectives
Weaknesses: not good at making decisions or problem solving
For teachers Kolb’s cycle can be of great benefit as it allows them to understand their pupils further. However, my only problem with the cycle is that a number of the points can happen at the same time whilst certain points can be missed or skipped altogether.
Monday, 25 October 2010
2a Reflective Journal
Task 2a asks us to keep a reflective journal that we will be using throughout this course. I have kept a couple of journals growing up documenting day to day events and how I felt about them. One I wrote for learning purposes was for Elmhurst School for Dance. We were asked as students to keep a learning journal of our daily corrections we were given. This was very helpful in our development as young dancers to grow and learn from what teachers were telling us. It helped us to remember what different dance teachers had said and to look back and correct ourselves. It was a way for us to see our weaknesses and strengths on paper, reflect on why we do something one way and think about how might improve it.This journal from Elmhurst definitely had benefits to developing our learning. As well as a way of recording what happens in our day it encouraged us to reflect on our thinking.
I must say I was slightly apprehensive about this task. Journals I have written in the past never really lasted very long. I would write in them every night, forget to do it for about a week then eventually stop altogether! I seemed to fall into the trap of listing the days events rather than going into much depth about how I was feeling at the time. I am hoping this journal will not just report what happens but channel my emotions, deepen self understanding, allow me to reflect of why I do things and why things happened in that way.
"The journal offers a way to sort out the multitude of demands and interactions and to highlight the most important ones" Mary Louise Holly (1989:9)
So where do I start? Well I started to look into what a journal actually is. As Adesola points out in the Reflective Practice Reader, we may think we know something but do we really? "Understanding you don't know something is important because it is the first stage of learning" Adesola Akinleye (2010:5) Now of course I have my own ideas of what a journal is- means in which to record the days events, thoughts, feelings, jot down tasks etc, but I felt I would do a bit of research to define a journal. I commented on Natalie Less' blog that I felt we both use abstract conceptualisation, by reading more into journal writing rather than jumping straight in.
Google defines a journal as:
diary: a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations
a periodical dedicated to a particular subject; "he reads the medical journals"
daybook: a ledger in which transactions have been recorded as they occurred
a record book as a physical object
Wikipedia defines a journal as:
"A journal is kind of like a mirror that reflects and image of our inside instead of outside" E-how
It really makes us look at ourselves in a different way putting our thoughts and feelings in black and white. Being a dancer, so much of what we do is Donald Schon's idea of 'reflection-in-action'. We adapt and change whilst dancing, 'thinking on our feet' and rarely ever reflect on why we did acted that way unless something went wrong. Keeping a journal will be a way to reflect-on-action by thinking about why something happened that way and learn from it.
So, with my notebook at the ready I will begin this important learning process. I am going to take time out each night to jot some things down from my day. In relation to my professional practice I am due to leave on 11th December for a dance contract, so I feel I will have some interesting entries around that time. I am excited about starting my journal as I think it will be a key part of the course to help me develop and learn from. It will be a "tool for self discovery" Ron Klug (2002:1). It will be an ongoing process throughout the course, "an accumulation of material that is mainly based on the writer's processes of reflection"
I must say I was slightly apprehensive about this task. Journals I have written in the past never really lasted very long. I would write in them every night, forget to do it for about a week then eventually stop altogether! I seemed to fall into the trap of listing the days events rather than going into much depth about how I was feeling at the time. I am hoping this journal will not just report what happens but channel my emotions, deepen self understanding, allow me to reflect of why I do things and why things happened in that way.
"The journal offers a way to sort out the multitude of demands and interactions and to highlight the most important ones" Mary Louise Holly (1989:9)
So where do I start? Well I started to look into what a journal actually is. As Adesola points out in the Reflective Practice Reader, we may think we know something but do we really? "Understanding you don't know something is important because it is the first stage of learning" Adesola Akinleye (2010:5) Now of course I have my own ideas of what a journal is- means in which to record the days events, thoughts, feelings, jot down tasks etc, but I felt I would do a bit of research to define a journal. I commented on Natalie Less' blog that I felt we both use abstract conceptualisation, by reading more into journal writing rather than jumping straight in.
Google defines a journal as:
Wikipedia defines a journal as:
- a daily record of events or business; a private journal is usually referred to as a diary.
- a newspaper or other periodical, in the literal sense of one published each day.
- many publications issued at stated intervals, such as magazines, or scholarly pacific journals, academic journals, or the record of the transactions of a society, are often called journals. Although journal is sometimes used, erroneously[citation needed], as a synonym for "magazine", in academic use, a journal refers to a serious, scholarly publication, most often peer-reviewed. A non-scholarly magazine written for an educated audience about an industry or an area of professional activity is usually[citation needed] called a professional magazine.
"A journal is kind of like a mirror that reflects and image of our inside instead of outside" E-how
It really makes us look at ourselves in a different way putting our thoughts and feelings in black and white. Being a dancer, so much of what we do is Donald Schon's idea of 'reflection-in-action'. We adapt and change whilst dancing, 'thinking on our feet' and rarely ever reflect on why we did acted that way unless something went wrong. Keeping a journal will be a way to reflect-on-action by thinking about why something happened that way and learn from it.
So, with my notebook at the ready I will begin this important learning process. I am going to take time out each night to jot some things down from my day. In relation to my professional practice I am due to leave on 11th December for a dance contract, so I feel I will have some interesting entries around that time. I am excited about starting my journal as I think it will be a key part of the course to help me develop and learn from. It will be a "tool for self discovery" Ron Klug (2002:1). It will be an ongoing process throughout the course, "an accumulation of material that is mainly based on the writer's processes of reflection"
Friday, 22 October 2010
Planning study time
I am due to leave for a Dance Contract on 11th-29th Dec for a Circus Festival Show in Holland. With a trip planned from my fiance when I return, I have been concerned about how I will complete the module for the deadline in January. So with this in mind I decided to set myself a study plan giving myself some targets to meet by putting time aside each week to complete them. Let me know what you think. Note that Task 2a: Reflective Journal will be an ongoing process.
WK 1 (25th-31st Oct): Complete Reflective Writing task 2b and Reflective theory task 2c
WK 2 (1st-7th Nov): Complete Inquiry task 2d
WK 3 (8th-14th Nov): Read The Networked Professional Course Reader, attend Campus Day and raise any questions for part 3, blog about the day, complete task 3a Current Networks
WK 4 (15th-21st Nov): Complete task 3b therories relating to networking
WK 5 (22nd-30th Nov): Complete tasks 3c and 3d
WK 6&7 (1st-11th Dec): Compile Assesment Portfolio for Module WBS3002
12th Dec-6th Jan: Review all tasks and portfolio making sure each task has been looked at in depth
I feel this timeline will help me to not get so overwhelmed allowing me to tackle tasks one by one making sure I give each enough time.
WK 1 (25th-31st Oct): Complete Reflective Writing task 2b and Reflective theory task 2c
WK 2 (1st-7th Nov): Complete Inquiry task 2d
WK 3 (8th-14th Nov): Read The Networked Professional Course Reader, attend Campus Day and raise any questions for part 3, blog about the day, complete task 3a Current Networks
WK 4 (15th-21st Nov): Complete task 3b therories relating to networking
WK 5 (22nd-30th Nov): Complete tasks 3c and 3d
WK 6&7 (1st-11th Dec): Compile Assesment Portfolio for Module WBS3002
12th Dec-6th Jan: Review all tasks and portfolio making sure each task has been looked at in depth
I feel this timeline will help me to not get so overwhelmed allowing me to tackle tasks one by one making sure I give each enough time.
Monday, 18 October 2010
Social Networks in the press
Waking up this morning with a coffee in hand I turned on The Wright Stuff to listen to the last part of a debate going on. "Should a teacher who posted bikini shots of herself on a social networking sites loose her job? What if I told you she worked for a Christian School?" A female teacher is being investigated by a Christian school after pupils claimed to have seen pictures of her on a website while she also boasts about boozy nights out on Twitter. A perfect example of just how careful we should be!! She really should have known better than to upload these pictures of herself to a place where anyone can access it especially working in that profession.
On a more positive note today on social networking sites, The Daily Star and The Daily Mail reported of a Toddler who was saved by Facebook! A nurse, observing a photograph of the girl noticed that she had a red eye and something looked wrong. She contacted the mother who took her daughter to the doctors where she was diagnosed with a rare Cancer that only affects young children. They said if left that the cancer could have been fatal. The mother said it was all down to the nurse for observing this that it has been caught and treated. Some positive press on the good facebook can have!
The Social Network Movie movie is now out in cinemas telling the story of brains behind Facebook. An interesting review to read is on geeks.co.uk
On a more positive note today on social networking sites, The Daily Star and The Daily Mail reported of a Toddler who was saved by Facebook! A nurse, observing a photograph of the girl noticed that she had a red eye and something looked wrong. She contacted the mother who took her daughter to the doctors where she was diagnosed with a rare Cancer that only affects young children. They said if left that the cancer could have been fatal. The mother said it was all down to the nurse for observing this that it has been caught and treated. Some positive press on the good facebook can have!
The Social Network Movie movie is now out in cinemas telling the story of brains behind Facebook. An interesting review to read is on geeks.co.uk
Friday, 15 October 2010
Professional Facebook Page!
In response to the campus session we had I have now posted a Professional Facebook page. I removed all contacts from agencies, collegues I have worked with and managers etc and added them to my new professional profile. I will be uploading only professional pictures and keeping content updates on my career and this course I am undertaking. My agent is now added as well as agencies I am on that post audition notices. You can search my name by logging onto Facebook and search Laura Weir and there will be 2 profiles- one with my headshot and the other with my fiance. Thanks to my group for raising a vaild point on this at the campus session. I will keep you updated!
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
'Remix' thoughts in response to Paula's Blog
I have just read Paula's recent Blog about 'The Antoine Phenomenon' and it made me think about how sites like YouTube have made 'viral videos' spiral out of control. Has anyone seen Tosh.O? It’s an American TV show hosted by Daniel Tosh where he takes online video clips and makes hilarious comments about them as well as every episode doing his own take on a clip and inviting someone from it on. Without the creation of sites such as YouTube shows like this wouldn’t even exist!
Video sharing sites have the power to turn normal people into overnight celebrities.
An example of this is David’s Visit to the Dentist. This clip about a kid’s trip to the dentist became an overnight hit! In the original clip you see David all spaced out from the drugs he had and his dad (finding this very funny) filmed it and decided to share it with the world on YouTube. Little did they know it would have so many hits and David made it onto Tosh.O. However despite the popularity David’s father has been critisized with the story published in The Wall Street Journal. We see evidence of 'remixing' with this story from the Remix version now available on I-tunes and even a Talking cat version! It is crazy how something parent just thought was just a funny video became an instant hit. Good or bad press this kid became so popular he is now advertising The Firefly Toothbrush!
So what can we learn from stories like this? We can see that viral videos have the potential to become a massive phenomenon! Posting videos that may seem 'harmless' can infact have a HUGE effect. Imagine how David's dad must have felt for being so badly crticized about something he presumed was just harmless fun. Now if his Dad was already a very well know public man this could have looked even worse against his name and his reputation. There is also a positive here though. Tosh.0 has brought David and his Dad onto TV giving David now advertising chances and they have made around $150,000 since they posted it.
Video sharing sites have the power to turn normal people into overnight celebrities.
An example of this is David’s Visit to the Dentist. This clip about a kid’s trip to the dentist became an overnight hit! In the original clip you see David all spaced out from the drugs he had and his dad (finding this very funny) filmed it and decided to share it with the world on YouTube. Little did they know it would have so many hits and David made it onto Tosh.O. However despite the popularity David’s father has been critisized with the story published in The Wall Street Journal. We see evidence of 'remixing' with this story from the Remix version now available on I-tunes and even a Talking cat version! It is crazy how something parent just thought was just a funny video became an instant hit. Good or bad press this kid became so popular he is now advertising The Firefly Toothbrush!
So what can we learn from stories like this? We can see that viral videos have the potential to become a massive phenomenon! Posting videos that may seem 'harmless' can infact have a HUGE effect. Imagine how David's dad must have felt for being so badly crticized about something he presumed was just harmless fun. Now if his Dad was already a very well know public man this could have looked even worse against his name and his reputation. There is also a positive here though. Tosh.0 has brought David and his Dad onto TV giving David now advertising chances and they have made around $150,000 since they posted it.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
1b Professional Communications Technologies
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.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
1c Audio-visual
Okay so here it is! My YouTube clip. Must admit it I wasn't too sure about this, hence why I have decided not to appear in it following on from some of your clips I have seen already. It was actuall quite fun creating this video and I am sure as I become more confident and experienced I will be able to put myself on one and create better edits. I added some upbeat music that reflects the way I feel about the course. I am excited to have started out on BAPP and look forward to learning and doing more.
I decided to make this clip private so that you can only view it by following the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUYJHV5h3BM
I decided to make this clip private so that you can only view it by following the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUYJHV5h3BM
Monday, 11 October 2010
My thoughts on Blogging
So far this course has introduced me to a new world of Blogging! Before starting BAPP I had never blogged before- what would I write about? I had heard of the new phenomenon "Twitter" and honestly thought to myself “don’t people have anything better to do with their time?", "why don’t they just tell someone their thoughts and ideas". BAPP is showing me how blogging can be an effective way to promote yourself and network with other professionals. You can choose who you follow and edit what you want people to see. At first I found the idea of creating a Blog quite daunting but it is proving to be an effective way to communicate thoughts and ideas and be able to comment and learn from other people’s ideas as well. I have now worked out how to use Google Reader to search and add new people to follow (much easier than how I first started with having to keep adding people one by one!) But of course this search only works if your Blog is public, which I understand some of you might want to keep it private. I get updates on the people I am following so I can view what you have recently posted and keep up-to-date. In relation to my own professional practice I think Blogging, when managed properly can be a positive way to promote you even more. That if a future employer searched my name and a professional blog came up that they would have access to CV, photos, videos and possibly learn more about me.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
1d Flicker Photos and Slideshow
I have now set up a Flicker Account and added some photos of myself at work- more to follow! I feel like this is a great way to promote myself some more as a Professional Dancer. Also what a great way for people to view multiple photos at a time without having to upload each individually I can just post the link as shown above and you will be able to view all my pictures. I am also able to keep my photographs public or just for friends to view therefore able to differ between what I want kept personal and open to the public.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraweir/show/
Also I wanted to have photos on my Blog page so I added a slideshow that I created with my Picassa account by Google.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lauraweir2001/Slideshow#
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraweir/show/
Also I wanted to have photos on my Blog page so I added a slideshow that I created with my Picassa account by Google.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lauraweir2001/Slideshow#
Monday, 4 October 2010
Campus Session on Web 2.0
Do web based technologies enhance Professional Practice?
Today we were presented with the above question. The task set to us was in small groups to break-down and discuss the question, find evidence to support this and then come up with a 5 minute presentation using power point and then a 45 sec summary of our findings.
Our group started by breaking down the question by coming up with our own definitions and opinions.
WEB BASED TECHNOLOGIES
We found these to be sites such as Wikipedia, Casting websites, Google Docs, YouTube, Flicker/Picasa, Blogs, MSN/Skype, Email, Review sites etc.
ENHANCE
Our definition of enhancing your career to us meant improving your chances, developing your career options as more sites equals more auditions. It is what can benefit you as long as you keep up-to-date with the ever changing technology.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTISE
* Managing your career- yourself or your agent
* Marketing yourself
* Way you conduct yourself in your professional career
* Personal to the individual
Web 2.0 Pros and Cons:
PROS
* Rating sites can be very good for the consumer to see what they are getting and can be good for the business to show how good they are
* Companies can market on sites such as Face book
* Casting sites can help you find work/auditions
* You can research anything on search engines
* Now communicate internationally through email/Skype
* Email- fast, easy, green, saves money, instant
* Can work from home
CONS
* Comments/reviews people write can be detrimental
* You can be tagged in anything which could be damaging
* Could be scam/bad websites
* Google takes any info and stores it, how do you know the info is correct?
* Hackers on internet, reach personal info
* We are dependent on technology
* Loss of personal communication
* Only seeing what you present, not real person
We then chose three web based technologies to look at further and base our presentation on. These were:
* SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES i.e. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter
* CASTING WEBSITES
* GMAIL/GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE
We found evidence from published materials as well as from our own experiences. I talked about the social networking sites. To this I used my personal experience with Face book. On my last contract with Belinda King Productions for Cunard the cast had to sign a release form before we joined the ship. This stated that we would not post any pictures of us in costume on any website or social network site. In the past many dancers had posted photos of themselves in costumes but they didn’t want those getting out due to copyright.
I found that doing this task made me think in a way I hadn’t before on technology we use every day. I was recently asked to become friends on Facebook with my agent something I wasn’t too keen of. Not because I have anything to hide, but I think personal and professional should be kept separate. For me personally I came away with an important question:
- Should we have separate social sites- personal and professional?
Again it is up to the individual but I think in my industry it is an important part of personal management and I am going to set up separate Facebook account since I have agents and promotional work come to my account.
So, our overall conclusion was that we are at risk of becoming dependant on technology i.e. if your laptop breaks down or you can’t get internet access and we have to watch out for bad websites, hackers and the loss of communication. However we feel Personal Professional Management is the key. The use of Web Based Technology does enhance professional practice and as long as you manage yourself the right way it can lead to more opportunities and chances of work.
1a Laura Jane Weir Professional CV
Laura Jane Weir
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Agents: Dancers International
New Wave Agency
New Wave Agency
TRAINING
Elmhurst School for Dance, 2002-2005
The Royal Ballet School Senior Associates London, 2000-2002
The Florian School of Dance, Winchester, 1990-2002
QUALIFICATIONS
National Dance Diploma in Classical Ballet and Comtemporary
A Level Dance
A Level English Literature
PERFORMING EXPERIENCE
Coppelia, Elmhurst Summer Show, Corps de Ballet, 2005
The World Cup Gymnastics Opening Ceremony, NEC Birmingham, Contemporary piece, 2004
Elmhurst Summer Show, Ballet and Contemporary pieces, 2004
'Sir Fred and Mr B Gala', The Birmingham Hippodrome, 'Facade', 2004
Elmhurst Summer Show, 'Napoli' Ballet and Contemporary pieces, 2004
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
Cunard World Cruise, Belinda King Productions, Oct 2009-Apr 2010
Flip5 Live!, Freestyle Music Park, Apr 2008-Apr 2009
Legends In Concert, OnStage Entertainment, Apr 2008-Apr 2009
Le Grande Cirque and The Dean Martin Variety Tribute, Spirit Productions, Jan-Dec 2007
Eclipse, StageWorks Worldwide Productions, May-Nov 2006
MSC Sinfonia, ArtsMedia Productions, Sep 2005-Feb 2006
Romeo and Juliet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, UK Tour, Dec 2004-Apr 2005
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
Harrods Christmas Parade, StageWorks Worldwide Productions, Oct 2006
ITV Drama Series 'Bad Girls', New Wave Agency, Background extra and Line Dancer, May 2006
Cornetto Commercial, McCann Advertisements, Background Artist, Apr 2006
AstraZeneca Conference, Wembley Conference Centre, Psycho Management, Pointe Solo, Apr 2006
OTHER
Profficient in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Ballroom styles
Trained and performed on Lira
Worked as Videographer and Spolight technician for 'Legends In Concert'
Assistant to Marketing Director for 'Le Grande Cirque'
Dance Captain for 'Flip5 Live' involved in teaching choreography and casting
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