Task 1b: Professional Communication Technologies

I loved IT at school but since leaving school and graduating college my knowledge has crept away, so coming back to an interest of mine and being able to comment on and how the internet will affect me and my career is going to be interesting.

Web 2.0 summarises what we all use every day whether you have heard of it or not, in my case I wasn’t aware of the concepts behind what I use all the time or you could even say too much! Just the other day I was at a meal with my partner and when he left for the toilet the rush of awkwardness hit me and the first thing I reached for was my phone and went straight on Facebook and then Instagram – feeling shielded. On the other hand I applaud Web 2.0 to the fact that it is like an open stage with the scope to put yourself ‘out there’ with many being recognized for their talent – a never ending performance! Showing it can be used in different ways to how we feel at that present time.

It is a second generation internet based community where you are the ‘creator’ like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Unlike Web 1.0 where you are the reader by entering a site and absorbing the content without interacting, Web 2.0 is where you decide what you post and who can see it. I think of it as the outer membrane to the ever changing core of the decisions we can control and let’s be honest we all like to be in control whether we admit it or not. All Web 2.0 communities are very accessible and easy to use which is proven in the statistics found in 2014 – 63% of adults in the age group 50-64 and 56% aged 65+ are Facebook users and in the fact that my mum and other older relatives are now embracing a new era of communication.

What did we do before google? In this generation if we have a question or problem we all say ‘just Google it’- it’s amazing! The ability that we can access a site like Google from anywhere, whether it's on your 'smart' phone, tablet or computer allows millions of people across the world from any background to come together on one community sharing ideas and thoughts. I have even recently downloaded the Blogger app on my phone so that if I can’t get on my computer or I’m away from home I can still blog.

It is such a great platform for communication through various types of means such as; text, images and videos but is this stopping us from doing the old fashioned communication eg. telephone or meeting for a coffee and a catch up? There have been many discussions on whether Web 2.0 and online gaming can stunt a child's social development. Baroness Greenfield, professor of pharmacology said 'a decline in physical human contact meant children struggled to formulate basic social skills and emotional reactions'. The use of computers has crept into education more and other than IT lessons I remember using a laptop in my english lessons most days instead of writing. I feel that if it is used in the correct way and not excessively then being a part of technology is an education in itself. In terms of the BAPP course, Web 2.0 is highly important for us to interact because we are working whilst completing the degree and therefore need a way of learning long distance (Skype and email).

With myself currently teaching and going on to get my PGCE, social media is going to become a risky platform and I must learn to conduct myself in the correct ethical manner and make sure my personal and professional lives are kept separate. The idea of creating a separate online profile account for my personal life has crossed my mind and maybe something I will implicate more in the future but as of now I am going through my Facebook and YouTube accounts to make sure everything is made private or that only my friends can see.

I found this link (below) very interesting about how my online profiles will be effected before I’m employed during and what my friends and family could ‘tag’ me in.

http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/dont-let-facebook-harm-your-career

We have all heard about teacher incidents involving social media and with young adults and children being curious with too much time on their hands, I must be sure that my profile is completely private and not easy to find.

This is a never ending topic that I’m sure will keep expanding and developing over time.

Here’s looking forward to our updates and communicating on Web 2.0!

Sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9636862/Overexposure-to-technology-makes-children-miserable.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2015196/Too-internet-use-damage-teenagers-brains.html