Turning a page… March 18, 2007
Posted by jameyo in futurism, presentism.add a comment
The absence of posts recently is not so much an indicator of lack of interest or topics, but more a reflection of the changes going on in my personal life. Sorry about that; I’ll try to do better in future.
I have taken a new position in the interlude between this and the last post. I’m now the Director of Instructional Technology for the La Porte ISD, on Galveston Bay just east of Houston, Texas. I start tomorrow and I’m eagerly anticipating the challenges and opportunities that await me in this new position. La Porte is right on Galveston Bay and is a much smaller district than the one I left. A smaller district can do things that a larger one can’t and it provides a unique setting for me to move my way up the career ladder in instructional technology.
It’s my intention to blog about my experiences, learning about becoming a Director of Instructional Technology here on Abstract Virtuality. I hope it’s worthwhile for those that desire to follow along one day.
Social networks and their business models February 11, 2007
Posted by jameyo in futurism, virtualism.1 comment so far
The future of the Internet is here: social networks. I don’t think there’s any denying that, after looking at the success of MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Second Life. Social networking spaces have much to offer our students and will be a significant portion of our students’ online future.
That said, the business models of these sites are preventing educators who are sympathetic and enthusiastic about these sites (read: me) from being able to successfully integrate them into my teaching. My MySpace page has been huge for my radio show. I’ve been able to connect with artists and fans I’d have never otherwise had. It gives me a voice and a reach that is unparalleled by terrestrial radio. Unfortunately, every time I visit MySpace, I’m invariably greeted by the scantily clad and poorly Photoshopped girls of true.com. Either that, or its the insipid Flash ads beseeching me to kiss the rockstar or smote the gorilla. Sometimes it’s both. Facebook is much more benign about their ads, yet our district sees fit to block it.
I see a powerful new tool for education in the metaverse. Second Life and the MUVEs (massive user virtual environments) that will inevitably follow it have the potential to reshape education as we currently know it. Their power is undeniable if you’ve spent any time at all in the virtual world yet their adoption into our educational framework will always slam headlong against the business model the companies that pioneer those worlds choose to employ. Linden Labs, the creators of Second Life (SL), have adopted a (non-) policy of allowing anyone and everyone to subscribe. A teen “grid” does exist but it can’t be accessed by adults, except for those who’ve undergone a background check. The lack of enforceability of LL’s policies makes it suspect for any educator who wishes to bring SL into the K-12 classroom, which is unfortunate. Higher ed entities are jumping on SL with good reason: it’s a rich environment and suitable for their audience. K-12 educators are going to have to wait till another MUVE comes along that is more suited to education.
The business models that recover venture capital simply prevent their adoption into the classroom, unless that is the specific, stated goal of the technology. The users of these environments are the 20-somethings that have recently left the K-12 world and the marketing stream that is targeted toward them prevents their wider adoption. I’d love to tell the makers of these worlds that there’s lots of money to be made in education, if they would only make it possible for us to bring it into the classroom.
A revelation (updated) February 9, 2007
Posted by jameyo in futurism.2 comments
I’m at the TCEA conference in Austin, Texas. I always consider it to be the best week of my year, professionally anyway! I’ve presented two workshops and one concurrent session already this week and have one more to go: Creative Commons in 16A in about 90 minutes. Not that anybody will read this in time to go and listen…..
I was walking the exhibit floor yesterday and a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. We’re working with our schools to put projectors into classrooms as fast as we can. The revelation was that the price of flat-screen LCD TVs are dropping so quickly that a 37-42″ unit is now comparable to that of a LCD projector! Think about it: If a teacher can connect a laptop and display it on a TV screen that size, then all the benefits of a projector are realized without the shadows, set up and cable hassles of a projector and bulb replacement costs are a thing of the past!
So, what’s it going to take for schools to realize this for themselves? An important mindset will have to be altered: flat-screen TVs are perceived as an extravagance. Look at any bar or hotel today (as I’ve been doing this week-more hotels than bars, fyi) and you’ll see how ubiquitous the flat-panel LCD has become. I think the time is ripe for TVs to replace projectors. Consumers will benefit from the further price drop that will inevitably occur and students will have one less reason to think schools aren’t cool.
UPDATE: While walking the floor today, I saw an important piece necessary for this to happen in schools: Keytec, Inc., makers of Magic Touch were in the exhibit hall, demonstrating their products. Magic Touch is a touch-screen overlay for a flat-panel TV that allows the computer image displayed to be manipulated with a finger. Their other product, View Touch, lets you operate the computer via a special laser pointer. When these two products merge with flat-panels becoming ubiquitous in classrooms, I think educational technology will enter a new realm of possibility.
I invite your comments and thoughts.
