Task 1b Communication Technology – web 2.0

When Web 2.0 was first mentioned I was unfamiliar with the term even though I would say I have good computer skills and have the ability create a website. But the more I read the Reader 1 – Professional Communication Technology the more I realised how much it is a part of my life and how much I understand the concept.

I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family, as well as add more professional colleagues. However I do currently keep my Facebook closed off and limit the people I add, because I work in a school.  I also use YouTube a lot to access software training videos, music, stories for children etc… I can also see myself adding my own software training videos in the future. Using Google to research has become second nature and I have also used Wiki, to give a guide on a subject before doing further research.

Working in a school and having created my own website, I can recognize the importance of eSafety, I am also where that not all the information when researching is correct and it often has a ‘long tail’ as suggested by ‘Tim O Reilly’. It is easy to create a website and everything you put on the ‘WWW’ is on the World Wide Web and has the potential to be hacked. However you can limit the risk by using passwords and firewalls, plus you can also make an educated judgement on the information researched because a lot of it is very useful.

Facebook is at times avoided by schools because of eSafety, but this is not always in the best interest because Facebook has moved on so much since it started out in 2004 that it has become a part of many people’s lives, it is a good way to communicate and keep in touch with each other like Twitter.   (Attitude not technology - meme map – Tim O Reilly)  They are starting to teach eSafety when it comes to Social Networking, they also use Fonter and Frog to sometimes interact, some councils use Twitter to tell parents about snow days etc..,  However when it comes to Facebook, schools are very much at the early stages and are beginners even though there 400 million active users.but they are reluctant to embrace it potential to communicate with parents and create a professional network, because of potential repercussions.  I see Web 2.0 is having great potential to develop a PTA; yes it would need to be monitored, have some rules but it would encourage engagement, give the instruments (as quoted by Bourdieu 1993, Duncombe 1997, McCarty & Junnett 2001, O’Hagan1996, Schuster 1991) to parents to be able get more involved, raise awareness, become the reader and creator – over coming barriers.

As quoted in reader 1 - Communication encourages and enables participation, an active and passive aspect, taking part is as important as creating it.  People who make media and people who consume, encourages people to engage, artist are the audience. Consumption and production, key selling points, network or industry, reading and consuming materials.  I feel this sums up its benefit and Facebook, Wiki, Google are all positive examples of the growth of Web 2.0.   eSafety is also very important as mentioned before because at times you could be talking to complete strangers and you don’t always know who owns the website. Raising awareness, keeping an open mind on the information out there, applying common sense as well making an educated judgement can limit the risk, a bit like a crossing a busy road.

I will continue using Web 2.0, because it has become part of my life. What's more even though I enjoy meeting up with friends, family and professional colleagues, it isn’t always possible due to the instruments of life and web 2.0 gives me an open platform of social and professional networking while I am at home or on my travels.