Addressing the Digital Divide

As an educational technologist, it is almost an oath to stay aware of technology changes and assist other people received and use the new technology entering the market. In a progressively more and internationally spirited world, education is the key to advancement and people without high school diplomas are not likely to do well.

I see these as two distinct but tightly related professional dynamics. Instructional technology means the hardware, the software, and the systems that either have been created specifically for an educational purpose or have been adapted to an educational purpose. There are clear implication for training. Age group X and Y instructors have to be open to indulgent of their environment and knowledge of the boomers and late boomers, will pick up the wisdom of the boomer experience. Likewise the boomers might have to make further use of the experience and skills of new teachers in the adoption of learning technologies and accept that the application of these learning technologies is not part of another cycle of education and become more involved. Moving beyond the generation gap in the application of learning technologies is not easy. Some educators even admit to professional jealously because their student’s are having a different, perhaps even easier, educational experience (Plüss 2003).

How many times have you purchased a new computer or manuals only to find out it is out of date quite quickly. I learnt early on, with the purchasing and using of hardware and software and the 5 relevant manuals, to treat them all like the new car that immediately loses value as you drive out the yard, is superseded usually within a month or so and just accept the fact that you have to spend the money on service and repairs until you replace it. If you treat technology this way you will become more tolerant and adaptable.

The technology needs to be used in an appropriate manner to maximize the communication of the message. We need “articulate, self assured speakers” (Hewett: 2003) who can strike a balance between being themselves and not going as far as forgetting “high tech gadgets when you are making a presentation” (Robinson: 2003). Reaching everyone that is interested is the instructor goal. Technology does not know or display discrimination against sociable background, gender, cultural, or socioeconomic sensitivity. I think that’s one reason why technology has taken off and so many people are willing to accept the changes.



Reference

Hewett, J. (2003) “ Creativity’s precious, but good English is beyond value”Sydney Morning Herald 31 January

Plüss M (2003) Beyond the Generation Gap” Education Review/Campus retrieved November 17, 2010 from http://plu.wikispaces.com/file/view/leadership_06.pdf

Robinson, O. (2003) “Speak Easy” Sydney Morning Herald July 19 2003.

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?
• In this week’s blog posting we are discussing the DVDs and an example of Red Queens or Increasing Returns. Red Queens, according to Thornburg (2008), are two technologies that are dominating the marketplace in a confronting each other fashion. The struggle to continue ahead of the other benefits the consumer as the competitors constantly improves the product to stay in the game. (The term Red Queen was derived from the notion of Alice in Wonderland with the Red Queen in hand, running simply to stay in place.) I had the movie in my personal library of videos. I seen the movie in the theater and when it was released on DVD I had to purchase it because it really intrigued me because of the scientific innovation of technology that could help us in the further. I am a science fiction buff and really like those types of movies.
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 I think DVD have a better return than on demand. The on demand I research for this project was satellite broadcast DIRECTV. The satellite provider has targeted the DVD market and the home delivery services that are provided by Blockbuster and Netflick.
Where do you think DVDs and video on demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?
• McLuhan’s Tetrad
I do believe that currently, DVDs will replace and suppress the satellite movie, yet both have similarities in McLuhan’s Tetrad. Below I have put the DVD into a Social Tetrad and the satellite into a technology tetrad.
SOCIAL TETRAD



References

Arthur, W. B. (1996). Increasing returns and the new world of business. Harvard Business Review, 74(4), 100−109.

Thornburg, D. (2008). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.