What's Next? What's Public Education Coming to?

Well, I completed my Ed. S. degree in Technology, retired from my job, and sat down to contemplate my next move. As a forty year educator in the Chicago Public School District, I am not happy about the current events in my district. Of the student teachers that I have mentored, I wonder how their teaching experiences differed from what I promised them. I mentored with great enthusiasm; insisting on excellence from my student teachers and encouraging them to continue their own educations. I taught with greater enthusiasm. I LOVED my job. There was no better feeling than that of a student understanding what I was teaching and taking it to the next level; and yes, there was a lot of that. My students were wonderful and I enjoyed showing off their work to their families and my friends. I celebrated student achievement.Yet, I could not encourage my own daughter to become a teacher. There seems to be a war on teachers and their unions. The people making educational decisions are not educators and they do not know what educators do on a daily basis. The real feeling is that teachers are glorified baby-sitters who must be told what,when,and how to teach. Every couple of years, some new idea pops up to upset the going momentum and stop whatever progress is being made. Teachers are not the enemy. Their unions are not the enemy. Teachers and teaching became better with the demands of the unions and the sacrifices of those teachers brave enough to walk the picket lines. Public education is important to democracy. Public education is important no matter how many private, charter,or religious schools become available for parental choice. Public education should be funded by public funds. Private, charter and religious schools should get their funds from their students. The old argument that those attending private, charter and religious schools also fund public schools forgets that those attending those schools made that choice. Public funds for public schools.  Is your public school below par? Fix it. Public schools should be the schools of choice because the best and brightest teachers challenge the students on a daily basis. Public schools should be the schools of choice because their standards are so high that the best and brightest students find them so rewarding they lift the standards with innovative project-based learning among other things. Peer-review of teachers will allow teaching standards to step up and problems are solved collectively. Teaching becomes a preferred profession with pay that denotes its status. I can encourage my young relatives to become teachers without reservation. Am I dreaming? So, now, what's next?

EDUC 7108 Module 6

As a leader in educational technology it is imperative to build a climate where emerging technologies are accepted, expected and explored while including gender, cultural and socioeconomic sensitivity. Schools, workplaces, and community centers are the places where climate must thrive. Starting early to teach students to think outside of the box for solutions to common situations and to look with new eyes at old problems that can be solved with technological ingenuity, will help to close the technological divide and give impetus to a new wave of emerging technology that will change the way we do many things. New jobs, new innovations, new services are all the outcomes of such thinking.

As technology leaders we must be about changing the mind-set of educators to accept emerging technology as tools for their use and not one more thing to trouble their day, will give their classrooms and themselves a sense of wonder to explore the possibilities.Expecting and looking for something new and innovative will certainly keep boredom out of the classroom, workplace and community centers. While many of our students have access to technology, we must always be aware of those who do not and make resources available to them. This may mean opening up the school's computer labs earlier before school and allowing them to remain open after school and on Saturdays. Allowing our libraries and community centers to remain open later than the regular nine-to-five workday would give more people more access to these resources. Mr. William Gibson's quote of "The future arrived, it just wasn't equally distributed."is a challenge for us to look for those ways that will help that distribution.


Some articles I found interesting:
Education Cuts: The Haves and the Have Nots. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inalameda/detail?entry_id=69622


A Nation of "Haves and "Have Nots"? Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/593/haves-Ahave-nots

DVDs and Videos-Where to Now?

When I first learned that we had to watch a Philip K. Dick book-based movie, I immediately searched the shelves in my TV room. I knew I had the Minority Report as I had purchased it some time ago and I have watched it occasionally. While I am familiar with Netflix and have video on demand through DISH Network, I like having choices for selecting movies to watch.

Dr. Thornberg tells us that the idea of the Red Queen is when two competing companies drive other competition out of business by vying with each other for business. In the not so distant past, video rental companies like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video competed with each other for this niche of the economy. Other smaller video companies could not compete with them and went out of business. This is the example of the Red Queen. In my area of the country, neither of these companies exists any longer. The current competition between DVDs is between Redbox and Netflix. Netflix can be streamed on your computer, broadband, or you can order a disc. Redbox locations are everywhere and you can get a movie for a dollar. Video on demand is available through satellite companies, and in my area of the two main companies are Dish Network and Comcast. They compete with each other and other companies have very little if any of this market; another example of the Red Queen.

DVDs and videos are fast approaching the obsolete phase of MeLuhan's tetrad. The cost and demand of videos have driven this market to the point where people are looking for the next way movie companies will distribute their wares to the public. Streaming video over the airwaves or bandwidth may be the wave of the future. This may help with the cost and the demand along with the quality of the product. I think we are ready for an innovation.

References:

Thornburg, D.D. (2008) Emerging technologies and McLuhan's Laws of Media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornberg Center for Space Exploration.

Redbox Automated Retail. http://www.redbox.com

Let's Watch TV. http://www.dishnetwork.com

Disruptive Technology of Second Life

Watching the creator of Second Life, Philip Rosedale explain how he came to invent Second Life as a virtual reality world and not as a game gave me new insights into this technology. The fact that people are making money in Second Life leads me to think that it has implications for the business world as well as the educational one.

Dr. David Thornburg tells us in the vodcast Disruptive Technologies(2009) that a disruptive technology obsoletes or replaces another technology, changes how that technology impacts society, and can happen anytime without warning. They are not extensions of old technology, rather they are new and does a better job than the old technology. Dr. Thornburg calls them "wildcards". Second Life fits this description in that it replaces face-to-face interaction. It gives its co-creators a "second chance" to invent themselves into a virtual world of their making.

In the educational arena, Second Life allows virtual campuses, classrooms and conferences.
Second Life seems to be expanding if one listens to Mr. Rosedale. I think that it has a good many years left as a creative technological force. The emerging technology that takes its place will probably show up as Dr. Thornburg's "wildcard" and change our minds about what a virtual world is and does.

The social benefits of Second Life are tremendous in allowing people global access to each other. Breaking down social and cultural barriers to allow economic and educational exchanges is certainly a benefit. While college level participation can be seen in Second Life now, I wonder what its implications are for the K-12 arena. Certainly virtual classrooms for this group is on the horizon and someone somewhere is already formulating a curriculum that will be seen in the not too distant future.

References:

Thornburg,D. (2009) Evolutionary technology Vodcast: In Laureate Education, Inc. Emerging and future technology.

Rosedale, P. (2008) Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.


Nuthall.K. (2008) US: a disruptive technology arrives. Retrieved from http://www.universityworldnews.com/articles.php?story=20080117162121373

Second Life as a Disruptive Technology in Education.Retrieved from http://lrodriguezetc.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/second-life-as-a-disruptive-technology-in-education/

Rhymes of History-Virtual Worlds

Virtual Worlds is an example of a technology that represents a rhyme of history. Virtual worlds allow participants to become involved in a fantasy world via an avatar and interact with other people,places and situations. This idea evolved from listening to the story teller around the campfire. Here the listeners were transported into a world of make-believe by the pictures drawn by the words of the artful story teller. When words included pictures of fanciful tales in masterfully crafted storybooks, readers were transported mentally to interact with other people, places and situations. When motion pictures and television came along to allow viewers to passively participate with other people, places and situations, the idea of starring in one's own show or adventure gave rise to gaming an gaming with an avatar in a virtual world.

The recurring theme of imaginative interaction represented by ever improving technology is a rhyme of history. Since this kind of interaction is evolving, what will the future hold for it? How will we interact with other people, places and situations in the future? The possibilities are limitless and will repeat the concept of interaction with other people, places and situations. Everything from corporate training, online classes, and entertainment can be found in a virtual world for every age level. Everyone can participate via the Internet in whatever kind of virtual world that suits their fancy and as such participates in a rhyme of history.

Virtual Worlds to explore:
Whyville:Where students learn by doing. http://www.whyville.net/smmk/nice

Second Life: The highly customizable site for adults. http://www.secondlife.com/

The Sims: Online version. http://www.thesimsonline.com/

Virtual Worlds Catagorized: http://www.virtualworldsreview.com/index.shtml

Module 2 Blog Posting-Auto-Pilot Auto

Auto-Pilot Auto

Enhances: What does this technology do that is new?

What this technology does that is new is to allow a driver to plot a course and possibly an estimated time of arrival to a destination and let the auto-pilot of the car take him safely to his destination. Possibly using GPS and enhanced roadways, cars would be controlled by autopilots and automated traffic controllers. This would reduce roadway congestion, move traffic along at a safe but rapid speed, and give motorists the freedom to safely phone a friend, work on their computers or take a nap on the way to their destination. This auto-pilot would pay tolls automatically like the open tolling on the Illinois Toll-way and automatically pull into the fueling station when there is a need. The auto-piloted auto would announce the arrival at the destination, park and secure itself while our motorist goes on about his business.

Obsoletes: What does this technology replace?

The technology that the auto piloted auto replaces is the individually driven automobile that now clogs our highways. It would reduce traffic congestion, accidents and road-rage. It would replace motorists listening to the traffic news and trying to decide the best route to take to avoid major congestion and accidents. It would replace uneven traffic lanes and safely pilot the automobiles through traffic lights, signs and pedestrians regardless of weather conditions.

Retrieves/rekindles: What does this technology bring to mind (or retrieve) from the past?

This auto-pilot auto technology brings to mind the drivers of the stage-coaches who drove the horses and coaches with their passengers. It brings to mind the Greyhound bus drivers who told passengers to "leave the driving to us!" It reminds us of the uniformed train conductors of the trains and the auto-pilot on airplanes. All of these modes of transportation allows the passenger to be unconcerned with the logistics of getting to his destination.

Reverses: What might replace this technology in the future, ot what might it cause to occur?

The technology that might replace the auto-pilot auto in the future could be automated mass transit with individualized and mass teleportation stations. The idea of thinking about or visualizina destination and arriving there instantly via a "port-key" as in Harry Potter could be the result or a derivative of the auto-pilot auto.

References:

Auto pilot for cars.Retrieved from http://www.whynot.net/ideas/3706

Willington, R. (2010) Researches aim for car with autopilot, but would you trust it? Retrieved from http://hothardware.com/News/Researchers-Aim-For-Car-With-AutoPilot-But-Would-You-Trust-It/

Emerging Technology-The Smart Pen

7108 Module 1 Blog Posting

As an elementary student I remember day-dreaming about a magic pencil that would do my homework for me. It would write fluently in my handwriting and get all of my homework correct with little or no effort on my part. So much for childhood musings! This magic pen has shown up in the form of the Pulse SmartPen. This pen is an assistive technology to Special Needs students from sixth grade through the college years. It is used in the lower grades to help students read by their tapping the word and listening to the recording repeat it for them. The SmartPen helps teacher evaluation by capturing every word during an evaluative observation where the mentor must script, categorize and score every section of the lesson against a very specific rubric. It is invaluable that it "gets every word!" Since the evaluation does have a cash value. The SmartPen has helped productivity tremendously.

Problems and Challenges

One challenge that dogs the SmartPen is its price. While the initial price has fallen, it is still pricey. It is a pen and needs special ink cartridges, special paper and can only be loaded onto one computer. While individuals may keep up with their smart pens, teachers issued a number of them for a class must diligently keep up with them. The legal issue of recording someone must also be addressed. Students do not always feel they need to get the speaker's permission before clicking on their SmartPens. So knowing the school's or the professor's policy and following it to the letter is important.

Societal Needs and Benefits

To say that the SmartPen addresses a need, one only needs to ask a college student about their notes from a lecture. They don't need to write every word. They can tap their paper and hear what the professor is saying. They can share their notes, upload them to the computer to read and listen to them at the same time. The business person can keep detailed notes with the same listening capabilities for sharing and reviewing. The special needs student can track the lecture, capture it, upload, review and share it. Instead of taking a laptop to class the student or business person need only take their pen with its special notebook and capture every word. Essentially making a pen instead of the laptop the technology of choice when faced with carrying a heavy book-bag, is a no-brainer.

Making it Better, Avoiding Pitfalls

Keeping up with the SmartPen in a classroom where students often leave or lose pens is going to be a challenge. However, making the SmartPen magnetic so it sticks to its person's body or belongings might prove to be one solution. Another solution is to bring the price down so that the pen is more affordable. The special paper can be printed from a PC but not Mac at this time. Making it Mac-friendly would also make it better. In keeping the pen charged up and ready to write, it needs to be attached to the computer. Making a separate mobile charger would make this technology better. Finally, to assure the best use of the SmartPen for students and business people alike, it would be good to have fingerprint and or voice recognition for the owner to discourage theft.

Resources:

http://www.livescribe.com/smartpen/videos.html

http://www.livescribe.com/education/learning.html

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/accessories/livescribe-pulse-smartpen.aspx

http://blogs.sun.com/designatsun/entry/livescribe 1gb pulse smartpen