Module 2: Emerging Technologies Tetrad

Module 2 - Blog Post Discussion

McLuhan’s Laws of Media

Television

Enhances	Obsoletes
The dominant form of communication technology.  The prime mass communication around the world.	Telegraph that provided instant communication over massive distances. Telegraph usage faded as radio became easy to use and popularized. The radio allowed listeners to enjoy hearing their favorite music, and variety programs. Radio was a lifeline of information for the masses in the years of World War II. Broadcasts of major sports events became popular as the radio emerged and remote broadcasts became possible. As the radio was becoming perfected, the telephone rapidly became the fastest way to communicate from person-to-person. Filming – with/without sounds
Retrieves/Rekindles	Reverses
Pony express for communication and sending messages over massive distances. Telegraph for sending electric signals across wires. Wood and Wylie (1977) stressed that the radio played an integral part in American universities’ mission which meant bringing educational opportunities to audiences beyond their campus (p. 8). According to Elon University and Pew Internet Project (n.d.) television impacted the following: ·         Lead to additional advances in networked communications ·         Language patterns and introduce new words ·         Lead to advanced form of the transmission of intelligence	Internet – In 1969, Advanced Projects Research Agency Network (ARPANET) became the first group of networked computers and the start of the Internet (Elon University and Pew Internet, n.d.). Internet – emails and the transfer of files Videos, DVDs, vodcasts, podcasts, and teleconferencing. Handheld iphones or smartphones. Hi-definition television.

According to Saettler (2004) the armed forces were the first to experiment with television as an instructional medium. The rationale was that it required the armed forces to meet the mass instruction requirements which were requested by military training. Saettler revealed that in 1956, in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland experimented with the use of the closed-circuit television for instruction. In the summer of 1956, approximately one hundred teachers and administration gathered at a workshop in order to plan the new instructional television program (p. 425). The results of the study indicated that television produced substantial increases in achievement. The Washington County’s project staff concluded that the television had educational value for the following reasons:

1.      It focused attention on problems in a way never before possible.

      2.      It stimulated teamwork and planning.

      3.      It created interest in curriculum development and teaching procedures.

4.      It required pupils to assume more responsibility.      

5.      Parents took a greater interest than formerly in the school program and in the progress of their children (p. 426). 

     
The million dollar question is:  will the Internet coupled with digital technologies replace the television?  In our society, we have witnessed many revolutionary changes in communications technology.  In using the McLuhan’s tetrad, the telegram and telephone has allowed us to communicate over distance.  The broadcasting of television and radio has reversed our world into a global village which meant that each technology has transformed society in expected ways.

In this 21st century, the newest communications revolution is based on digital technologies. Contrast to the telephone, digital technologies can allow any person to make available information to everyone anytime and anyplace and allow an individual to conduct a one-to-one conversation. Digital technologies can provide an unlimited number of voices compared to limited voices in radio or television. The answer to our million dollar question is that Coyle (1997) argued that television and traditional media will not be eclipsed by the Internet, but they will have to share that space known today as cyberspace with a new and diverse group of communicators.

The Future of Television: Sweeping Change at Breakneck Speed

In (2011), Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) interviewed 50 or more television experts that included producers, engineers, and scholars. The purpose of the interview was to create a video/picture of the future television landscape. The results of these interviews allowed Cisco IBSG to develop 10 predictions for the future of television. In order to learn more about the predictions, please view: http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac79/10-Reasons

References

Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (2011).  The future of television:  Sweeping change at breakneck speed.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRsAnaBG3No&feature=related

Coyle, K.  (1997). Will the net replace television?  http://ww.kcoyle.net/untele.html

Elon University/Pew Internet Project (n.d.).  Imagining the Internet:  A history and forecast:  Back 150 timeline.  http://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/predictions/back150years.pdf

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). McLuhan’s tetrad concept. Baltimore: Author.

Saettler, P.  (2004).  The evolution of American educational technology.  Information Age. 

Michele

Module 2:  Emerging Technologies Tetrad

I responded to the following community members:

Timothy Weaver

http://weave1-weave1.blogspot.com/

Kevin Klein

http://kklein66.wordpress.com/

Brandi Renfro

http://ballinteach44-atl.blogspot.com/

Module 1: Identify an Emerged Technology

Module 1 – Blog Post Discussion

Identify a current technology that has emerged in the last few years that shapes learning or productivity in your industry.

A current technology that has emerged in the last few years that helps to shape learning in education is the Amazon Kindle DX. This emerged technology is designed to make reading magazines and textbooks easy for students to read. The Horizon Report (2010) cited that an advantage for students is to have a single handheld reading device that can easily accommodate the entirety of reading involved in one’s study coupled with referencing texts (p. 18). Thornburg (2009) emphasized that a successful technology adoption comes from individuals aware of the options and knowing enough to form an opinion based on personal experiences.

What problems or challenges have been associated with this technology?
The Kindle DX is very expensive at the price of $379.00. It might be difficult and not as effective to use because like the iphone, ipad or a tablet, they have a touch screen; whereas the Kindle DX does not have a touch screen. Although it is not a serious problem, at times, it is difficult to thumb-type on the tiny-buttoned keyboard.

What social need does it meet, and what are its benefits?
The social need that the Kindle DX met was that it allowed students to use a textbook in an entirely different way from the regular hardcover textbook. For example, students can highlight, post notes, save the information as a text file, and then download to their computer. Assessment exams are a major issue in our system; therefore, students can focus primarily on their reading without surfing the Internet for pictures, images, games, and other distractions.

What would make this technology even better, avoiding the pitfalls you identified?
It needs to be more appealing and user friendly. Although it has 4GB of memory which stores about 3,500 books, it could be condense to a smaller size, some color added to its display screen, and purchased at a less expensive price.  Thornburg (2012) stressed that the use of technology in a classroom setting, will provide students with the opportunity to begin to know the value of what they are learning. He argued that students will think about a topic in a different way and learn to achieve educational goals in a powerful new way.

Link to the website:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ/ref=famstripe_kkdx

References

George Lucas Foundation (Edutopia).  2012.  [Video].  David Thornburg on the evolving classroom:  Big thinkers series.  http://www.edutopia.org/david-thornburg-future-classroom-video

Laureate Education, Inc.  (Executive Producer).  (2009).  What is emerging technology?  Baltimore, MD:  Author. 

The Horizon Report. (2010).  A collaboration between the New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative. 

http://search.comcast.net/?cat=web&con=homepage&q=The+horizon+report+2010

Michele

Module 1:  Identify an Emerged Technology

I responded to the following community members:


Kevin Klein

http://kklein66.wordpress.com/

Cecil Mittoo

http://mittootech1.blogspot.com/