Professional Communications Technology- Course Reader

     After reading through both the Course Reader and the Introduction to Web 2.0 I am delighted to have a wider outlook regarding something that consumes a lot of my time.

     I was in no way aware of the every day use that Web 2.0 has in both my professional life and personal life.

I am a regular user of Facebook, checking my account several times a day....but I now have a different out look on this habit.

     'Web 2.0 as a tool of networking and communication  encourages and enables participation'. ( Professional Communications Technology)  I believe that pages such as Twitter and Facebook do encourage usage by the ease in which we are able to access them, therefore making participation that much more popular. With the participant being led through the creative process step by step,with 28.7% of the worlds population having internet access, and with Web 2.0 reducing barriers such as cost, time, and skills, participation has become that much cheaper and easier, enabling sites such as Facebook the grow to the sheer size that they have.

     After reading out the statistics on Facebook, from the Course Reader to a friend, I completely agree with Bruns argument, that Web 2.0 users are a part of the produsage process. When I told my friend about this process and the shocking statistics, in particular that over 25 billion pieces of content are shared each month on Facebook alone, he replied that he was not a part of that as he only signs in and never posts videos/photos. When I explained to him the possibility that even watching videos posted by others or searching through friends photos or even just the simple act of logging on makes you a part of the statistics, therefore making him a part of the produsage process, he realised there may be reason behind this. I explained to him that we are all kind of like co-producers of every video on Youtube, that for evertime we watch, (consume) a video and the views number increases you are helping to make, (produce) that video more popular. The more popular the video the more people will watch it, making you a tiny part of the overall merit of the video, making you both consumer and producer. This is a concept I have never considered before and I am sure I would have never thought of without the insight of this Reader. 

     In the last 10 years Web 2.0 have had a huge influence regarding the change in not only the way jobs are publicised, but also in the way we can apply for them.
     The Stage Newspaper was once one of the only ways of gathering information on up and coming auditions and jobs. Now there are so many options out there for us. I receive at least ten emails a day from mailing lists, facebook groups, and other web pages that I have joined informing me of companies that are casting for dancers, not to mention the websites that I check on a daily basis for updates on available work, such as Entsweb and Dancerspro.
       It is also now much easier to contact companies regarding work and with the use of Web 2.0 an audition is often not required. With Web 2.0 I have been able to upload my showreel to Youtube, then when I am contacting a company I am able to simply attach the link so casting directors can view my work. With the majority of auditions being held in London, and myself working mainly abroad, this method of applying for work is much more convenient.

      Regarding online professional profiles and personal profiles, I honestly do not see a problem but as professionals we must be intelligent in the way we portray ourselves.
      I have in the past had bosses as friends on facebook but due to one misunderstood post from a work colleague, I decided that this was definitely not appropriate for me. There most definitely has to be a separation between business life and personal life and that's why I decided to create a professional profile. This way companies can view my profile and contact me via my email as opposed to an in box facebook message.

     Overall I think that Web 2.0 has impacted our personal and professional conduct in many ways, helping me to keep contact with friends and family and aiding me to achieve my goals. If the resources available can help me on the road to success I think I would be foolish not to take advantage of them.