Task 1B: Professional Communication Technology continued...

What I have learned about Web 2.0

Tim O'Reilly defines Web 2.0 using text, memes and questions to help define his concept. 

For me the true understanding of Web 2.0 in contrast to Web 1.0 can be summed up in this simple quote

"Web 2.0 takes communication within a network from a traditional one-to-one basis and the one to many to a many-to-many approach, where thousands of people may read and interact" 

(page 4 Reader 1)    

Having previously blogged about Natalie, a magazine editors assistant and part time blogger I began to think about my own personal use of Web 2.0 platforms and how I use them professionally vs for my own social networking. 

I have been a late comer to all popular social media fashions, I only got Facebook after graduating with A Levels and realising it was going to be the best and most simple way for me to stay in touch with all the classmates and friends I had made during my studies.  
I only got Twitter when I realised I was missing out on a whole online community when I was part of a theatre group that used Tweeting as the main method of communication. 
And I only recently got Instagram when I was told by my work that I was going to have to start uploading photos for promotion. 

Its not until I really started using all of these different platforms that I realised not only are they great for networking personally and professionally but they all work together and enable us as users to gain all sorts of information and contact people and businesses that we would never have had the power to reach before. 

But what are the downside to this?
To start with it can be very addictive, it decreases peoples ability to socialise and  communication face to face, it can also be harmful with online bullying and potentially dangerous fake profiles. 

This article below is one I found of great interest, especially the section on "addressing the disadvantages of social networking"   

http://www.rootsofaction.com/disadvantages-of-social-networking/

"What do you think? How will we ensure the healthy growth and development of children and teens, given the known harmful effects and disadvantages of social networking?"

(Marylin Price-Mitchell, PhD) 

I am embarking on this course with the intent of becoming a teacher and I found the points raised in this article very appropriate for my personal professional development. 

Of course social media can be used in many wonderful ways. It can open doors to the world that wouldn't be opened otherwise but are people seeing the damaging effects it can have too and acting to combat them?... just a thought.  

References 

 http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html 

 http://www.rootsofaction.com/disadvantages-of-social-networking/