Impact of Online Networking Tools

Introduction

This paper responds to two questions as follows. First, the paper evaluates the effectiveness of social and professional online networks in the creation of own network and improvement of one’s employability, which is often highlighted in discussions surrounding social work dissertation help. Secondly, the paper presents a detailed description of the effectiveness of the usage of various technologies including virtual learning environments, cloud storage, and social media either as a tool of gathering information, communication in the workplace, or as a tool of marketing.

Part A: An evaluation of the effectiveness of social and professional networks for employability

Social media (Fuchs, 2017) comprises of the various internet solutions: including websites and web applications, for example, LinkedIn; which are specifically designed to allow internet users to share content and to connect on the internet. Creating an online presence for one’s professional and social networks is inevitable yet crucial for its bundled benefits. There are various established online networking websites that are popular and distinguished for different uses. For instance, a personal professional website is crucial for establishing one’s online presence and enhancing their professional growth (Cardon, 2015). LinkedIn is renowned as a specifically adapted and differentiated tool for the purpose of creating professional profiles and networks online. Facebook, on the other hand, is a renowned social networking platform. Twitter is popular for sharing content concerning what is happening in one's own industry. Pinterest, on the other hand, is a crucial tool for the sharing of relevant content, especially pictures with one’s networks to update as well as share insight into one’s industry or personal activity (Cardon, 2015). The usage and effectiveness of each online networking tool differ among these products and depending on a few initiatives by the account holder.

The power of internet networking solutions is vast enough especially due to the large capacity to extend the networks one establishes. In the present day, the internet has become a basic necessity for many people, having a substantial internet presence. Its users perform any kind of activity, spanning from social and leisure purposes like mere chatting and direct messaging to professional and commercial activity such as building professional career profiles, seeking jobs and marketing one’s products.

LinkedIn, represented in the above image, is the “perfect” way to create professional networks that allow one to effectively build useful career profiles over the public domain (Cardon, 2015). LinkedIn primarily lets a person create the true picture of their professional profile and allows public visibility for potential clients and employers to access. As a result, LinkedIn allows networking between professionals and employers so they can initiate work relationships even using the website’s built-in messaging service (Cardon, 2015). Typically, an account on LinkedIn includes a representative portrait photograph, career details such as employment history/ experience, professional and academic qualifications. It also includes relevant details such as one’s values, skills, activities, and virtually any relevant CV information.

LinkedIn is, therefore, such a powerful website when it regards sharing one’s resume over a public platform to draw the right matching teams together. This feature of LinkedIn makes it efficient for professionals either seeking jobs or clients to connect and easily get the targets over the internet. Freelancers can also use the same feature to attract and connect with their desired clienteles so they can effectively expand their markets. This is the same manner serves, consultants; connecting them with the organizations and individuals they wish to serve.

Nonetheless, in order to effectively harness the power of professional networking on LinkedIn or even on other networks, the user needs to actively manage their profiles to ensure it contains up-to-date details regarding them. This includes updating one’s job history to capture all their experience. By doing this, the person ensures that all his/her networks are viewing current details and not old information that would otherwise misrepresent them. LinkedIn also makes it easy for individuals to recommend and endorse skills and even career opportunities for other people within networks (Fuchs, 2017). In this manner, LinkedIn serves not just to avail jobs for the job seeker, but also helps them to engage new career horizons by pursuing recommended skills that are relevant and would help them grow their career. Like-minded professionals can effectively help each other grow by this way of endorsing skills to their network. In the long run, LinkedIn helps professionals to grow their career and get exposure to opportunities so that they can seize them to their advantage. It is for such reasons as these that the networking platform is considered as effective and the way to grow one’s professional profile and strengthen their career.

Part B: An evaluation of the effectiveness of modern technology used in the workplace

a. Cloud Storage

Cloud storage (Yu, 2017) is an online service that allows one to store information as well as access it from anywhere on any internet connected computing terminal (as shown in Fig. 2) and by way of using secret credentials to access the service. Cloud storage is an amazing feature available over the internet allowing computer users to store their crucial data on virtual locations other than on their computers and internet connected computing devices. The cloud works by the use of basic technology concepts whose combination with the internet produces an amazing product. Consider figure 2.0. In its core, a cloud comprises of storage devices hosted on online servers, in which logical storage volumes are created on physical servers and hardware that is distributed in various interconnected locations over the internet. Specific servers are deployed for hosting the data storage services and to manage the storage disks. To be able to access cloud storage facilities, an individual or organization subscribes for a suitable predefined plan.

The effectiveness of cloud storage is seen primarily in the preservation of data against loss (Liu, 2017). The data stored on the cloud is safe from catastrophes such as fire, theft or occasional disastrous events that affect physical computer hardware. Cloud storage offers a separation of data and the workplace. Therefore, should there be a catastrophe in the office or workplace, the data belonging to the various workstations would still remain protected and undamaged. This clearly shows that cloud storage is an effective solution for disaster management and business continuity. The opposite would be a scenario where the security of data is tied to a physical computer in the office and hence no guarantee of continued access to the data in the event a disaster happens in the workstation.

Nonetheless, cloud storage is highly effective since it streamlines data access (Li, 2015) so that unauthorized access does not happen. Controlled data access is an important aspect of any information system. Cloud storage structures data access in the workplace so that only authorized individuals can access the information in certain areas or store information in particular locations. In an environment that is reliant on cloud storage, individuals only access the stored data that they have been allocated access (Li, 2015). This mode of access ensures that data is secured and that such threats as unauthorized access to confidential data do not take place. By allocating different volumes to different user accounts according to the roles of the various employees allows the workplace to be organized and to define clear access restrictions to particular persons only. This additionally prevents conflicts between staff, as well as mistrust between juniors and senior staff. This security aspect affirms the effectiveness of cloud storage.

The effectiveness of cloud storage is at its peak when the organization only needs affordable secure storage with no additional unintended costs. Cloud storage (Liu, 2017) eliminates the need for an organization to buy complete computer systems while it only needs storage services. This saves individuals and companies unwanted costs hence adding to the already established effectiveness of the technology. The capacity to reduce financial load (Liu, 2017) over an organization or an individual at the workplace while still accessing the needed services.

Virtual learning environments

A virtual learning environment (VLE) (Dillenbourg, 2002) is a technology implementation in educational technology and which provides a web-based platform where digital aspects of the courses of study are provided. A VLE allows a virtualized learning platform so that learners and instructors can interact non-physically over internet-connected computers. The various participants need only internet access and they can then collaborate (Vuopala, 2016), learn, and execute any learning activity that happens in a regular physical classroom. These tech implementations allow integration with the other systems in the institutions and provide reporting capabilities as well. Even from the most superficial view, this is a powerful and highly efficient technology. Consider the following details.

VLEs are efficient communication and collaboration tools in educational institutions especially by use of their compatibility and capacity to connect with existing institutional systems (Vuopala, 2016). VLEs allow various users to post learning materials such as coursework, syllabus, assignments, and other course communications. By the usage of these features, educators and learners can collaborate on tasks simultaneously. The capability of these systems to support live chats, video calls, and discussion area allows them to communicate and discuss issues of concern in real-time and visually through a webcam. This tool, therefore, grants users the freedom to collaborate on any matter and communicate effectively regardless of their physical locations.

Virtual learning environments allow otherwise impossible operations such as online and distance learning (Bower, 2017). Distant students can virtually attend to all classes, receive assignment prompts, submit completed tasks, get instruction, as well as sit for exams on the online platform. Moreover, the distributed students are still capable of conducting group discussions online, as well as share files. The convenience of VLEs is seen when an institution needs to admit students from across the globe and across time zones. Whether participants travel or not, the virtualized environment lets them all share and do the work they must do for optimum learning to take place. Notably, VLEs have the capability to create virtual learning resources such as virtual labs (Heradio, 2016) that are used by cybersecurity learners. This online laboratory and test environments extend the capability of the VLE system so that the distant learner is empowered in a capacity that surpasses traditional class layouts.

c. Social Media

Social media (Fuchs, 2017), visualized in the above image, is a significant development on the World Wide Web (WWW) 2.0. By allowing instant content sharing, social media is the modern way to relay information to the intended targets effectively and non-costly. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Blogs, and own websites are also a great way to market one’s own products or even self. Companies can affordably market their services while reaching large pools of potential customers. The social media enhances the effectiveness of marketing by communicating to specific social networks and groups within such networks to provide customized information that is relevant to specific people and hence communicating selectively (Cardon, 2015). Posting multimedia files on these social media networks in such formats as text, video, animation, and images makes it more likely to package information in the best way to communicate focused details to the readers.

The social media networks are also effective in facilitating collaboration and communication within organizations (Fuchs, 2017). Working teams can conduct collaborative forums on various platforms such as on Facebook group chats, WhatsApp groups or some other designated online forums. This lets colleagues share any type of multimedia file including text, images, videos, audio, documents, teleconferencing and video conferencing. Teams within or outside the information can, therefore, stay updated on the organization's routine operations as well as in special field assignments. Individuals’ physical location is therefore no longer a barrier to any communication or collaborative activity there arises.

Conclusion and Recommendations

In brief, the various internet technologies in existence such as LinkedIn for professional networking, cloud storage, virtual learning environments, and the social media have effectively revolutionized the way organizations and individuals communicate and collaborate. By harnessing the power of the internet, work and studies are no longer intertwined with the physical organization. The ability to virtually undertake tasks involving more than a single individual and across distances in a secure and reliable manner is a fulfilling feature of the internet technologies herein discussed. These virtualization technologies have indeed empowered organizations and individuals and must be increasingly embraced to harness all the inherent benefits.

References

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