Second Life

Second Life a virtual world where anything is possible created by Philip Rosedale changed the way people can communicate via the Internet. Second life allows people to do what they want to do but cannot do in the real world. It goes beyond the standard text to text of normal Internet searches and information is presented in images. Dr. Thornburg defines disruptive technology as a new technology that has the same features as an old technology, but more efficient. The new technology comes along and changes how we do things. With this definition we can look at Second Life changing the way that we chat globally. So many users are in this world at the same time from everywhere around the globe. It allows users to chat as someone else to leave their real world and enter the world of their avatar. Instead of have linear chat with just one person or having to wait your turn to chat in a chat room you can create different conversations with people simultaneously. Dr. Thornburg also refers to a disruptive technology as a wild card that changes the nature of the game instantly, but I am not so sure that Second Life is a true disruptive technology in this since. It has taken years to grow to this level and its creator suggests it has many years and much more potential for growth. It is unclear what technology it truly displaced because chat is still available and it is still being used. I believe that Second Life has about five more years to reach it's full potential because a lot of people haven't caught on to it, or they may just not have time. I would like to see what it is like but I have too many real world responsibilities to take on a virtual world. I am not sure that it will ever be displaced by another emerging technology because people like to live out their dreams via virtual worlds. I think the more advanced the program gets the more people will stick with it because its virtual possibilities are endless. As a foreign language teacher I think it would be a great teaching tool. Students are so scared to speak in front of the class but if they could use avatars in a virtual setting I believe they would become more comfortable with the language. The only problem is my students do not have the technology at home to create virtual worlds.

Resources:

Rosedale, P. (2008) Second Life (video). Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index/php/talks/theinspirationofsecondlife.html

Thornburg, D. (2009) Disruptive Technologies (vodcast). Laureate Education Inc.

Rhymes of History

Dr. Thornburg defines rhymes of history as "the affect or impact of a new equipment rekindles something from the distant past. As I think about this topic I think about all sorts of technologies that have emerged that revisit some past idea. One technology in particular is the Nintendo Wii and the Wii Fit. This technology is relatively new but it focuses on a concept that has been around for ages, exercise. Exercise is an important part of staying healthy and different exercise programs have been in place for thousands of years. In today's busy society many make excuses for not exercising. No time to go to the gym or to run outside between work and kids. Financial struggles, not being able to afford a monthly gym membership or home gym equpment, also deter people from exercising. Most families purchase video game consoles so why not purchase one that can benefit the entire family. The Nintendo Wii has something for everyone including several exercise games that turn the video gaming console into a home gym. Once the day has settled down and the kids are asleep you can turn on the Wii and exercise. The Wii Fit is described by Nintendo as a product that "combines fun and fitness into one product." It is not just exercising but bringing in fun. It also allows you to customize your exercising experience so that when you come back to play it already knows your stats. Although the equipment may seem pricey it is a one time cost that can be used by the entire family as opposed to purchasing several gym memberships. You won't get the entire gym experience however you will get to exercise.

References:

Thornburg, D. (n.d.) Rhymes of History. Video Podcast. Laureate Education, Inc.

http://wiifit.com