Video Conferencing Tetrad (Module 2)

Video conferencing is a form of technology that has changed drastically over the past 30 years.  From its initial entrance in the commercial market in the 1980s to the ability to video conference from personal computers and cell phones, the ability to communicate face-to-face has morphed into instantaneous communication.  Video conferencing enhances the ability to communicate person to person or in groups across vast distances.  Not only can people communicate across distances, but they can communicate face-to-face instantaneously.

Before video conferencing was affordable by private organizations, conference calls were the norm.  The technology allowed for multiple users to communicate at one time in one setting.  Video conferencing allows for visual communications.  Conference calls failed to provide technology for visual presentations or face-to-face communication.  While conference calls are beneficial to organizations that cannot afford technology for video conferencing, the technology has now become obsolete.

Although the video phone of the 1970s never made an impact on the market, the video conferencing technology obviously retrieves the idea that people can communicate with visual and audio components.  Phones only provide for one form of communication, while adding the video component allows for much deeper and richer communication.

As innovative as video conferencing has been, the technology could eventually be replaced by the ability to conference using holographic technology.  Instead of being able to view a meeting through the lens of a camera, people would be able to participate in the meeting through holographic images.

For more information:

History of video conferencing:  http://www.nefsis.com/best-video-conferencing-software/video-conferencing-history.html

Video Phones: http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/a-brief-history-of-the-videophone-that-almost-was-1214969187

Holographic Technology: http://www.dvice.com/2013-6-26/holographic-tv-might-be-closer-you-think

                                                                                                                

Cloud Computing: Educational Technology (Module 1)

The opening of Thornburg’s (2009) article Current Trends in Educational Technology discusses the trend of school systems moving towards netbooks and “greener” personal computers as a means of saving money and using less energy.  I mention this opening because the goal of this trend is two-fold (energy and money), but knowing the financial state of school systems, the number one goal is to save money and achieve a technologically advanced learning environment.  Similarly, the concept of cloud computing has the potential to save money for school systems while offering to lessen some of the technological burden placed on school-wide servers.  The concept of cloud computing is creating a system in which organizations rely on a web-based system to house and store information and applications that can be accessed by all participants in the organization (Strickland, 2013).  This decreases the need for software and hardware on the school system’s part. 

Achieving a one-to-one student to computer ratio is considered the optimal setting to immerse students in technology.  However, the costs associated with that can be astronomical when considering the cost of computers and software.  However, cloud computing has the potential to relieve school systems of some of the burden created by purchasing software and software licenses. While it is often necessary to purchase agreements and packages with the cloud-based companies, the cost is less than those incurred from traditional technology purchases.  In recent years our school system has moved to a form of cloud computing by using PowerSchool, the web-based version, as a grade keeping tool.  Using this program has saved the school system in software purchases and server space as everything is houses outside of the school systems servers.

There are some concerns associated with cloud-based computing.  First and foremost, and the most widely mentioned pitfall is data security.  School systems and companies are accustomed to housing and securing personal and pertinent data, yet cloud computing puts the burden of security on the company housing the data.  Also, another issue that has been raised is the lack of control by the organization using the cloud technology.  This has also led to further questions concerning the ownership of the information.  Although the information was created by the organization, the information is housed and secured by the cloud company.  This creates an issue of who has rights to the information (Strickland, 2013).

Without having a deep understanding of cloud-based computing, it would be very difficult to develop a plan to make cloud-based computing better than it is.  Obviously the security issues would be a way to improve performance, but other than that it seems that there are not any improvements that can be made. 

For more information:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing3.htm

Resources:
Strickland J., (2013). How cloud computing works.  Retrieved from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing3.htm on December 10, 2013.

Thornburg, D. D. (2009a). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

Welcome All

I would like to welcome all of you to my blog.  Over the course of these next few months, and hopefully for some time to come, I will be discussing emergent technologies that impact the world of education.  I hope you enjoy the commentary, and I look forward to our discussions.