So far this semester...

I think some of the most important takeaways that I’ve come across from the readings and group discussions in this course so far this semester include understanding the multiple elements of Web 2.0, crowdsourcing, media convergence, the concept of cognitive surplus, and the difference between communal and civic collaborative efforts.

Web 2.0 is a kind of umbrella term that is used to describe the many ways in which people use the Internet. Web 2.0 is a new level of web usability that encourages audience members to become active participants in the development of websites and applications in order to create a more robust online experience for everyone. The concept of the perpetual beta describes the limitless potential for improvement to individual sites or apps – meaning we no longer see applications as having a final form but instead we have the opportunity to continuously update and improve content and applications. As users generate more and more content for certain sites (such as a restaurant rating application for a smart phone) a web-community develops and blooms into a stronger and more effective utility.

Crowdsourcing is a term used to describe our ability to use the Internet as a place to recruit people from all over the world in whatever goal you’re trying to accomplish. In the example of the lost/stolen taxi-cab phone, one person was able to recruit an entire of army of followers who were willing to support his cause. With the help of a few million readers and a number of helpful law enforcement officials, one man was able to get a lost/stolen phone back for his sister.

            Within the new framework of Web 2.0 we also see the emergence of media convergence. This convergence is the site at which media producers and their audiences meet. Once content is created and presented to the world, people with access can comment and often engage with the content in a way that might influence future works by the author. The rate of exchange between the two parties is faster than ever before because of digital communicative technologies.

            Cognitive Surplus is an idea that describes our ability to contribute and collaborate with one another within a global online community. All the free time that the people of the world have to collaborate on projects is lumped together through digital technologies and the Internet. The web provides the platform in which the large scale efforts can take place for virtually any type of project. People with similar interests in working on projects are no longer separated by geographic distances because the tools for online collaboration connect everyone who wants to participate in any specific effort.

            Collaborative efforts that take place within online communities can typically be classified as either communal or civic efforts. Communal efforts, such as lolcats and other popular Internet memes, have value which is created by participants for participants of that web-community. In other words, members of this type of community that value lolcats humor can also generate new content to contribute to the community. The other major type of collaborative effort is a civic effort. In this scenario, producers of media do so in order to enhance or improve society in a new way. An example of this type of effort is Ushahidi.com.