Using Web 2.0

As a so-called “Digital Native,” I’ve grown up surrounded by technology, and technology has grown with my generation. I wonder, at what point did we graduate to Web 2.0 from Web 1.0? I have grown up with both versions, but it seems difficult to remember a time when the Web wasn’t interactive with virtual communities and user-generated content. YouTube was created less than six years ago, but the site has become so popular for entertainment (and even educational purposes) that it is difficult to remember the days before the site was launched into the internet Hall of Fame.

 So, how do I use Web 2.0? Like many others, I have various social networking accounts – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. I have the ability to check and/or update each one of these sites from my Blackberry or iTouch. Of my various social networking accounts, I only regularly use Facebook. The other accounts have been started, but not expanded upon. With all this talk about limiting one’s digital footprint and monitoring what is said on the internet, I think I’ve become somewhat hesitant to explore these accounts more in-depth.

It is easy to assume, since I am a “Digital Native,” that I have some vast technological knowledge. As I prepare to graduate this spring and begin applying for jobs, I seem to be finding out just how unprepared I am for the jobs created just for “Digital Natives” and Gen Y. I wonder what constitutes proficiency in a computer program, application, or other form of technology. At what point does one become knowledgeable enough in a program to be able to list it on his or her resume?

Of course there are other aspects to Web 2.0 other than the popular social media sites. However, I have had no desire to create a blog and add to the unending digital diarrhea that has flooded the internet and my Google search results (the new search engine Bing! has a point in the phrase “What has search-overload done to us?”). This should be interesting.

Web 2.0 Interests

Today, we live in a world dominated by the internet and social media. The New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year in 2009 was Unfriend (v. To remove someone as a 'friend' on a social networking site such as Facebook). Though I feel comfortable creating and maintaining a Facebook site (public or private), I don’t have a lot of experience with other social media sites, such as Twitter. How relevant has Twitter become in the professional world? Is “tweeting” a new skill I should acquire before entering the professional world? What do employers want to see from me?

Although Marc Prensky would call me a “Digital Native,” I have felt somewhat out-of-the-loop as of late. A few college courses have challenged my technological abilities, but I have rarely challenged myself to learn new things, especially after the classes have been completed and technology has continued to advance. I really want to gain a broad understanding of the various technological tools expected of many new grads. Perhaps one of the best qualities of my generation is the ability to learn and adapt to new forms of technology quickly and eagerly. Although I do not necessarily place myself in the same league as other “Digital Natives,” I am eager to learn and am easily self-taught based on my various experiences growing up with different forms of technology.

A top priority for me this semester, is to gain a better understanding of the marketing, PR, and advertising qualities of social media and other various online tools for internet marketing. I have seen many recent job postings related to online marketing, and it seems this has turned into a very viable career opportunity for “Digital Natives.”