SWE - Winter 2008 - (Page 70)

POINT OF VIEW Why I Blog Looking at Web 2.0 and Beyond BY BIANCA MCCARTT, SWE EDITORIAL BOARD T he way we use the Internet continues to change. You have likely heard of blogs, while YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia, and MySpace have become part of the vernacular. These online tools are part of a revolution taking place on the Internet, called Web 2.0. Through it anyone with a computer can join an international community to share and collaborate on information, opinions, and ideas. The Society of Women Engineers is adopting Web 2.0 tools to create virtual SWE communities for you, the SWE members, and to ready ourselves for the next phases of Internet development and usage. If these tools are unfamiliar to you, it’s not too late to become acquainted and get involved. One of the easiest ways to enter the world of Web 2.0 is through a blog (an abbreviation for weblog). A blog is a Web site where an individual or organization can create content quickly through posts and add to that content at any time. Unlike a traditional, read-only Web site, which is a static page of information, a blog is an accumulation of information that continues to build. A typical blog takes the form of a journal of events or a commentary on related information, with the most recent posts displayed first. Blogs can be personal or business, and many focus on a particular subject, such as politics, travel, or entertainment. They also can be used to track the progress of a project or goal. Because the format is flexible, blogs can be designed to suit almost any purpose. More than 12 million American adults are currently maintaining blogs, and there is one to fit almost every niche. Why would SWE members want to blog? Blogs are a great way to reach out to those who share a common interest. As busy as we all are, it can be difficult to connect in person with everyone we’d like to, from long-time friends to fellow SWE members. A blog lets you publish any information you want others to have, and your readers can catch up with you at any time. As an individual, you might Need a place to start? The blogosphere is a vast place, but you can narrow it to find a blog that interests you by exploring www.technorati.com, a blog search engine that tracks and analyzes blogs and blogging trends. If you are looking for blogs by other women, check out www.blogher.org. For a look at what a SWE blog might look like, visit southohioswe.blogspot.com, South Ohio SWE’s blog. Another facet of Web 2.0 worth exploring is Wikipedia.org, a free-content encyclopedia created through a wiki. A wiki is a type of software that allows users to collaboratively create, edit, and link Web pages. With more than 2 million articles, Wikipedia can inform you on any topic from the history of SWE to the evolution of Web 2.0. Because its content is not necessarily reviewed by experts in any given area, the accuracy of Wikipedia has been subject to scrutiny. The site carries a disclaimer that it makes “no guarantee of validity” of any of the information presented. Despite its critics, however, Wikipedia remains a popular and phenomenally successful online reference tool. Online social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have attracted more than 100 million users to post personal profiles. Explore your own social circles by adding friends and joining groups. YouTube allows users to upload, view, and share video clips. Everything from your favorite old commercials to SWE Past President Peggy Layne’s address to Congress on the status of Title IX is available for your viewing pleasure. Finally, the Web browser plugin StumbleUpon allows its users to discover Web pages, photos, videos, and news articles based on ratings from you and your friends. Install it via www.stumbleupon.com. start a blog about what interests you in your day-to-day life, or you might create a blog that posts newsworthy items about women in engineering. Those who read your blog can comment on it and begin a conversation with you and your other readers. SWE sections can become more accessible to current and potential members through blogs. Blogs may have multiple authors, all posting on a common topic. As president of the South Ohio section, I created a blog where our officers discuss recent and upcoming events. It would be great if everyone could attend all the events, but that never seems to be possible. I find the blog a convenient way to talk about what we’ve been doing, how the events are going, and to find out whom you might meet at the next event. Occasionally, there are comments and newsworthy items that aren’t section activities per se, but that we hope are of general interest to our audience. Since its launch last year, the South Ohio blog has attracted between 30 and 40 visitors per month. Readers can catch up on all of our activities over the last year and get to know our core group of officers. This way, those who haven’t made it to any meetings yet can feel connected to us and will be comfortable joining our group. You might think of it as an alternative, real-time, online newsletter that is updated in minutes and published on a flexible schedule. What about my privacy? You are the owner of your information. If you put something in the public Web space, you should consider that information available to anyone. If you are not willing to share this information with strangers, you can set limits on who can access your site. You may also decide to share information selectively. You might be perfectly happy telling the world you are an avid knitter, but decide to not post the fact that you are seeking a new position. Keep in mind what you are hoping to accomplish with the blog. It is up to you to determine what you feel comfortable sharing with your audience. The best advice is to play it safe. If it doesn’t pass the “newspaper test,” don’t publish it. 70 SWE WINTER 2008 http://www.technorati.com http://www.blogher.org http://www.stumbleupon.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SWE - Winter 2008

SWE - Winter 2008 Heritage Club President’s Note View from the Executive Suite Editor’s Page Readers’ Forum EWeek 2008 New Faces of Engineering The Leaky Science and Engineering Pipeline Why Do Women Leave the Engineering Work Force? A Greener America = New Growth Fields for Engineers The Off-On Ramp Revolution Recognizing the Historic Contributions of African-Americans Membership Information & Calendar A&B Women in Tune with Technology: SWE 2007 Conference Overview Keynote Address Achievement Award Region, Section, and Collegiate Awards SME Bowl and SWE Anniversaries Engineering World: Point of View: Why I Blog Career Toolbox Book Review SWE Smiles Opportunity Index SWE Scrapbook

SWE - Winter 2008

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