Response to Classmates' Blogs for Module 5

The following are my responses to the module 5 blog assignment:

Sullus Teague

Cathy Marziali

Red Queens and Increasing Returns - Module 5

When I first went to obtain the Philip K. Dick movie, a Scanner Darkly, from my on-line NetFlix account.  I have always had a great experience just going in and watching the movies that it recommends for me.  This was the first time that I actually tried to find a movie to see if it was there to play instantly on my computer – it was not there.  I went to the only other place that I know of to rent movies on my computer, the iTunes store.  I was able to rent a Scanner Darkly with very little difficulty.  The only thing that went wrong was that my credit card information in the iTunes system was expired.  As soon as I got that solved, the movie downloaded in about 30 minutes.  I watched the movie digitally on my MacBook Pro laptop computer, which usually has very loud, and clear speakers and sound levels.  This movie must have had something wrong with it because the sound volume was very, very, very low.  I had to watch the movie with my ear almost next to the speaker in order to understand what was being said in the movie.  I didn’t really have any other options because I was staying in a hotel room far, far from home and any video store that I was familiar with – well, are there really any video stores out there anymore?  I wish I could have found the movie on video-on-demand from the hotel room television, but they only had a limited selection of current releases and adult films.

Renting DVDs or choosing Video on Demand are examples of diminishing returns.  Dr. Thornburg used the example of Betamax and VHS tapes.  They essentially did the same this using two different types of technologies.  This is the same as with DVDs and Video on Demand.  They both are technologies in which a user can watch a movie, but the way to get that movie to the person is quite different in each one.  As we have seen over the last couple of years, video on demand has been getting less expensive, better quality, and more mainstream.  I think that on-line servers like NetFlix, HuHu, Zulu, iTunes, and others are going overtake the video-on-demand market.  In my own opinion, DVDs and almost ancient history.  The cloud is coming much faster than we ever could imagine!  I think that this is also diminishing returns because DVDs and Video-on-Demand roughly came out at about the same time, but video-on-demand was first used in hotel rooms or on exclusive cable t.v. set-ups.

The tridads for these technologies could be:

Blog Comments for Module 2

I posted to the following blogs in module 4:

Cathy Marziali

Sullus Teague

The Disruptive Power of Second Life

I had never heard of Second Life until I met one of its developers, Philip Rosedale, about two years ago.  He was the keynote speaker at a STEM education conference at the California Institute of Technology.  Not only was Philip physically present, but he was also accompanied by his black leather chap-wearing, spiky hair topped, rough ‘n tough looking avatar who lives in a very modern house on an island in Second Life.  In real life, he looks kind of geek chic – the exact opposite of his avatar.

The first part of his speech was just about showing us what Second Life is all about.  He took us to nightclubs, parks, and even zoos.  We saw other avatars walking around, and even had conversations with some of them – which could be very risky considering we were in a room full of academics and politicians.  My first reaction was, “This is really great, but how does this relate to education?”

The answer to this question became apparent after Philip took us on a tour of a museum.  This was not like any museum that I have ever seen before – the artwork came to life and the exhibits were interactive.  There were physical models in which some followed the physics of our world, and some behaved like they were in out-of-this-world gravity confused environments.  Then he took us to a real university campus where students are actually attending and taking classes, but many in the audience felt that this virtual reality is a little bit too adult-oriented for kids in a K-12 school.  Then he took us back to his home island and explained that Second Life can have barriers and restrictions.  He went on to explain that a school can be placed on an island, and the kids would not be able to “escape” (that is a word that I am using, but I don’t think that he actually used that word).  We could take field trips, have supervised interactions with those outside of the island, and all of this could take place without any of us having to leave our “real” homes.

Second Life is a disruptive technology because it totally reinvents the way that we are able to communicate and socialize – it provides a new space to live and interact.  It is very difficult to identify the technology that it replaces because it is so different and unique – there is nothing like it.  It seems like it can replace our entire real world – one can live, communicate, buy things, walk around, visit museums, take college classes, go to nightclubs, sleep, and even have babies in Second Life.

I believe that there will be another disruptive technology that will displace Second Life.  In his TED Talk, Philip Rosedale says that we as a world community want to experience information together, and this is the trend in how we are going to use technology.  He goes on to say that currently when you use Amazon.com, you may be shopping for a digital camera along with 50 other people looking for the same thing, but you don’t know it.  Where we are going is a more social way of using the Internet.  The future of the Internet and technology will be that we will be able to experience everything together, and we will be able to interact with others on the Internet just like in Second Life.

The social benefits of Second Life are very similar to the social benefits of interacting with others in real life.  It gives us a purpose in life, helps us develop as emotionally healthy individuals, and helps us make decisions and learn as social human beings.  We are able to share information, interact in real-time, and have access to more to information and resources.  As a teacher, I can envision a future in which students are able to learn in this interactive environment without ever having to attend a brick-and-mortar type school.  On-line classes are very similar, but there are very few real-time interactions.  Even though there may be a group of students taking the same class, the actual journey is essentially done alone.  Using a social environment like Second Life, the experience will be very similar to going to a physical school, but it will be done virtually and with many continual social interactions.  I think that this technology can entirely change the way that we envision education and learning.

Reference:

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

Responses to classmates for Module 3: Rhymes of History

Blog Comments for Module 3

As of Sunday, July 17, 2011, I have commented on the following blogs:


Cathy Marziali

This transition from Module 2 to 3 using the "From Maps to Apps" title is very interesting. Using an old map to transition to Smart Phone apps show a rhyme that reads like a history of communication history book.

July 17, 2011 7:30 PM 

Elizabeth Sanford

I found myself having a conversation with my sister a couple of days ago about this. While driving around Las Vegas trying to find her hotel, we were following the GPS instructions that were perfectly being told to us by her "car". We started to laugh because she still has several Thomas Guides floating around in her back seat. She said that she never uses them anymore, but feels a sense of comfort having them there. Thanks for the good memories!

July 17, 2011 7:39 PM 

Module 3: Rhymes of History Technology - Second Life

Since the beginning of time, man has always longed to go to far away places to experience something that life currently could not provide.  The stories of these journeys are what tall tales and bedtime stories are made of.  With the advent of books, these stories were able to be recorded and shared with millions of people all around the world.  The theatre was a place where these stories could be told and acted out, making the audience feel like they were a part of the story, experiencing it for themselves.  In the mid to late 20th century, computer games were developed that let the users actively participate in playing games and entering virtual environments that were not scripted out, and the numbers of outcomes could be endless.

Second Life is a rhyme of history that brings the user into a world where he or she is connected with other real people taking a journey and experiencing the same virtual reality.  Kevin Kelly on the Next 500 Days of the Web describes how the future of the web is going to be a place where everything is connected.  He hypothesized that every piece of data will be shared on the web.  We are going to be in the middle of the web and everything is going to be connected, just like in Second Life.  We are going to be codependent with the web.  Total personalization will equal total transparency.  We are going to be the web.  We are going to be the machine.  It’s going to be smarter.  It will anticipate what we are going to do.  It is going to become more ubiquitous with us in the middle of it with all devices as portals to it.   The web is going to become a global stage and a more reliable machine.


Kelly's concepts of embodiment, restructuring, and codependency can be found in the rhymes of history example of Second Life.  Everything that is created in the virtual world of second life never represents just one thing - it is an embodiment of all of the connections that the users and interface has created.  The entire virtual community is continually being restructures to support the one complex world that is codependent on everything inside of it.




Reference


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

Blog Comments for Module 2

As of Saturday, July 2, 2011, I have commented on the following blogs:

Brandy Lutz

http://lutzedu.blogspot.com/2011/06/brandy-lutz-module-2-blog-post.html?showComment=1309665463348#c8562515647612186625
*Brandy is not in my group, but her tetrad topic was very similar to ours.  One of my group members did not post her blog yet - Elizabeth Sanford, see below.

Cathy Marziali
http://cathymarzialiedtech.blogspot.com/2011/06/module-2-smart-phone-tetrad.html#comments

Elizabeth Sanford
http://elimariesanford.blogspot.com/ _________  I was not able to comment on her blog because she had not contributed her blog thoughts to Module 2.  I will comment on her blog as soon as she posts it on-line.

Module 2: Tetrad for a Smart Phone

Tetrad of a Smart Phone

Progression #1

Enhances: The devices offers the ability for everyone to have access to anyone at anytime by phone, text, e-mail, videoconferencing, etcetera.

Obsoletes: Obsoletes the Cell Phone, GPS navigational device, Yellowbook, MP3 player, etcetera.

Retrieves/Rekindles: Retrieves the rotational dial phone with the long twisted cord and the big Yellowpages sitting beside it.

Reverses: Reverses into a wearable/implantable communication device that responds to brain waves, thoughts, and voice in an intellgent environment.

Progression #2

Enhances: Users will feel like they think and act simultaneously with this device. It begins to become a "part" of the user.

Obsoletes: Obsoletes the Smart Phone

Retrieves/Rekindles: Retrieves the cell phone that could only be used to make wireless phone calls from external locations.

Reverses: Reverses into a fully implantable device that seamlessly interacts with the user at a subconscious level.

Reference Links to other resources:

Elon University/Pew Internet Project. (n.d.). Imagining the Internet: A history and forecast: Back 150 timeline. Retrieved April 7, 2011, fromhttp://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/predictions/back150years.pdf

Elon University/Pew Internet Project. (n.d.). Imagining the Internet: A history and forecast: Forward 150 timeline. Retrieved April 7, 2011, fromhttp://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/predictions/forward150years.pdf

Dimensional Studios. (2008). Musion eyeliner: 3D holographic projection system. Retrieved fromhttp://www.eyeliner3d.com/cisco_telepresence_holographic_video_conferencing.html

Thornburg, D. D. (2008b). Emerging technologies and McLuhan's Laws of Media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Blog Comments for Module 1

As of Sunday, June 19, 2011, I have commented on the following blogs:

Sullus Teague
http://sullus-teague.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-trends.html?showComment=1308535203435#c4347718542177049230

Cathy Marziali
http://cathymarzialiedtech.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post-week-1-click-to-future-i-have.html#comments

Elizabeth Sanford
http://elimariesanford.blogspot.com/ _________  I was not able to comment on her blog because she had not contributed her blog thoughts to Module 1.

Module 1 Blog: Current Trends in Educational Technology

Cisco Telepresence in the  Classroom

Cisco Telepresence is a high-tech videoconferencing system that is designed to provide a virtual face-to-face meeting in an environment that is appealing, consistent, and real-to-life.

The learning experience can be expanded.  You can conduct live, lifelike meetings without traditional classroom constraints.  The high-definition, high quality video experience extends the reach of the existing facility, and provides access to content and experts everywhere, anywhere, anytime with lecture capture and video podcasting.  This technology can bring together multicultural student groups and improve administration and staff productivity.  Non-tradition courses in schools can be offered to students who do not live in the same regions.  There have been Mandarin Chinese classes offered to students all over the country at one time, in one classroom, with connectivity. Location is no longer a constraint.

What problems or challenges have been associated with this technology?

Some challenges associated with this technology include bandwidth issues that can slow down the video connection and could disrupt the videoconferencing sessions.  A proper data connection must be used to get the most our of this technology.  Cost is another obstacle, but this can be overcome when school districts work together to make the best use of this technology.  With the use of Telepresence, many more interesting and unique classes can be offered even if only a couple of students sign up from one school.  In this situation, the teacher may or may not even work at the school where the class is being offered.

What societal need does it meet, and what are its benefits?

Up until recently, one would have to travel to have a face-to-face meeting with a colleague, a fellow classmate, or a professional.  This could cost a lot of money, and possibly the meeting wouldn't even take place because of the numerous obstacles.  Now, all one has to do is us the Telepresence system to have a class or meeting with students and/or participants from all over the world.  I work in Los Angeles, and sometimes I drive up to 2 hours in traffic one way in order to have a face-to-face meeting with someone.

What would make this technology even better, avoiding the pitfalls you identified?

Currently, this videoconferencing technology has been perfected to allow the participants to truly feel like they are in the same room and sitting at the same table as the other participants who may actually be on the other side of the world.  A more effective placement of cameras would make this technology even more life-like.  Currently, when you talk to the person on the other side of the "table", you look at the camera which is above their eyes. They see you looking slightly above their head.  I would like to see the camera embedded directly in the screen at a place that is lined up with the eyes of the other person.  This would improve the social aspect of feeling like you are looking into someone else's eyes when you are talking to them - this would make it much more life-like.  If you haven't experienced this technology yet, it is definitely a great experience.  I am excited to follow its progress over the years to find out how else it may be used.

Emerging and Future Technology - Welcome

My name is Lewis Chappelear, and I am a high school Engineering and Design Teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District (California). I received my Masters in Mechanical Engineering in 1995 and worked as an engineer for a couple of years. I then left that career to open a restaurant in Toronto, Canada. In 2000, I had closed the restaurant and moved to Los Angeles to start a new life. That is when I found teaching. I felt that my life has come full circle because I am able to do everything that I love - teach, do engineering, and learn! I am continuing my endeavor to be a lifelong learner by pursuing a PhD in Education, specializing in Educational Technology. I hope to one day go into education administration as a principal, director, or consultant.

I am always finding new opportunities to make a difference in our world of education. I have been on committees to rewrite our state's standards for the teaching profession; I am on a national committee with the U.S. Department of Education to plan and execute a new test for NAEP; and I am on several committees with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) to work on new areas of certification. The best part about my job is that I get to consult in the field of education, and then I get to go back into my classroom and work with my favorite young little people in the whole world. I will be teaching a summer program for gifted middle school students in Las Vegas this summer, and this is the only class at Walden University that I am taking this quarter.