Module Five Blog

Red Queens & Increasing Returns

                The science fiction video that I viewed for the module four blog assignments was Total Recall.  I actually own two copies of this movie. When the movie originally came out I purchased it on VHS.  I have not watched a movie on VHS in several years, so I have replaced many of my VHS version movies with DVD’s and Blueray’s including Total Recall.  If I did not already own the DVD I would have first checked Comcast ONDemand to see if I could find a digital copy of the movie.  If the movie was not available I would have went out and purchased the video rather than using Netflix.  With three young children at home and the responsibility of a PhD program, I have never taken the time to create a Netflix account.

                I believe the current competition between DVD’s and video on demand (VOD) is an example of increasing returns.  Thornburg (2009) tells us that increasing returns results from two innovations on the market at the same time naturally competing with the result being one naturally driving the other to extinction.  VOD will drive DVD rentals into extinction.  For as little as $5.99 viewers can typically download a high definition movie the day it is released on DVD without leaving the comfort of their homes (Lawler, 2010).  I believe DVD rental and VOD are between reversal and obsolescence.  The flip is very much on and moving toward VOD however, there remains a small percentage of individuals that still rent DVDs through Red Box, Blockbuster, Netflix etc.. 

References

Lawler, R. (2010). Studios giving up on dvd, pushing vod instead.  Retrieved from http://gigaom.com/video/studios-giving-up-on-dvd-pushing-vod-instead/

Module Four Blog Post

Second Life as a Disruptive Technology

Dr. Thornburg describes a disruptive technology as a “new technology with the same functionality of an existing technology, but it functions more efficiently, and then obsoletes that technology” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).  The distinguishing feature of a disruptive technology as opposed to an evolutionary technology is the complete direction change that said technology causes.  Second Life has the potential to be a disruptive technology in education and abroad.  Traditional educational environments are curriculum biased and teacher centered in that the student has minimal input in the development of said course.  An educational class developed through Second Life has the ability to be personalized on a learner to learner basis.

            A major social benefit of Second Life in an educational environment would be the capacity to get each individual involved in daily activities.  Every teacher has or will have a class containing students that are introverted and prefer to internalize as opposed to actively participating in a traditional environment.  Second Life will/could provide the opportunity for students who resist public participation to participate in their learning though an avatar.  In that way I believe Second Life could (but certainly has not on a large scale to date) completely change the direction of a traditional classroom environment.  I am not sure Second Life will ever see its full potential as a disruptive technology in education.  One of the main drawbacks to second life in the classroom is compliance with CIPA.  Public schools not in compliance are apt to lose federal funding; therefore many web based chances are not taken by technology departments.

            I would predict that Second Life / virtual worlds will continue in an evolutionary pattern for the next 10 + years.  Virtual worlds will expand and will evolve before being displaced by a new technology.

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Emerging and future technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Nuthall, K. (2008) US: A disruptive technology arrives. Retrieved from http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20080117162121373

Module Three Blog

When I need to talk to someone about something important or if I want to share something special, I prefer to do it face-to-face.  I would even venture as far to say that I prefer face-to-face communication for just about all forms of communicating regardless of the important or frivolous nature of the conversation.  The intimacy of a face-to-face conversation allows the participants to gauge the flow of said conversation.  Participants are also able to gauge body language, an important nonverbal cue in any conversation. 

                

I am not the only one who likes the nature of face-to-face conversations.  In person, face-to-face conversations have been a mainstay of communication throughout history.  At the end of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century face-to-face conversation faced stiff competition from instant messaging (IM), text messaging, and email.  IM, texting, and email ensures that individuals can stay more connected today than ever before.  However, the communication/connections made through IM, texting, and email lacks a certain personal connection that one can only receive in a “face-to-face” manner.  The development of “face time” on mobile phones and video conferencing tools such as Skype and ooVoo holds potential to rekindle the face-to-face more intimate means of communication.  My wife and I each have family members that live in different states.  We lean heavily on video conferencing technologies, particularly Skype and ooVoo to communicate with our family in a more personal manner than the common and emotionless text or IM.  Video conferencing technologies are an evolution in instant communication with a rekindling of a more traditional personal face-to-face communication.

Module 2: Emerging Technologies Tetrad

Clean Energy Automobile Engine - Progression from Steam Powered Engine to Electric Engine

19th Century

20th Century

21st Century

Emerged Technology

Online storage or cloud storage is on emerging technology that has great potential in educational settings. There are multiple mediums that provide online storage of documents. For this particular blog I will be discussing e-Backpack as my school is leaning toward using this service. e-Backpack is a service that provides a digital “locker” for assignments and document storage as well as an area for student collaboration. This product is secure and allows students 24/7 access to their “locker”. e-Backpack can be accessed at http://www.ebackpack.com

A challenge that I foresee with this technology does not fall on the technical side, rather challenges will be with personnel. Teachers will need to develop a trusting relationship with cloud storage. There is a group of teachers in my district that have consistently lagged behind in the implementation of technology changes. There is a fear among these teachers, with this technology in particular, that if they migrate coursework to an online storage unit it may disappear. This is an illogical fear as most teacher files are stored digitally on aging district issued laptops, which will someday experience drive failure. “Many computer users know that drive failure is more a matter of when, not if” (Thornburg, 2009). 

 Over the last several years public school budgets have shrunk considerably. One of the hardest hit areas in the budget has been the technology department in my school district. Online storage provides offsite storage of digital documents, which decreases the cost of maintenance to onsite servers. The decreased cost of onsite storage will help to offset the budgetary decreases that many technology departments face in the current economic climate. From a classroom efficiency stand point e-Backpack as well as other online storage products will provide students with 24/7 access to their classroom materials as if they had access to their physical lockers. Communication lines between students and teachers can remain open after the traditional class has ended with the use of e-Backpack. Teachers can broadcast assignments to entire classes and comment on submitted work for near instant feedback. 

 The pitfalls/challenges that I have identified earlier are not technical challenges. Rather the challenges/pitfalls are more personnel based. I believe that these challenges can be greatly mitigated by providing a robust professional development program on e-Backpack for all professional staff members. Professional development should address functionality and provide staff members with the opportunity to get acquainted with the service. Maybe more important, a successful professional development on e-Backpack will provide rationale for why the service will be beneficial to students and staff. 

 References

Thornburg, D.D. (2009) Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.