Red Queens and Increasing Returns

When you decided to obtain a DVD for your science fiction assignment in Module 4, where did you go to find a movie based on a Philip K. Dick book?  Did you rent or purchase a DVD, or did you view it digitally on your computer using Netflix, or a similar vendor of video-on-demand?  The DVD that I used for my Science Fiction Assignment was Total Recall.  I enjoy collecting movies, so I had previously purchased a copy of the movie to add to my movie collection.   

Is the current competition between DVDs and video-on-demand an example of increasing returns or Red Queens?  Justify your response with sound reasoning and specific examples?

Yes, video-on-demand is a great example of Red Queen.  According to Dr. Thornburg (2009), Red Queens occurs when there is huge competition between two or more technologies that hit the market at the same time, and by chance one of those technologies gets locked in and drives the other technology device to extinction.  Video-on-demand hit the market, and it has driven Blockbuster and other DVD/video companies out of business.  Consumers can conveniently rent and watch movies within the comfort of their home by accessing Netflix. Hulu, and their satellite company. 

Where do you think DVDs and video-on-demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?

I do believe that eventually DVDs will be obsolete, and video-on-demand will be the choice consumers will choose to watch movies.  We live in a digital world, and all our needs will be met using technology devices.

Resource

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Increasing returns and red queens. Baltimore, MD: Author.

I posted to the following classmates blogs:  Kristy Burroughs @ http://kburrough2012.blogspot.com/2013/02/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html?showComment=1360468855681#c2942346712621875809, and Charee Hampton @ http://champton1019.blogspot.com/2013/02/red-queens-and-increasing-returns.html?showComment=1360469507557#c716315537491993320. 

 

 

Module 4: The Disruptive Power of Second Life

Each and every time a new technology device comes on to the market, it has the ability to affect the world of education.  Any new technology device can change the way educators present their classroom curriculums as well as impact the instructional resources being used within an educational setting.  According to Thornburg (2009), disruptive technologies became the most desired products by consumers, and as a result, these new technologies eventually destroy the existing technologies.

How is Second Life a disruptive technology?

Second Life is a disruptive technology because it offers people a way to create real world characters/avatars within a virtual world, and these characters take on realistic views and/or opinions about the world and society.  Second Life provides its users opportunities to live in a make believe world with unlimited possibilities.  These opportunities can create negative and positive effects on the way people perceive their lives and lives’ of others.

What technology or innovation did it replace?

One example of a disruptive technology is the Amazon Kindle.  The Amazon Kindle hit the markets, and it replaced other e-readers.  As a result, the demands of the Amazon Kindle drive the price of other e-reader devices down.   This provided opportunities for those who could not afford an e-reader the chance to purchase the device.

How many years do you think Second Life has left before another emerging technology or disruptive technology replaces it?

I think Second Life will be in existence for at least the next five to ten years due to its popularity, and the realistic expectations it provides for its users.   Second Life will be in existence until another more advanced technology replaces it.

What are the social benefits of Second Life, and what might be the social implications of virtual worlds in your industry?

There are several benefits of Second Life.  For example, Second Life provides creative ways for educational settings to be more engaging and collaborative.   Second Life is very low cost and easy to access.  Second Life also provides a variety of ways for social media to take place.  Second Life offers its users opportunities to be creative in their virtual world especially by designing avatars to look like themselves.  Accessing data in Second Life is very expeditiously.  The social implications of virtual worlds in the education industry are educators and students are able to interact within an educational setting, but continuous monitoring needs to occur to ensure barriers are not crossed.  Students can communicate with and learn from other students globally.   

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009).  Disruptive technologies. Baltimore, MD: Author. 

I responded to the following classmates’ blogs:  Cora Blades @ http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2013/01/module-4-disruptive-power-of-second-life.html?showComment=1359330184190#c8492052689515858561 and Kristy Burrough @ http://kburrough2012.blogspot.com/2013/01/disruptive-technologies.html?showComment=1359330767712#c4456479900599760502.

 

 

Rhymes Of History

One technology device that represents rhymes of history is the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Projector.  The LCD Projector rekindles the Overhead Transparency Projector that most educators used within their classrooms to display images and textual information to their students during educational lessons, activities, and projects.  The LCD Projector retrieves the Overhead Transparency from the past because educators are able to projector large images, photos, graphics, and informational text onto a large screen or wall.  Although the LCD Projector and the Overhead Transparency Projector are designed very differently, the two projectors can be used to display written information and images on a screen to a large audience during educational and business conferences/presentations.  The first LCD Projector was invented in1984 by Gene Dolgoff.  His invention of the LCD Projector provides ways for educators to incorporate real life activities and events into classroom curriculums so all children have opportunities to receive more meaningful, engaging, and challenging educational experiences. According to Kevin Kelly (2007), the web is like “a little bacteria” that will infect everyone.  Everyone will depend on it, and we must become familiar with accessing it because it is not going anywhere. 

References

Kelly, K. (2007).  Kevin Kelly on the next 5,000 days of the Web [Speech].  Information was retrieved on January 13, 2013, from http://www.sweetspeeches.com/s/324-kevin-kelly-the-next-5-000-days-of-the-web.

Laureate Education, Inc.  (2009).  Rhymes of history.  Baltimore, MD:  Author.

Scott, David. (n.d.).  What is the lcd projector?  Information was retrieved on January 13, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/about_5262569_lcd-projector.html.

I have responded to the following classmates blogs:  Cora Blades @ http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2013/01/rhymes-of-history-technology.html?showComment=1358103307183#c1739469793146743576 and Lisa Durff @ http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1311727032818684777&postID=1334812637218359254&page=1&token=1358103998256&is Popup=true

Module 2 Assignment: Emerging Technology Tetrad

 

I have responded to Cora Blades' blog @ http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2012/12/module-2-emerging-technologies-tetrad_27.html?showComment=1356716026601#c6722695276394092744 and Charee Hampton's blog @ http://champton1019.blogspot.com/2012/12/emerging-technologies-tetrad_5014.html?showComment=1356716714251#c1678790178073400000.

                                                                                     

A current technology devices that has shaped learning in the educational setting is the Interactive Whiteboard. A problem and/or challenge that is associated with using the Interactive Whiteboard within a classroom is a computer is required to operate an interactive whiteboard, and often a projector is needed as well. These pieces of equipment must be connected by wires and then hooked into electric outlets with power cords. The presence of trailing cords through the classroom could
pose a danger to students especially young students. Another problem associated with the Interactive Whiteboard is when a student or teacher stands in front of it to write, the notes and figures on the board are obscured. The brightness of the white panel and projected light may also be hard on some students' eyes and make it difficult for them to access the content presented in the lesson.

Interactive Whiteboards can be very costly depending on the features and the software needed to operate the device successfully. However, purchasing an Interactive Whiteboard for any classroom setting would be an asset for the teacher and the students. The Interactive Whiteboard would replace a traditional whiteboard, and the teacher could access and incorporate a computer, the internet, and other devices to create engaging lessons, projects, and activities for all students. One of the benefits that interactive whiteboards offer is how they have the capability to engage students with animation and visuals. Since the educator can directly and physically interact with the whiteboard during class lessons, she can easily create more engaging lessons that use visuals and moving parts to grab students' attention. Additionally, interactive whiteboards are effective in reachinging visual learners and special needs students who may respond better to seeing information presented visually. Another benefit of the Interactive Whiteboard is they allow educators to make real time changes to their lesson plans in the classroom. Educators can change and/or adapt information on the Interactive Whiteboard to reflect a change in the class discussion or activity.

The only drawback of the Interactive Whiteboards is the costly price tag. Majority of the school districts are cutting their budgets which makes it very difficult for schools an opportunity to purchase Interactive Whiteboards for their classrooms.

Information on the Interactive Whiteboard can be found @ http://www.polyvision.com/solutions/interactive-whiteboards.


I have responded to the following classmates' blog:  Cora Blades @ http://corablades1.blogspot.com/2012/12/module-1-blog-assignment.html?showComment=1355621615291#c9142862243174048174, and Charee Hampton @ http://champton1019.blogspot.com/2012/12/module-1-identify-emerged-technology.html#comment-form.