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.
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/
Michele,
ReplyDeleteI do think the Internet will have much to do with TV of the future. Screens are already being made to allow for Windows applications. In my post, as well as in your embedded video, interactivity is the future of television. With that interactivity comes personalization. Isn't it funny that all folks in the room watching the TV prefer the remote control in their own hands? Could it be possible all spectators in a room to have their own remote to personalize teir own experiences? Then the 3D or holographic experience could be more like a game. Can you think of what could be found in this example that was lost in the static television experience?
Good work. Love the video.
Tim
Tim,
DeleteI think the personalization was lost in the static television experience. For example, to turn the channels, it was performed manually to accomplish this function. If you were to turn your television too frequently, you could cause a malfunction or a repair problem. In the future, the television will allow viewers to use a device smaller than a remote control in order to control their personal preferences and what they want to experience or watch.
Tim, I a glad that you were able to benefit from my post.
Thank you.
Michele
Michele,
ReplyDeleteVery well done. I exlpored the televsion from the past and have a better understanding of the term interactivity. It seems that people want to make the experience their own personal one: Having control of the remote, sitting in the best seat to view the program and movie, have surround sound and be comfortable. Interactivity is being taken to the next level in the video game industry from XBox with Kinect, where you are the controller and can have a 1st hand experience as well as a personal one.
Kevin,
DeleteWhen you think about the change in technologies, it always take you back into history. The Kinect Xbox 360 is a great emerging technology. For example, we played bowling with the technology. You get a chance to select what character of your choice. I won playing with 3 other women with a score of 166. I almost defeated the top male score of 185. It was a very enjoyable and exciting technology to use.
Kevin, thank you again for reading my post.
Michele