Module 2 Blog Post RSCH - 8350

Emerging Technologies Tetrad

Dr. Soloway explained that hardware is not as expansive as software and their associated services, while Dr. Thornburg described an emerging technology as one that is new to the world and if a community is not aware of the innovation (and its benefits), then it is to their detriment (Laureate Education, 2009).  Furthermore, as one technology is replaced by another on a regular basis and often simultaneously, such changes will call for leaders and managers to make crucial decisions about which technologies to invest in.  These changes that occur simultaneously were examined by McLuhan and McLuhan (1988) where the authors concluded that four variations affect all media and human artifacts. An example of the McLuhan’s Laws of Media can be seen at present with the emergence of Smartboards. See the following video for a demonstration of Smartboards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk

 Judging from what I have observed on the Internet, Smartboards seem to be an emerging technology that further enhances media in education.  Smartboards seem to be replacing existing whiteboards and as well as those that are software-based, for example, iconnect’s whiteboard.  Smartboards can be used in all learning environments because it is digital, and thus, can go beyond face-to-face and be shared across networked classrooms. This technology retrieves one room schoolhouse learning environments where teachers can assemble a wide array of students from different locations through virtual terminal sharing.

Interestingly, when pushed to its limit of potential, the emerging device will run in reverse – going in the opposite direction to its original form (Laureate Education, 2009).  Hence, gestures, pinch, touch, and holographic technologies might very well be a chain of emerging innovations. These emerging innovations might lead to the invention of holographic chalkboards which may replace smartboards in the future!

References

McLuhan, M., & McLuhan, E. (1988). Laws of media: The new science. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.

Miercom. (2009). Lab testing summary report: Aggregation services routers – power efficient. Retrieved from. http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/asr1000_series_green.pdf

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.

Thornburg, D. D. (2009a). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.