As presented by Dr. Thornburg, a technology that represents a rhyme of history is one that reflects or revives a theme from history, or in my opinion a need. In reference to the need, I conceptualize it as something humans have desired to do for functioning on a day-to-day basis; technology has served the purpose of meeting that need in a more efficient manner relative to the times. In this case a common need that has always existed is that of communication. Whether for happy or horrific news, the sooner the information could be transmitted the better. Evolving from the Pony Express and Morse Code into pages then emails and texts. Skype is a technology that revives a recurring theme in history: communication. This technology makes communication quick and easy and can be available to all. This technology allows one to quickly get in contact with a friend or relative to share important news but provides the added bonus of visuals to a conversation. In addition, Skype extends to the globe so soldiers can be in touch with their families.
Works Cited
Thornburg, D. Rhymes of History. [Vodcast]. Laureate Education, Inc.
Thornburg, D. Six forces that drive emerging technologies. [Vodcast]. Laureate Education, Inc.
Erin,
ReplyDeleteGreat point! The social need, the availability of greater bandwidth, and the free option, helps make technology available to the masses. Skype is a great “rhyme of history” example. I wonder what will be Skype’s next technological step. I do think that if they will start charging for some features, a new disrupting technology will arise.
Orit
Erin,
ReplyDeleteSkype is a great asset to those who find themselves living quite a distance away. I wish it had been available to me especially when I first moved overseas in 1990. At that time, there were no "long distant plans" for me in Europe, with phone charges that were astronomical for over the Atlantic! The only option was to have very seldom conversations, to keep it brief, and write a lot of letters in between. A lot has changed since then, thanks to new technologies such as Skype!
Skype is also changing education. I know of several teachers that use it to connect classrooms from across the country and around the world. I know of others that use it for teaching topics like Mandarin Chinese by having someone from China teach the class. It is a powerful communication tool that always is "on" on my Droid, iPad, and PC.
ReplyDeleteGeorge
Skype is an amazing tool for personal and professional use. I would like to see it used more in my workplace. Skype can be a great teaching tool for our classrooms, but I think you can use it in a variety of ways. Perhaps, use them for meetings throughout the school district without the need for face to face interactions. Instead of school visits, create Skype partnerships with neighboring schools to see how they run their schools. I think the possibilities are endless and, as Skype's popularity increases, we will continue to see its uses grow.
ReplyDeleteI like to use it during my planning period so I can see my baby. Makes me not feel as guilty =)
ReplyDelete