I believe that all cultures, genders, and socioeconomic grouops have an interest in technology and what it can do to help them be prosperous; however, their lack of knowledge will continue to create barriers between the groups more so than money. This is why we must begin using and teaching students about the advantages of these tools in helping them to become wise and technically proficient consumers.
Having completed my project on emerging technology, I believe that the first thing that has to take place is school boards and administrators must ensure that teachers/educators have an understanding of what technology can do for them in the classroom and how it can help students be prepared to compete in a global market. Then once the understanding and use of the technology has been obtained, it must become a useable resource in the classroom to help all students gain and understanding while helping them to get rid of their fears as users of technology, regardless of whether they have access to it outside of the classroom. The goal for educators of all students should be to help students build their technological skills as they will most likely be confronted with technology in the workplace and other venues. We must help them diffuse the fear of using technology which has been manifested in most groups, as a result not having access to these tools in their homes.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Red Queens and Increasing Returns
For my Science Fiction assignment, first thing I did was to search my collection of DVD's for the "Minority Report." However, I did not find it, so I found myself at a video movie store buying a resale copy to replace my missing copy. Although I typically used Netflix to watch movies via the Internet, I wanted the ease of going back to the video to review a scene when needed. Hence, I purchased another copy of the movie. The best part is that I paid only $3.99 for the copy. I guess buying an outdated movie has some merit.
Why use video on demand? Video on demand has the ability opening up the a wider array of movies to consumers with high definition quality and easy accessibility. However, video on demand has forced some changes to occur in the DVD rental market. The most visible change is the sudden closure of video rental stores like Blockbusters, Hollywood movies and etc. Consumers found that the ease of video on demand or even Netflix shop online and return at ones leisure has become the norm.
Although both venues are of the same market, people have gravitated towards video on demand because of its accessibility and the fact that they do not have to worry about returning the product. Hence, I would describe this occurrence as increasing returns, as the products are the same in terms of what they offer consumers. One can rationalize the DVD slowdown to consumers belief that the cost of video on demand is less than having to gas their car, go out to the store, shop down countless aisles of DVD's, and having to return prior to a due date to avoid late charges. Just these facts alone have contribute to the downfall of DVD rental stores. Finally, with video on demand, consumers are able to get newly released much faster than store released dates.
I believe that video on demand rekindles the concept of using a central data facility to store thousands of videos which consumers have the ability to call up for use on their personal televisions or computers. The videos are stored at a remote location which receives a request via a network and the information is called up from a central data facility for the viewer of the movie.
However, I do not believe that DVDs will become obsolete as there are still those individuals out there like me who prefer to collect movies for a personal library. Besides, the new Blu-ray DVDs have provided consumers with the same viewing capabilities of HD movies.
References
Arthur, W. B. (1996). Increasing returns and the new world of business. Harvard Business Review, 74(4), 100-109.
Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emerbent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
Why use video on demand? Video on demand has the ability opening up the a wider array of movies to consumers with high definition quality and easy accessibility. However, video on demand has forced some changes to occur in the DVD rental market. The most visible change is the sudden closure of video rental stores like Blockbusters, Hollywood movies and etc. Consumers found that the ease of video on demand or even Netflix shop online and return at ones leisure has become the norm.
Although both venues are of the same market, people have gravitated towards video on demand because of its accessibility and the fact that they do not have to worry about returning the product. Hence, I would describe this occurrence as increasing returns, as the products are the same in terms of what they offer consumers. One can rationalize the DVD slowdown to consumers belief that the cost of video on demand is less than having to gas their car, go out to the store, shop down countless aisles of DVD's, and having to return prior to a due date to avoid late charges. Just these facts alone have contribute to the downfall of DVD rental stores. Finally, with video on demand, consumers are able to get newly released much faster than store released dates.
I believe that video on demand rekindles the concept of using a central data facility to store thousands of videos which consumers have the ability to call up for use on their personal televisions or computers. The videos are stored at a remote location which receives a request via a network and the information is called up from a central data facility for the viewer of the movie.
However, I do not believe that DVDs will become obsolete as there are still those individuals out there like me who prefer to collect movies for a personal library. Besides, the new Blu-ray DVDs have provided consumers with the same viewing capabilities of HD movies.
References
Arthur, W. B. (1996). Increasing returns and the new world of business. Harvard Business Review, 74(4), 100-109.
Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emerbent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Disruptive Power of Second Life
When I think of virtual worlds, I think of computer-based simulated programs which allow one to engage in seemingly real-life activity for fun or for socialization. I enjoyed programs like Sim City and Rollercoaster; because, I was responsible for the survival of the people, construction, and businesses. Then there is Whyville, the first virtual world program designed to allow students to talk about Science with other students and actual scientists. This site was created strictly as a virtual world educational site with the goal of strengthening the science skills of student through a virtual online learning environment. In Whyville world, students can create an image, talk and play games with their friends, or just hang out which describes SecondLife. The difference between the two is that Whyville is focused on the education of children.
It is my belief that SecondLife disrupted 3D simulations which allowed participants to role-play a concept, during the learning process. SecondLife expanded the concepts used to construct 3D simulations and created a near-real life environment where participants can enter, in the form of an avatar, to engage in various activities, socialization, and in some instances, participate in an online classes. Since its inception, colleges and universities have built online classrooms for use in SecondLife; however, they have encountered problems which may ultimately cause the demise of SecondLife for use in online learning. First of all, SecondLife does not have the ability to limit access of visitors to online classrooms, as well as, provide a direct path for enrolled students to assigned classrooms. I believe that if the use of SecondLife is to survive in education for online learning, colleges and universities will have to develop their own virtual world program which they can control the movement of users to the site. As for socialization, I believe that SecondLife is an excellent way to meet people in a non-threatening environment. In addition, SecondLife is ideal for individuals who would like to explore their fantasies about life.
It is my opinion that SecondLife will be around for a long time; however, it will not take the place of the tradional face-to-face classroom. One reason this may happen is that school districts may find this technology to be a threat to maintaining secure websites for student use. Hence, SecondLifes survival may depend on the millions of people who are currently using it for their personal entertainment.
Reference
Rosedale, P. (2008). Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.
It is my belief that SecondLife disrupted 3D simulations which allowed participants to role-play a concept, during the learning process. SecondLife expanded the concepts used to construct 3D simulations and created a near-real life environment where participants can enter, in the form of an avatar, to engage in various activities, socialization, and in some instances, participate in an online classes. Since its inception, colleges and universities have built online classrooms for use in SecondLife; however, they have encountered problems which may ultimately cause the demise of SecondLife for use in online learning. First of all, SecondLife does not have the ability to limit access of visitors to online classrooms, as well as, provide a direct path for enrolled students to assigned classrooms. I believe that if the use of SecondLife is to survive in education for online learning, colleges and universities will have to develop their own virtual world program which they can control the movement of users to the site. As for socialization, I believe that SecondLife is an excellent way to meet people in a non-threatening environment. In addition, SecondLife is ideal for individuals who would like to explore their fantasies about life.
It is my opinion that SecondLife will be around for a long time; however, it will not take the place of the tradional face-to-face classroom. One reason this may happen is that school districts may find this technology to be a threat to maintaining secure websites for student use. Hence, SecondLifes survival may depend on the millions of people who are currently using it for their personal entertainment.
Reference
Rosedale, P. (2008). Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Emerging Technology Tetrad
What is 3D Technology? After all my research was done, I realized that with all of its brilliance and ability to capture the attention of people, 3D technology allows photographers and movie producers to create the illusion of depth and animation using colors and dual cameras. This technology has been around for a long time, as early as the mid to late 1800s. David Brewster in 1840 invented a way to make photographic images appear 3D using a stereoscope. Later,Kinematascope, a stereo animation camera, created 3D motion pictures. As a result of these early inventions, William Friese Greene in 1896 seized the opportunity and patented 3D movie viewing using a stereoscope. This turn of event set off an interest in developing 3D images which were interactive and life-like. By the start of the 1900s - 1950, the first anaglyph movie was produce and interesting enough, movie goers were required to use 3d glasses in order to get the full effect of 3D motion. 3D movies became very popular, until the mid-50s as advances in new 3D technology became dormant. Other rationales which may have attributed to this dormancy is the cost of producing these movies, the amount of equipment needed for production or simply that movie goers became weary of having to wear 3D glasses. Whatever the reason, 3D technology went away until the until 70s with the creation of Stereovision which allowed producers to create a perfect synchronization with simultaneous recording of images using two cameras and mirrors. Stereovision led the way to 3D binoculars, 3D cameras, and the once popular view master which remains a popular toy for children.
Unlike the mid-50s when 3D technology became dormant due to lack of innovation, 3D technology has grown as a result of the digital age. As a matter of fact, Encisco wrote in an article, published on Ezine@article that 3D technology after 2000 peaked the interest of movie goers with the creation of 3D IMAX film, using technology called Reality Camera Sytem. As a result of the success of 3D IMAX films, movie producers began to produce 3D animated film like "The Polar Express" and "Avatar." As the popularity of 3D continued to grow, as well as the innovation of digital technology came on scene, the first Digital 3D movie "Scar 3D" was released in Hollywood in 2007, according to Encisco.
What does the future hold for 3D technology? The answer has begun to surface with 3D television. 3D television will ultimately trump movie going as people will be able to sit in the comfort of their homes and watch their favorite shows, sport event, movie, news, and etc. in high definition (HD) and 3D at the same time. Teachers will be able to show their students educational shows, animated shows, documentaries, and musical performances which have been created with the use of 3D technology. Manufacturers are well on their way to opening up a market that is sure to be around for a longtime.
References
Encisco, W. (December 30, 2010). The history of 3D technology. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-3D-Technology&id=3711641
Sensio (December 20, 2010). History of 3D. Retrieved from · http://www.sensio.tv/en/3d/3d_history/default.3d
Monday, December 20, 2010
Cloud-based Computing in Education
The release of Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition determined that cloud computing will impact teaching and learning in the next 2-3 years. So, what is cloud computing? Depending on the source, it has the potential for providing schools with greater access to " ... specialized data centers that host thousands of servers" (Horizon Report, 2009, p. 19) with large storage space for little to no cost. In addition, cloud computing allows the user to store and access data and/or personal web pages from anywhere. "Cloud-computing based services include Google Apps, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Docs, Amazon, and Microsoft Windows Live" (Smart Schools, 2009) to name a few. For the purpose of its impact on education, cloud computing allows students, teachers, and schools to work, learn, communicate, and collaborate via the named networks (Smart Schools, 2009).
The most crucial problem identified by Horizon for cloud-based computing is that because the service is provided in real time by numerous companies and not through the convenience of software packages (Horizon, 2009). As a result, if the company's server is not working on a given day then access to stored materials is not available. In addition, if the company goes out of business then stored materials will be lost or irretrievable. However, just like there are challenges to using the cloud-based computing,this technology has the potential for providing an excellent venue for supporting learning in a K-12 environment. Smart Schools Program (2009) noted cloud-based computing for schools, teachers, and students can: 1) Serve as a personal workspace, 2) A convenient tool for teaching and learning, 3) Provide a Personal Learning Environment instead of a more controlled Virtual Learning Environments, 4) Minimize the need to back up all files or transfer files from one device to another, 5) Act a repository for information to be accessed anywhere, anytime, and 6) Open up the potential for social interactivity and collaboration (p.1).
For school systems, cloud-based computing will not only lower the cost of purchasing proprietary productive tools, but schools can "... take advantage of ready-made applications hosted on a dynamic, ever-expanding cloud that enable end users to perform tasks that have traditionally required site licensing, installation, and maintenance of individual software packages" (Horizon Report, 2009). In addition, cloud computing allows the user to share content through collaboration, and to distribute the finish work (Horizon Report). Additional benefits include providing "...virtual computers to students and staff ..." without having to go out and buy the latest laptop or desktop computer (Horizon Report, p. 20).
In looking at the challenges of cloud-based computing, an alternative method for storing data has to be considered in the event a company decides to close its doors for good, if schools are to trust this emerging technology for the use of teaching and learning. Given the real-time nature of cloud computing, safe guards should be developed for monitoring misuse by students and eliminating inappropriate materials, as well as the student from being able to use the sites.
Reference
The Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition. (2009). Report of the Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition on Cloud Computing. The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009Horizon-Report-K12.pdf
Smart Schools Programs. (2009). How to use cloud computing in schools. Retrieved from http://smart.com.ph/SmartSchools/SmartTools/CloudComputingInSchools.htm
The most crucial problem identified by Horizon for cloud-based computing is that because the service is provided in real time by numerous companies and not through the convenience of software packages (Horizon, 2009). As a result, if the company's server is not working on a given day then access to stored materials is not available. In addition, if the company goes out of business then stored materials will be lost or irretrievable. However, just like there are challenges to using the cloud-based computing,this technology has the potential for providing an excellent venue for supporting learning in a K-12 environment. Smart Schools Program (2009) noted cloud-based computing for schools, teachers, and students can: 1) Serve as a personal workspace, 2) A convenient tool for teaching and learning, 3) Provide a Personal Learning Environment instead of a more controlled Virtual Learning Environments, 4) Minimize the need to back up all files or transfer files from one device to another, 5) Act a repository for information to be accessed anywhere, anytime, and 6) Open up the potential for social interactivity and collaboration (p.1).
For school systems, cloud-based computing will not only lower the cost of purchasing proprietary productive tools, but schools can "... take advantage of ready-made applications hosted on a dynamic, ever-expanding cloud that enable end users to perform tasks that have traditionally required site licensing, installation, and maintenance of individual software packages" (Horizon Report, 2009). In addition, cloud computing allows the user to share content through collaboration, and to distribute the finish work (Horizon Report). Additional benefits include providing "...virtual computers to students and staff ..." without having to go out and buy the latest laptop or desktop computer (Horizon Report, p. 20).
In looking at the challenges of cloud-based computing, an alternative method for storing data has to be considered in the event a company decides to close its doors for good, if schools are to trust this emerging technology for the use of teaching and learning. Given the real-time nature of cloud computing, safe guards should be developed for monitoring misuse by students and eliminating inappropriate materials, as well as the student from being able to use the sites.
Reference
The Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition. (2009). Report of the Horizon Report: 2009 K-12 Edition on Cloud Computing. The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009Horizon-Report-K12.pdf
Smart Schools Programs. (2009). How to use cloud computing in schools. Retrieved from http://smart.com.ph/SmartSchools/SmartTools/CloudComputingInSchools.htm
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