Dynamics of Long-Life Assets by Stefan N. Grösser Arcadio Reyes-Lecuona & Göran Granholm

Author:Stefan N. Grösser, Arcadio Reyes-Lecuona & Göran Granholm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

3.3 Current Collaborative Tools

The rapid increase in the use of Web 2.0 applications includes a number of on-line platforms that have characteristics that align with the concept of virtual communities. These include Social Network sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Google+, Apps, Wikis, and blogs. Their ease of use and speed at which they can distribute information, makes them powerful tools for obtaining knowledge (Boulos et al. 2006).

By definition all virtual communities are Social Networks, in that they involve making connections and establishing relationships between the members of the community. The members of Social Network sites form social relationships despite geographical distances and can obtain, interact, contribute and reshape knowledge in a way that is consistent with the norms and standards of their social group (Office of Educational Access and Success 2012) although, virtual communities are distinguished by having a domain as a source of identification, which is not a requirement of a Social Network (Jin et al. 2010). However, social networks can provide a valid and appealing tool that could be incorporated into a virtual community either directly or indirectly as a link, to form connections and stimulate conversation.

Web Apps are mobile applications that use HTML-based software to provide interactivity through portable devices such as smartphones and tablets (Godwin-Jones 2011) and support the idea of ‘anytime, anyplace’ learning (Corbeil and Valdes-Corbeil 2007). Recently developed Apps, such as Instagram (www.​instagram.​com) and WhatsApp (www.​whatsapp.​com), support photo and video sharing and mobile communication networks (Gachago and Ivala 2015). These apps make connections between broad ranges of motivated individuals and have the potential to establish a collection of knowledge. They are affordable and easy to use and the speed at which they can circulate knowledge, due to their mobile nature (Newman et al. 2012), makes them ideal tools for virtual communities.

A Wiki is a web-based platform whose members can contribute to articles and share dialogue using simple editing tools while contributing to the development of a collection of knowledge (Boulos et al. 2006). The best example of a Wiki is Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia that can be used a source for obtaining knowledge, allowing members to obtain expert knowledge and engage in learning, although they do not provide the opportunity to establish relationships as social network sites and specific Apps (Office of Educational Access and Success 2012). The ability of Wikis to facilitate the development and transfer of knowledge makes them a potentially valuable inclusion into a virtual community (Office of Educational Access and Success 2012).

A Blog is a contraction of the term ‘Web Log’, and is an on-line journal that offers an information-sharing environment using multimedia technology. Blogs feature posting tools, archives of previous posts presented in reverse chronological order, and standalone Web pages with their own unique URL address, to provide an information-sharing tool for deliberation and discussion around a specific topic. A single user can write them or they can be written by a group of individuals, with entries usually containing dialogue, images and links to other Web sites (Boulos et al.

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