Net204: Internet Communities and Social Networks - Stage 2: Communities & Web 2.0

Stage 2 is about preparing for the 2000-2500 word paper for the Online Conference. There are 4 streams:

1. Communities and Web 2.0
2. Social Networks
3. Identity in Communities and Networks
4. Communities and Online Gaming

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Communities and Web 2.0

Personal Networks and the Personal Communication System
This paper by Jeffrey Boase discusses how social interactions are affected by online communication. Interesting points from this reader:

• Although it is true that individuals may sometimes form new social ties through one medium such as the Internet, as these ties become close they are often contacted through other means, either in person or by phone
• Social ties have two important dimensions - cognition and behaviour. The cognitive dimension includes the belief that a social tie exists as well as feelings of closeness, memory of past interaction and knowledge about that tie. The behavioural dimension is interaction that typically occurs by way of mediated and unmediated communication.

Web 2.0 Technologies and Community Building Online

This paper by Palloff and Pratt defines Web 2.0 as the second generation of the World Wide Web, offering higher levels of user interaction and collaboration. Much of Web 2.0 emerged from the desire of young people for self-expression through creation of content posted on the Web, easy communication with peers, and ways to stay connected to friends. However many adults are now using Web 2.0 technologies to also stay connected with their networks, as are businesses for marketing purposes.

The more common forms of Web 2.0 technology include, but are not limited to:

• blogs
• learner generated content (aka Collective Intelligence)
• wikis
• podcasts
• RSS
• social networking
• Skype
• Second Life

There are many pros and cons when using Web 2.0 technology. Some negatives include:

• copyright issues (ie Facebook owns whatever you share)
• people can wander into suspect areas or sites by accident
• archiving and loss of content with uploaded files
• social networking sites may blur the lines of formality

References:

Boase, J. (2008). Personal Networks and The Personal Communication System: Using Multiple Media to connect. Information, Communication & Society, 11.4, 490-508

Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2009). Web 2.0 Technologies and Community Building Online. Paper presented at the 25th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning