Module 6 Blog Post

The first thing I will need to do as a leader in educational technology is to research the emerging technology, take advise from others, and locate those that best meet the needs of my school. I’d present these at a school meeting along with their uses. Then I’d need to compile research and any existing data to support the emerging technology and cost analysis. I would need to have available grant proposals. There would be a need for a survey to find out the mind-set of the other staff involved. Afterwards, I’d have to secure the financial backing for the technology costs: equipment, tutorials, support documents, professional development. I’d need to post these on the shared drives of the school for school-wide access. I hold monthly “ways to use” ideas for the technology during scheduled teacher meetings, offer help, demonstrations, and suggestions as needed.
I would make the technology available to all genders, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds by making them accessible using the school computer lab, easy to use, and free to all. I’d try to steer clear of all sensitive issues by surveying different groups to find out their needs and requirements. Then I’d take these and adjust how to use the emerging technology as necessary. Dr. Soloway (n.d.) stated that to address the leveling of the playing field is to eliminate the digital divide by putting Internet access on cell phones. Being able to communicate with each other would allow for an acceptance through experience with others.

Reference

fita (2010). Addressing the digital divide. [webpage] Retrieved from: http://www.knpd.org/mittsfita/digitaldivide_adr.htm

Soloway, E. (n.d.). The digital divide: Leveling the playing field [vodcast] Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Thornburg, D. (2008a). An amazingly incomplete emerging technologies bibliography. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Thornburg, D. (2008). Evolutionary technologies. [vodcast] Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Module 5: Increasing Returns and Red Queens

My friend, Cynthia Shelton, rented the movie Blade Runner which is based on Philip K. Dick’s book “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and brought to my home on a planned visit the first of October. I do have NetFlix which I am crazy about because I don’t have time to browse shelves for DVDs. The current competition between DVDs and Videos on Demand (VOD) are not an example of Thornburg’s (2009) increasing returns. Thornburg describes increasing returns as “two innovations hit the market at the same time.” DVDs were out before VODs. The founder of NetFlix, Reed Hastings, saw NetFlix’s opportunity when DVDs met critical mass (Anderson, 2004), so I’d see this competition between VODs and DVDs as an example of Red Queens. Blockbusters, one of the largest chains for renting DVDs, are the clearly losing, closing, and declaring bankruptcy.

McLuhan’s tetrad with DVDs and VODs

Enhancement
DVDs for rent take time out of people’s day to go by the stores to rent them.
Netflix, a VOD, enhances watching movies by having the convenience of ordering almost instantaneous viewing of many movies and games. It also has instant replay. It also is compatible with Blue Ray and is cost effective.

Obsolescence
The VODs and DVDs have almost completely replaced the VHS for watching movies. NetFlix also can mail DVDs to your home.

Retrieval
DVDs and VODs bring back the idea of plays, theaters, the drive-in, and the movie theater.

Reversal
DVDs make it possible to pause and view movies at a later time. It has great video quality and sound compared to that of the VHS. NetFlix has these capabilities.


Reference

Anderson, C. (2004). Tech’s long tail [Vodcast]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/

Thornburg, D. (2009). Increasing returns and red queens. Laureate Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com