Disruptive Techologies

Clayton Christensen describes a disruptive technology as a “new technology with the same functionality as an existing technology, but it functions more efficiently, costs less, and then obsoletes that technology” (Thornburg, 2009). 

Second Life (SL), is an example of a disruptive technology because it surfaced rather quickly and took the gaming world by storm.  SL allows users to create avatars, play games, travel, and interact in real time in virtual worlds; therefore, it has the potential to replace traditional computer games. 

Second Life also has the potential to have a major impact on distance education as well as businesses because it provides a platform to hold virtual meetings replacing the need to have face to face meetings. 

It also provides social benefits for those who are home bound and/or have social anxieties because it allows them to create a fully mobile avatar that is not bound by any disability. 

Although, Second Life came on the scene rather quickly, I don’t see it going anywhere soon!

Rhymes of History

Someone once said, “The future will be like the past, only with cooler toys.” This quote is quite useful in understanding the force of rhymes of history.  Dr. David Thornburg asserts rhymes of history are tools that rekindle something from the past.  All through history this statement rings true. 

Communication “toys” are one such example.  The innate desire to stay connected with others encouraged the innovation of the telegraph in the late 1700s.  This communication system transmitted electric signals over wires that translated into a message. 

Although the telegraph was a wonderful innovation for its time, Alexander Graham Bell took it up a notch (rhyme of history) inventing the telephone in the 1870s, allowing users to transmit speech electrically.

Again in the late 1900s, innovators “one upped” the telephone creating mobile phones allowing users to have a portable device that transmitts speech.

Today, we have Skype!  Skype allows users to communicate with others by voice using a microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant messaging over the Internet.

I am excited to see what’s next!

References:

Bellis, M.  (n.d.)  The history of the telephone.  Retrieved from

       http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventors/a/telephone.htm

Bellis, M. (n.d.) The history of the telegraph.  Retrieved from

       http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/telegraph.htm

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Rhymes of History [Video]. In Emerging and

       future technology [DVD] Baltimore, MD: Author

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia (2012).  Skype.  Retrieved from

       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skype


I commented on the following blogs:

Linda Hutchinson at http://hutchisonedt550.blogspot.com/

Christopher Douglass at http://cd-musicblog.blogspot.com/