EDUC - 8848 Module 3 Blog Post

Rhymes of History – Google Glasses

Six useful forces that drive emerging technologies on a path of change are: evolutionary technologies, rhymes of history, disruptive technologies, science fiction, increasing returns, and Red Queens (Laureate Education, 2009). Kevin Kelly in his video spoke about the Internet as only 5,000 days old, yet it has had a profound impact on the world, bearing elements such as satellite images of the Earth, laptops, wireless devices, making all that seemed impossible, possible (Kelly, 2007).  I actually recalled life without the Internet when I was a child living in Jamaica. The world seemed gigantic and mysterious. Also, information was hard to come by. During those days, it seemed as though only a few people knew how the world works, until the Internet came into being and leveled the playing field where humanity has access to endless information.

Yes indeed the future will be like the past, but with more interesting technological gadgets (Laureate Education, 2009).  A fine example, of this is the use of walkie talkies in the past which were “cool” but not as interesting as smart phones in this era. Smart phones themselves are on an evolutionary path. Thus, an example of the technology which represents a rhyme in history is Google’s glasses. Google’s glasses can be described as hands-free smart phones. See the following video for Google glasses’ features: 

Rhyme of History

            The Google glasses rekindle the 1960s psychedelic and surrealism art movements. Users walk around in a virtual world, going beyond what ordinary humans see. See the following link for more information on Google glasses based on users’ experiences: https://www.google.com/glass/start/explorer-stories/

Kelly pondered on what the next 5,000 days will be like and concluded that there will be embodiment, restructuring and codependency on the Internet. All these elements are reflected in Google glasses. Also, the single global machine that Kelly spoke about can be seen as Siri in the future. He also spoke about different kinds of dimensions which reminds me of the Google glasses and how users seem to enter a new dimension once they put them on. Many of us are already heavily depended on the Internet. I know I am, and being able to carry around your smart phone entirely hands free sounds like a technology that might very well stay with us for a while (until it evolves into something more powerful).  My reliance on the Internet and my smart phone might eventually influence me into purchasing a pair of Google glasses. This is how depended I am on the Internets. I went away on vacation and ended up renting a personal hotspot for the entire time that I was gone.

References

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. (2009). Emerging and future technology: Six forces that drive emerging technologies. Baltimore, MD: Author.

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.

MD1 Blog Post: RSCH - 8350D -1 Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis

Shifting From Hands-on Hardware Labs to Simulated Labs

           Dr. Thornburg spoke about the change in the use personal computing to the use of low-powered netbooks as educators aim to go “green” (Thornburg, 2009a).  Similarly, educators in higher education have been slowly phasing out the use of hardware in hands-on lab environments to the use of software simulation.  For example, at the college where I am currently teaching as a visiting professor, students no longer physically open up PCs to perform troubleshooting labs. Instead, students are now conducting hands-on activities via LabSim software simulation tool. See the following video for a LabSim demonstration.

           Software that allow learners to perform simulated labs go beyond simple PC troubleshooting hands-on labs to complex networking activates, all done without physically working with hardware such as routers and switches. The college where I am currently teaching introduced networking students and professor Cisco’s packet tracer virtual environment a few years ago. Learners were given a choice between using hardware devices (that is, routers and switches) and the packet tracer simulation software.  My observation was that older (more traditional) students and professors were not in favor of the implementation of this emerging technology.  So, of course they opted for using the “real” equipment.  As time goes by the number of students and professors who choose to employ the simulated environment has grown. See the following video for a demonstration of the packet tracer simulator.

Challenges Associated With Simulated Labs

              The main challenge associated with using computer simulated labs in higher education is that traditional learners and professors are not comfortable with the idea of not physically working with hardware devices in the learning environments. Based on personal experience, this can cause a rift between students and professors where those who opt to use the “real” equipment will be esteemed as more knowledgeable than those who choose to work in virtual environments. Another challenge is that employers with traditional mindsets might have a marginalized view of networking students who have never used actual routers and switches during their degree programs.

Societal Need and Benefits of Using Simulated Labs

           The use of simulated labs has tremendously lowered the power consumption in colleges. Even though some companies, for example Cisco, sells hardware devices that are considered to be “green” technologies, they still use a vast amount of wattage. For example, at initial system boot, many Cisco routers will consume 108W, and then the wattage will increase to 330W once all processors are connected (Miercom, 2009). This cost can be entirely eliminated or lowered whenever simulated networking labs are used in place of these hardware routers and switches.

Room for Improvement/Avoiding Pitfalls

           Although simulated environments are not new to the world, they are new to many schools. Thus, every college that offers computer networking courses will need a champion who throws his or her weight behind an innovation to overcome resistance that the new idea may provoke in the organization (Rogers, 2003). This will increase enthusiasm among students and professor who will most likely explore these virtual labs.  Having champions will also help to make the innovation become mainstream to the extent that employees will be more open to accepting learners who utilized virtual labs. Still, I would recommend that colleges require that learners use both environments –physical and virtual.  This way, everyone on either side of the rift will feel at ease. Moreover, schools will still benefit because using simulated devices along with hardware devices will consume less power than if only hardware devices are being used.

References

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.