Module 1: Task 1b - Web Wonderings

I've always had a love/hate relationship with the internet. It is an incredible tool that many of us in this day and age couldn't live without - including myself. But like most good things, when certain people don't treat it with care and respect, it is ruined for the rest of us. 

I'm repeating what I have read on most other BAPP Arts blogs; that I never knew all the social networking sites I use fall under an umbrella of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is basically any platform on the internet used to interact and share content with others. It is a development from Web 1.0 which was purely one way interactions on the internet, much like magazines and newspapers (as mentioned at the beginning of my previous post). 

When first faced with Reader One, I was slightly daunted by the amount I would need to read and research. However, as soon as I had finished the first page, so many points jumped out at me. This has led me to raise and discuss many topics that I hope you will find as interesting to read as I have to critically analyse. 

Network as Platform

'Network as Platform - This means that all the data and software that manages the application is not run locally on your computer and can be accessed anywhere in the world;'

It's an incredible thought that technology on the internet has developed to the point where we are able to communicate to people all over the world. The idea that complete strangers from opposite sides of the planet can share the same social space and connect, is something internet developers can be proud of. It is great for the arts industry to be able to share work from different parts of the world, broadening their knowledge of performance in different cultures. As well as this, it is great for finding overseas connections and possible job prospects abroad. But like most points I will be making in this post, there is a downside to this great achievement if not used sensibly. 

Sharing information to any stranger is dangerous. Trust and the internet don't often go hand-in-hand, so it is essential to always be wary of what information you are sharing and who with. I've heard many horror stories that involve bank details and a person too far away to get back in contact with, should they choose to 'disappear' off the internet. So a word to the wise: don't share personal information unless to you are 100% sure the person you are sharing with can be trusted.

Participation

'Hamilton (2000) notes that participation is a function, in part, of the reduction of barriers to access (such as time, skill and financial comittment) and that an increase in participation can contribute to successful building of relationships and the democratisation of media (Hamilton 2007, p. 371) Web 2.0 advocates that through reducing these barriers and making participation cheap, easy and quick people are more able to get involved in the process of collaboration, sharing and interaction.'

The internet is extremely accessible today. There aren't many homes without it anymore. The majority of websites where participation in interacting and socialising is available, are completely free of charge. This has made it even easier to communicate with others than in previous years when talking for hours ran up a huge telephone bill. My first experience of how valuable these new communication technologies had become, involved the use of Skype when I first moved away from home. Skype is an application used to make free of charge video calls, providing the recipient also has the programme, a microphone and/or webcam. This was a real comfort to be able to see and hear my parents at a terrifying but exciting time in my life. 

Not only has the accessability of these communication technologies benefitted casual forms of interaction, but also interaction in the workplace. Every job I currently have (teaching), was applied for online or manifested through a series of emails. Being able to use these technologies makes the employment process exceptionally faster. However, there are of course drawbacks to the ease of communicating through the internet rather than in person. There have been many cases where people have pretended to be someone they're not with their computer to hide behind. No matter the context of communicaton, be it social or work based, it is important to be wary unless proven otherwise. Television programmes such as 'Catfish' (MTV) and 'Cyberbully' (Channel 4) are both examples of the detrimental affects of interacting with someone with a false identity.

Prosumer and Produsage

''These interactive and partcipatory aspects of new media objects further erode the distinction between artists and audience and offer a model which has been termed the rise of the prosumer, i.e. the consumer is also a producer' (Valtysson 2010' p.205) (see also Rennie (2007))'

'Bruns (2007) argues that in fact there isn't a step by step transition from reading and consuming materials to making and sharing them online, more that each of us as we participate are both producer and consumer (similar to the idea of prosumer suggested above). He calls the process produsage (which is a portmanteau of production and usage)'

The revolution allowing anyone, anywhere to share information, music and videos is invaluable to the arts industry. The amount of videos I see uploaded to Facebook on a daily basis is almost hard to believe. My newsfeed is constantly bombarded with the sharing of dance peformances, clips from singing competitiions and the occasional 'cute animals' compilation. But regardless of whether all of those videos are useful or not, the feedback on one video can include thousands of comments. The benefits of sharing for someone in my line of practice are endless. Showreels and performance clips are a necessity. Being able to share them online and have people give constructive criticism can be highly beneficial to reflection and improvement. The sheer variety of different people who could potentially see and share that video could even provide potential job prospects. You never know who could be watching. For the purpose of teaching, being able to share information for promotion and advertisement on mass is undeniably productive. Not to mention - it's free! However, there is always the need to be careful of copyright infringement and plagiarism. Ensure the ideas which you share are entirely your own or if using copyrighted music, be sure to include a disclaimer. 

Collective Intelligence

'What does collective intelligence bring to the idea of professional networking and professional communications?' 

Collective Intelligence is the idea that complete strangers from all over the world can interact together as a collective, in a social space on the web. It has completely modernised the way in which we network and communicate with in the performing arts industry. Here are a handful of websites which have revolutionised these aspects: 

Facebook: 

I couldn't create a blog post about the Internet without mentioning the phenomenon that is Facebook. Gone are the days of photo albums, party invitations and newspaper advertisements. These can all be produced and accessed through Facebook, making any process far more instant. Groups and events are often created that advertise auditions, teacher cover work, promotional work and various other events or jobs that may be useful to that of an artist. These posts can be shared over and over, allowing those who may not have initially been 'invited' to the event or group, to still see and access them. 

Twitter:

Twitter is an application that has seen vast growth in the last five years or so. It is again, a useful tool to be notified of auditions, job opportunities and events. It also holds the exciting feature of being able to 'follow' and in some cases interact, with well-known names within the industry. It's an insight into who casting directors, producers, agents etc. are interacting with and the latest projects they're working on. The 'hashtag' feature, allows you to directly search specific topics of interest and lists the most popular topics with the use of 'what's trending'. It seems that anyone who's anyone is on the Twitter, so be sure to navigate your way around it! 

Spotlight:

Spotlight (briefly mentioned in my previous post about CV's) is the online network for performers to upload their professional CV to. It allows performers to be part of a database where casting directors can search and pick profiles that they wish to invite to auditions. Performers can also submit themselves for auditions and jobs through the website, using their online CV. It's this ongoing trend throughout my analysis of Web 2.0, that processes are made faster and far more instantaneous. All a casting director, agent or producer needs to do is click on your Spotlight link and they are immediately given all the information they could possibly need. It's a quick and easy way to communicate and network with others in the industry. 

Blogs & Forums: 

I cannot count the amount of times I have read blogs and forums for performing arts related advice. It is incredibly easy to ask questions and recieve answers on any related topic. There are often forums for scripts, sheet music, audition advice and even tip-offs on upcoming opportunities. Similar to the use of blogs on the BAPP course, it's a great way to post ideas or performances and recieve constructive criticism from those in the same field of work. 

Being Smart on Facebook

'Teachers are probably the most vulnerable group in danger from violations of boundary crossing between one's personal and professional lives' (Kuehn, 2010, p. 86).

Facebook is a great tool for professional networking but it is also useful for staying in touch with friends and family. Due to it's social nature, the sharing of photographs and the 'tagging' of those featured in the picture is a normality of the website. However, from a teacher's perspective, this can be potentially harmful to their professionalism. Therefore, it is essential to always keep privacy settings in mind when creating a profile on social networking websites. It is also advised to be aware of anything you post, share or are tagged in. Would you be happy if your student's saw that photo or status update? Would you be comfortable with your student's parents seeing your Facebook profile page? These are questions that I constantly ask myself before I make any posts public. The school's I currently work in have asked me to sign contracts that relate to social networking. I am agreeing to staying appropriate on social networking websites and always being aware of what I choose to post. 

Using the Web as a Tool for Learning

'Increasingly, the Web 2.0 has been used by others who are experiencing continued professional development or educational studies.'

I personally believe that using the internet for learning is extremely useful. Information is easy to access as long as it is reliable. We all learn in different ways and I feel for some individuals the internet can provide better understanding. However, it's important to learn using varied techniques and resources and I don't believe any learning should be done solely through the internet. The only downside to using the internet for learning is the risk of plagerism, so this is something to watch closely.

In conclusion, Web 2.0 is a fascinating concept that will keep expanding and developing as time goes on. It has opened up the world of professional networking and communication. In many ways, I am thankful that I have never been without it during such crucial moments in my career. It's certainly made my journey much easier. There are downsides to the use of Web 2.0 but as long as I am careful, I believe I can use the features to their full advantage without problems.