Adventures of learning and teaching EdTech
Monday, August 17, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
As a leader in emerging technologies...
As
a leader in education in educational
technology, I can help make emerging technologies valuable to others, while
maintaining gender, cultural, and socioeconomic sensitivity by not only valuing
my human resources and informing other leaders in my Professional Learning
Network of the emerging technologies listed in the NMC Horizon Report (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada, and
Freeman, 2015), but also encouraging change agents to remember that learning
does not occur through osmosis when technology is introduced to students
(Willen, 2014). There must be continuous training, professional development,
and utilization of all human resources before technology is given to students
to avoid disaster technology rollouts such as that seen in a Los Angeles school
district that rushed into an iPad grant that later turned into a disaster
(Kamenetz, 2013).
William
Gibson famously quoted that “the future arrived; it just wasn’t equally
distributed” (Laureate Education, 2014d). However, the grass is not always
greener on the other side. Because
“education
is one field that receives far more attention than funding,” when districts and
schools do receive funding, they rush their spending without initially
considering the end goal of the purchase (Thornburg, 2013d, pg. 3). Schools that lack technology seem to
rush into incorporating technology once they receive grant funding without
considering the ongoing technical support and training that is needed
throughout its usage. Unfortunately, this was seen in a Fort Bend school district that was forced to “shelve
a $16 million initiative to integrate thousands of iPads into the classroom” due
to damages to the devices, lack of training for teachers and students, liability
concerns, and inappropriate use by students (Lee, 2013). Another issue
experienced during the LA school district’s disastrous technology roll-out was
that “students were not old enough to
understand that there is a difference between your home life and school life
and what is acceptable in each place” which does require instruction to
differentiate the two on a continual basis (Willen, 2013).
To conclude, although it is
necessary to create
educational opportunities and provide financial support to accommodate
different student populations who have access to technology, it is more
important to value the human resources and provide training to both educators
and students (Laureate Education, 2014b). The goal of using the device,
evaluation of technical support, continual training and professional
development, and online etiquette expectations must be considered prior to the
actual purchase and continued after the incorporation. By doing so, students
would be trained as valuable human resources when the same technology is
applied to the future workforces.
References
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S.,
Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC Horizon Report: 2015 K-12 Edition.
Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf
Kamenetz, A. (2013, September 30).
The inside story on LA schools' iPad rollout: "a colossal disaster" -
Digital. Retrieved August 10, 2015, from
http://digital.hechingerreport.org/content/the-inside-story-on-la-schools-ipad-rollout-a-colossal-disaster_914/
Laureate Education (Producer). 2014d. Soloway, E. The
digital divide: leveling the playing field [Podcast]. Retrieved from
waldenu.edu
Laureate Education (Producer). 2014b Thornburg, D. (2009).
Diversity and Globalism. Laureate Education, Inc.[Video file] Retrieved from
waldenu.edu
Lee, R. (2013, October 3). Fort Bend
school district shelves iPad program. Retrieved August 10, 2015, from
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/education/article/Fort-Bend-school-district-shelves-iPad-program-4867456.php
Thornburg, D. (2013d). Red queens, butterflies, and strange
attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake
Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
Willen, L. (2014, May 21). Why all
screen time isn't created equally - Digital. Retrieved August 10, 2015, from
http://digital.hechingerreport.org/content/screen-time-isnt-created-equally_1466/
The Emerging Technologies from Total Recall, 1990
Technologies in Total Recall, 1990
NOT IN EXISTENCE
|
EMERGING
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NOT YET EMERGED
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Rekall- Machine that
implants memories into your brain (Griffith, 2012).
|
|
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3D Holographic
display on Rekall cart
|
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Full Body X-Ray
Scanner
|
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The artifact that
“instant terraforming device that, when activated, covers the entire fourth
rock from the sun with breathable air” (Griffith, 2012).
|
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NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) has plans to “terraform Mars using shells”
(Kramer, 2013).
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Nasal Based GPS
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Navigational GPS by Garmin
Fitness
GPS by FitBit
|
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Insta-color nails-
The receptionist picked a color off her iPad using a stylus and tapped it
onto her nails to change the current color
|
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Johnny Cab- The
robot taxi driver
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Robot Cops or Synths
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Knightscope K-5 Robot that will patrol the streets to “prevent crime”
(Grossman, 2014).
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Tractor Beam Rope-
“glowing rope that wraps around Quaid and uses a beam to suck it back”
(Griffith, 2012).
|
|
“Laser physicists
have built a tractor beam that can repel and attract objects, using a hollow laser beam
that is bright around the edges and dark in its center” (Shvedov, Davoyan, Hnatovsky, Engheta, & Krolikowski,
2014).
|
Hover Cars
|
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China Fall- A
“magnetized elevator that goes from one end of the earth to the other in
about 20 minutes” (Griffith, 2012).
|
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Implanted Mobile
Video Phone
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According to Dr. Thornburg (2014j), science-fiction based novels
and movies have the potential to influence technology and re-develop its
necessity. After viewing the 1990 film Total
Recall, I was able to compare the technologies seen within the movie and
compare it to emerging technologies, as well as technologies that have not yet
emerged. As soon as I recognized the iPad used by the receptionist to paint her
nails, I was reminded of Dr. Thornburg’s (2014i) theory that “Made-up
technologies in science fiction stories trigger the imagination of inventors.”
The 1990 version of the movie Total
Recall was a rendition of the Philip K. Dick novel We Can Remember It For You Wholesale that was released in 1966. The
technology within the text inspired the screen writers who created the movie
who thus inspired the inventors of the emerging technologies we use today
including the prototypes of the technologies that have not yet emerged.
Two technologies that will remain in
the not yet emerged for at least five to ten more years would have to be the
memory prosthetics and Mobile Implant due to their ethical practices and irregularities
in neurotransmission. In regards to the memory prosthetic, the possibilities
for the technology include returning the memory of patients with Alzheimer’s,
Amnesia, and Dementia. However, neuro-scientists worry about the ethical
consequences of altering memory and what could possibly be triggered as a
result. One researcher asked “Will we be trading a neurological disorder for a
psychiatric one?” because memories are often linked to behavior and altering
one could negatively impact the other (Arnold, 2015). They have also had issues
with result consistency during lab testing. Similarly, the mobile implant
crosses the line of ethics despite its green alternative to technology use and
possibilities of detecting diseases in the early stage. Having technology
implanted allows the device to be available at all times without the need for
recharging or carrying. There is a higher risk involved when electronics are
implanted into the body and connected to the brain. As Leaver (2012) cited the
risk that “someone is going to hack into your nervous system and send signals
you don’t want.”
There is always risk involved when
developing a new technology; however, the potential to revolutionize the
devices we currently use and improve efficiency should be worth looking into.
When I first viewed the movie, I never thought any of the devices other than
the iPad would be considered as emerging today. After actually researching the
devices found within the movie, I realized that almost all of them are in the
early stages of development once funding becomes more available.
References
Aero-X - Aerofex. (n.d.). Retrieved
July 19, 2015, from http://aerofex.com/theaerox/
Arnold, C. (2015, May 6). Inside the
Memory Machine. Retrieved July 17, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/memory-prostheses/
Demetriou, D. (2014, June 25).
Humanoid robots join staff at Tokyo science museum. Retrieved July 17, 2015,
from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10924594/Humanoid-robots-join-staff-at-Tokyo-science-museum.html
Edelstein, S. (2012, May 10).
Volkswagen Hover Car: Is this the future of transportation? Retrieved July 17,
2015, from http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/volkswagen-hover-car-is-this-the-future-of-transportation/
Fitbit. (2015). Retrieved July 17,
2015, from https://www.fitbit.com/
Full body scanner. (n.d.). In Wikipedia.
Garmin. (2015). Retrieved July 17,
2015, from http://www.garmin.com/en-US
Griffith, E. (2012, August 3). From
Mars to Earth: The Tech of Total Recall. Retrieved July 16, 2015, from
http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/301028/from-mars-to-earth-the-tech-of-total-recall/1
Grossman, L. (2014, April 16). The
new cop on the beat may be a bot. Retrieved July 17, 2015, from
http://time.com/65021/robot-cop/
Hachman, M. (2012, May 8). Nevada
Approves License for Google's Self-Driving Car. Retrieved July 17, 2015, from
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404097,00.asp
Hologram technology. 3D holographic
projection technology by Musion. (2013, March 9). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from
http://musion.com/
Hover, H. (n.d.). Hendo Hoverboards
- World's first REAL hoverboard. Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142464853/hendo-hoverboards-worlds-first-real-hoverboard
Kramer, M. (2013, October 7).
Incredible Technology: How to Use shells to Terraform a Planet | Space.com.
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.space.com/23063-terraforming-planets-shell-worlds.html
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014i). David Thornburg: Science fiction [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014j). David Thornburg: Six forces that
drive emerging technologies[Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Leaver, H. (2012, June 28). Here's a
real close call: Implanting your mobile phone under your skin. Retrieved July
17, 2015, from
http://metro.co.uk/2012/06/28/heres-a-real-close-call-implanting-your-mobile-phone-under-your-skin-483932/
Saxma, B. (2014). HoverCar.
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from http://www.2015hovercar.com/index.html
Shvedov, V., Davoyan, A., Hnatovsky,
C., Engheta, N., & Krolikowski, W. (2014, October 19). A long-range
polarization-controlled optical tractor beam. Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v8/n11/full/nphoton.2014.242.html
Skytran. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19,
2015, from http://www.skytran.us/
Terrafugia. (n.d.). Retrieved July
17, 2015, from http://www.terrafugia.com/
The Force of Evolutionary Technologies
Although technological devices might not
reemerge from the past, the effect of their original impact has the ability to
reappear time and time again. Dr. Thornburg (2014h) noted that it’s not the
technology that has been rekindled, but the effect of the technology that is
rekindled and how it’s being used through their evolution and progression.
According to Dr. Thornburg (2014j), the key principles that drive evolutionary
technologies, which are new technologies that are a progressive growth of
previous technologies, include: rhymes of history, science fiction, disruptive
technologies, increasing returns, and the red queen. Within Rhymes of History,
the impact of previous technology is felt as new innovations emerge. For
Science Fiction, new innovations are developed from science-based science
fiction. Disruptive Technologies are those that create innovative ways of
thinking about the essential technological task. Increasing returns are seen
when two competing technologies emerge, but only one is chosen while the other
disappears. Lastly, the Red Queen emerges when two competing technologies
advance ahead of other devices. As seen from past modules, during the early
stage of technology, numerous innovations will be seen; however, only a few
will re-emerge through evolution of the devices efficiency and usefulness.
The force of evolutionary technologies
could be a sustainable and reliable way to predict future trends in technology
to help schools alleviate unnecessary purchases of technology that will become
obsolete shortly after their adoption. By viewing common trends and investing
in technology devices listed in the Horizon Report (2015), schools could stay
current with their technology adoption while also investing in devices that are
projected to provide a return on the investment, efficiency, and usefulness of
the device for years to come.
Three evolutionary educational
technologies that are listed in the Horizon Report (2015) include: Cloud Based
Learning (pg. 11), Social Media (pg. 13), and Gamification of Learning (pg. 8).
Students can use cloud-based platforms
such as Qino,
ProofHub,
and MindMeister for collaborative
projects, to promote teamwork, peer-to-peer learning, and to keep track of
their individual assessments, learning plans, and work (New Media Consortium
Horizon Project, 2015, pg. 11). Another site that was recommended to me on
Twitter by an Educational Technology Representative was a program called Nearpod
that allows teachers to create and customize learning material and allows
students to collaborate with their peers and submit responses all through the
program. The interactive lessons and student assessments are offered through
the Nearpod platform and can be accessed using mobile or desktop devices. These
cloud-based educational platforms would allow learning to become more
individualized to better facilitate learning. This would also reduce the carbon
footprint often left behind when using an actual device to store information
once the device becomes obsolete.
Social Media, such as Skype and Twitter,
can be used for global collaboration of students and educators to create
electronic publications. An example of this was seen by The World School in New
York who has published a Global Book Series utilizing the collaboration efforts
of educators and students from all around the world that they collaborated with
using the Twitter platform (New Media Consortium Horizon Project, 2015, pg.
13).
Lastly, Gamification of Learning “shifts from students as consumers to students as
creators” to allow students to enjoy the process of identifying, creating, and
enjoying the potential of their learning capabilities (Briggs, 2014). Briggs
(2014) also mentioned how “Creative thinking not only enhances our
ability to adapt to our environment and circumstances but also allows us to
transform those environment and circumstances.” Integrating technology
into curriculum would allow students to acquire skills necessary for the future
workforce which was seen when 3D printing was applied to science classes and
media production into humanities courses (New Media Consortium Horizon Project,
2015, pg. 8). As Pew (2014) mentioned, “the world is moving rapidly towards
ubiquitous connectivity that will further change how and where people
associate, gather and share information, and consume media.” Devices are
evolving to become more portable and allow users to become more productive and
efficient in their work.
In regards to 3D
printers, scholars believe that “printers are going to double up on performance
and double down on costs” (Chyzowski,
2015). I have been reading more and more about the Zero-G 3D printers that are currently being used in space. You can submit digital data to
the printers for astronauts to print out the design and test while in space.
Imagine the cost and time efficiency that is improved simply by not having to
ship so many devices into space if you can simply print them there. 3D printers would be revolutionary in the
classroom allowing students to shift from
simply being consumers of information to becoming creators of their own learning (Briggs, 2014). The New
Media Consortium Horizon Project (2015) claimed that integrating 3D printing
into sciences would enable students to “understand the various intersections
between technology and virtually any subject matter, acquiring a skillset that
is desired in the contemporary workforce” (pg. 8). By creating a curriculum that allows students to develop and produce new
products, educators can enable them to become productive members of our society
who will contribute to the jobs that are projected to emerge in the near future
(Palmer, 2014).
References:
Briggs, S. (2014, September 20). Students
as creators: How to drive your students to be more than just consumers. Retrieved
from http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/students-as-creators/
Chyzowski, H. (2015, July 1). RE:
Discussion - Module 3 [Online discussion post]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Laureate
Education (Producer). (2014j). David Thornburg: Six forces that drive emerging
technologies [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate
Education (Producer). (2014h). David Thornburg: Rhymes of history [Video file].
Baltimore, MD: Author.
New
Media Consortium Horizon Project. (2015). The
NMC Horizon Report. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf
Palmer, K. (2014, October 17).
Program helps Kansas city-area students create technology, not just use it.
Retrieved from
http://kcur.org/post/program-helps-kansas-city-area-students-create-technology-not-just-use-it
Pew
Research Center. (March 2014). Digital life in 2025. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/11/digital-life-in-2025/
McLuhan's Tetrad: Humanoids
According to McLuhan’s Laws of Media, every medium has the ability to
enhance, retrieve, reverse, make something obsolete, and does all 4 quadrants
simultaneously even if it doesn’t manifest (Laureate
Education, 2014f). I am really interested in
seeing more artificial intelligence in the near future because of the vast
possibilities it is capable of providing. Japan has already added Humanoid
robots to their staff at local museums (Demetriou, 2014). Matai (2015) claimed
that machines would "finally be able to do what we do, in some cases
better than us and with higher levels of safety and security" (para. 2).
The facility that I work at caters to adolescent patients who could not be
contained at alternative schools or who are on break from juvenile detention in
hopes of getting their charges expunged. Physical safety, as well as data
safety for patient records, is a constant worry for the teachers there. Due to
the high turnover rate for therapists and staff, my safety is a daily concern
because if I trigger a student-patient by asking them to get back on task in
the classroom, I risk having a desk thrown at my head (again) or being
physically attacked. I honestly think that humanoids could add value to
classrooms such as mine to help teach more students using pre-programmed
prompts for lecturing the 6 different classes that I teach and be a buffer
between my face and a fist.
What does it enhance?
According to Matai (2015), quantum artificial
intelligence may be able to “exponentially speed up the rate at which certain
machine learning tasks are performed, and in some cases, reduc[e] the time from
hundreds of thousands of years to mere seconds (para 6). Artificial
intelligence found in Humanoids also offer customized communication for users
to assist in translating information and cater to various age groups. One of
the robots hired at a Science Museum in Japan resembles a child and was created
to “read news reports covering an array of global issues in a variety of voices
and languages” (Demetriou, 2014, para 9). With
3-D printing, robots can be customized to suit a child’s needs and preferences
perhaps even having 7 purple heads if the child requested it (Weir, 2015, para.
11). Robots could also enhance physical and social therapy for
seniors, adolescents, and individuals with addictions and disabilities such as
autism or depression (Weir, 2015, para 2).
What does it obsolete?
Humanoids have the ability to retrieve
news and information without relying on actual hardware to access the internet.
This would eliminate the need for laptops and desk tops. This will make the
retrieval of information become more portable. The wait time for data retrieval
and transmission would be reduced because users would no longer have to wait to
start up a hardware device such as a phone, laptop, or desktop or opening an
application because the humanoid would be active and ready to act on command.
This would eliminate the need to have an actual device to save or retrieve
information like a jump drive or cd rom provides because humanoids would be
fully capable of saving and retrieval such information.
What does it retrieve?
Using
the concepts of instant data retrieval and transmission as the internet
provided when it was first introduced, humanoids and artificial intelligence
has the ability to reduce the wait time for such information.
What does it reverse or
demise?
Including Humanoids the work force might reduce the human
work force, thus increasing the unemployment rate. Humanoids might also damage
the need for social interaction because a humanoid body would be present. Humanoids
lack human instinct, picking up on social and emotional cues, which risk
offending actual humans or damaging interactions amongst the two.
References
Demetriou,
D. (2014, June 25). Humanoid robots join staff at Tokyo science museum.
Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10924594/Humanoid-robots-join-staff-at-Tokyo-science-museum.html
Laureate
Education (Producer). (2014f). David
Thornburg: McLuhan’s Tetrad [Video
file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Matai,
D. (2015, June 15). Artificial Intelligence & Quantum Computing: Utopia or
Dystopia? Retrieved from
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/artificial-intelligence-quantum-computing-utopia-dystopia-dk-matai?trk=pulse_spock-articles
Weir,
K. (2015, June 1). Robo therapy: A new class of robots provides social and
cognitive support. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/06/robo-therapy.aspx
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