MD5Blog

Thornburg states that “Red Queen” is attached to certain phenomena when a competition between two forces results in the rapid development of them both (Thornburg, 2008).  He uses the example of Netscape and Microsoft.  Both of them are fighting to stay ahead of each others’ features.  When I decided on a movie to view for module four, I went the easiest, least expensive route.  I did not buy or rent a DVD, nor did I utilize Netflix or another vendor.  There are many free applications over the Internet, to view movies without having to download them.  I believe that buying DVDs will soon become obsolete.  With Redbox and Netflix, it is easier to download or rent a DVD for a dollar.  Netflix is very popular, but sights such as Project Free TV and HULU.com you do not have to download videos and can just view them without the threat of viruses is becoming more popular.  There are also videos streamed on YouTube.  The Blue Ray was in the process of replacing DVDs, and now with streamlining on iPads and other electronic devices, why buy the physical disc.  Bill Gates has been quoted saying he suspects DVDs and Blu-Rays to become obsolete within 10 years (Techetron, 2012).   Streamlining will obsolete DVDs and rekindle movie theaters.  Apples newly designed laptop will not include a DVD Rom, but instead offer their iCloud service which gives 5GB of storage space for free. Therefore the use of DVDs and CDs on your laptop may not be possible in the future (Techetron, 2012).

Resources

 http://www.techetron.com/1784/are-dvd-and-blu-ray-obsolete/

Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors; Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies.  Lake Barrington, Il: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Mod4BlogAssign- The Disruptive power of Second Life:

Second Life began in 2003.  It is free online virtual 3D worlds initiated by Philip Rosedale, chairman of Linden Labs.  Residents can actually build their own worlds.  They interact through Avatars where members can explore, meet people, do business, and share knowledge.  Second Life is intended for people sixteen and older, but the average age is thirty two.  People have the chance to build worlds, visit places, and purchase items that they may not be able to do in real life.  In Second Life, anything is possible. 

Second Life is a disruptive technology because it is unavoidable.  People can be who they want to be and work where they want to work.  There is fair ownership in the economy.  There is a challenge for people to learn faster, be more creative, and be a better person virtually than in reality (Rosedale, 2008).  The innovations that it displaced are AAAs (open source games), MMOs (massively multiplayer online games), and RPGs (role playing games).  Second Life is not a game, it is a social experience.  It is a place where you can show off creativity, curiosity, and share amazing ideas that you may not be able to do in the real world.  It is better than a structured game.  I believe Second Life will be around for a long time to come.  I believe it will evolve.  For the next decade virtual worlds will be how more people interact (Rosedale, 2008).  The social benefit of Second Life is the lack of culture (Rosedale, 2008).  In the virtual world, you can become anything you want.  A female can become a male, A Hispanic can become Caucasian, a person can become an alien.  While the economy in the real world was in trouble, Second Life economy was booming.  In Second Life, people implicitly and inherently interactively share information.  Businesses utilize the site for training purposes.  People across the globe meet and collaborate.  In my industry working with elementary students, technology is evident.   Students are used to playing video games in 3D.  Teachers are expected to utilize technology across the curriculum.  Second Life would be advantageous to students.  They could create their own avatar and interact in a classroom. 

Rosedale, P. (2008). Philip Rosedale on Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.

Hindman, B. (2012). Retrieved from fir http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/the-soapbox-the-death-of-aaa/

Mod3 Rhymes of History Technology

Rhymes of History Technology

Thornburg stated that the impact of a new development rekindles something from the distant past (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).  He goes on to talk about how we see it in the third quadrant of our tetrads.  It is not the technology itself that is being rekindled, but the impact of the technology (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009).  This is how Rhymes of history is explained.  People have added and subtracted since the beginning of time.  The calculator has rekindled man’s ability to count on, count back, count repeatedly, and subtract repeatedly.  Before written numbers existed, there was the abacus.  It has evolved to the mechanical calculator that performs basic arithmetic operations.  Now there are scientific calculators that include trigonometric and statistical calculations.  There also algebraic and graphing calculators.  But the basic calculator rekindles man’s ability to count. 

Kevin Kelly discussed the concepts of embodiment, restructuring, and codependency on the web as examples of the rhymes of history (Kelly, 2007).  He goes on to state that the web works much like the brain.  The calculator embodies us because it is an extension of human senses.  Kelly states that machines are extension of human senses and humans are the extended senses of the machine (Kelly, 2007).  The machine cannot work without us.  It is restructuring because it links us to pages.  One of the accessories on the computer is a calculator.  It causes a codependency because we depend on it for so much.  There has been controversy in schools because educators believed that dependence on calculators made students lose the ability to calculate in their heads.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator

http://calculatororigins.com/

Kelly, K. (2007). Kevin Kelly on the next 5,000 days of the Web [Speech]. Speech delivered at the EG 2007 Conference, Los Angeles. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_the_next_5_000_days_of_the_web.html

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Emerging and future technology: Rhymes of history. Baltimore, MD: Author.

MD2Assign2SnowT

MD2Assign2Snow2

Reading K-12 (reading applications)

Reading ApplicationsEnhances – Story telling, reading, language arts, and reading across the curriculum.  It also enhances vocabulary as well as students with visual and auditory disabilities.	Obsoletes – Text books, dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resource books.
Retrieves – Story telling, students being read to by a computer instead of a parent.	Reversal – Newer and faster applications 3g to 4g and so forth.

Thornburg (2008) states that the tetrad of the effects of technologies is not sequential, but simultaneous.  Reading applications enhance reading, language arts, and vocabulary.  It also provides support for students with visual and auditory disabilities.  It obsoletes text books, and other resources.  Because of the Internet connection, there is no need for resource books.  It retrieves oral storytelling by reading stories for students.  It reverses faster applications.

Reading K-12 has become an important requirement of the Core Curriculum Standards in most states.  In the state of Georgia, it is imperative that students enhance their reading skills.  The standards will improve reading, literacy, and critical thinking.  The changes will lead to a national assessment in which student performance and be reliably compared from state to state (Washington & Badertscher, 2012).  The article in the AJC goes on to state that the changes will infuse reading and writing into every subject across the curriculum.  Technology has caused reading to become more mobile.  With iPads, iPhones, Kindles, and Netbooks; students will be able to read independently outside the classroom.  The reading apps on these tools help students with vocabulary, definitions, and are able to connect to the Internet for other resources.  A study conducted by PBS found that the use of educational iPhone apps increased student’s vocabulary acquisition by thirty one percent within a span of two weeks.  Students now have the digital technology to help them learn language.  PCWorld named the iPad the best toy of the year in 2010.  Early reading specialist Kiera Parrott stated that with the right tool and the right app, a child can explore reading, early learning concepts, and sensory-rich play (Munoz, 2012).  A study in the Journal “Computers and Education" they found that interactive digital reading instruction had lasting positive effects on children's literacy skills.  LeVar Burton launched the “Reading Rainbow” app on the iPad ( Edwards, 2012).  It is geared toward students ages three through nine.  The article goes on to state that the free app contains one hundred fifty stories and sixteen videos.  The only drawback is the 9.99 a month fee.   

Resources:

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/sweeping-changes-to-hit-1428379.html

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/tablets/10-ipad-apps-for-teaching-kids-to-read.htm

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/best-reading-apps-for-kids/

Read more: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/science_tech/reading-rainbow-app-aims-to-take-kids-to-new-learning-heights-wcpo1340894862740#ixzz1z8ha2Zqz

Thornburg, D. D. (2008b). Emerging technologies and McLuhan's laws of media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. Retrieved from:  https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201270_01/PH_EDUC/NCATE_EDUC_8848_EDUC_7108/Module%202/Resources/Resources/embedded/emerging_technologies_and_mcluhan%27s_laws_of_media.pdf

Replies to MD1Assign2 - Emerging Technologies

I have replied to the following people:

Rachel McCullough
Jessica Green
Michele Baylor

MD1Assign2SnowT

iPads in the classroom -an emerged technology

iPads in the classroom are an emerging technology.  With the graphics and touch screen it has become very popular with students and teachers. There are an abundance of applications that help students with research and writing.  The applications cover every content area.  There is even an English Learner App for ESOL students.  It will help build their reading, writing, speaking, and understanding skills.  The books can be seen in iTunes and are loaded with colorful graphics, animation and games.  There are interactive math applications that have engaging games that are fun.  The science and social study applications are full of discovery and engaging games.  Some schools are beginning to use the iPad to replace classroom books.   Some of the most interesting applications are those that allow for student creativity and critical thinking (Levy, 2011).    

With that being said, most school districts are using grant money to buy the iPads.  Some schools do not have the funds to buy and iPads for every student or even a class set.  The books must be downloaded and bought through iTunes.  iPads are continually changing and being updated.    Some teachers are using the iPads as a replacement tool rather than a supplemental tool in education.  Teachers need to be aware of the applications available and make appropriate lesson plans accordingly.  The students need to be aware that it is an educational tool and not a toy.  One teacher stated that there was a problem with typing and you would need and external keyboard.  There are many pros for the iPads in schools.  Personally my school does not have iPads for students.  “It isn’t in the budget,” I was told.    

http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/07/11/putting-the-ipad-to-work-in-elementary-classrooms.aspx

http://www.maclife.com/article/features/ipads_classroom_are_changing_face_education

Responses to Module 6

Tracy Snow

I have responded to Tiffany Harrell and Laura Lee.