Module 4: The Disruptive Power of Second Life

The Disruptive Power of Second Life

Disruptive technologies can cause a change or paradigm shift in business practices, markets, and even in the lives of individual consumers. However, disruptive technologies don’t always fully replace the existing technology because it can adapt and the two technologies can eventually evolve together. A disruptive technology is a technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing technology or product in the market. These types of technology can be classified into lower-end and new-market disruptive innovations. As a result, they are often aimed at non-consumption, whereas a lower-end disruptive innovation is aimed at mainstream customers who were ignored by established companies.

Second Life has become a disruptive technological force, providing options to people who want to participate in 3D zones. From its inception, Second Life has evolved into a place where its residents network and socialize, while trading services and ideas with each other. Second Life is a virtual online environment where humans can reinvent themselves while being and doing what they please. This online environment has over six million users from all over the place and it continues to grow each day. Creator, Phillip Rosedale (2008), describes Second Life as “the place he wanted where you could build things and explore. He views it as a place to explore, interact, and where you can be anything you want.”

Many consumers view having the ability to be creative and expressing yourself in a virtual setting as being prosperous. This allows many people the idea of experimenting or exploring different ideas and career choices that may impact a person’s life in the near future. There are many educational benefits of Second Life that can be beneficial and effective for students. It was recommended that educators should explore the possibilities of this engaging and motivational environment. One research article only explored using Second Life in a secondary school setting enacting role playing while simulating negotiation skills based on globalization issues (Ho, 2010). Second Life could be used with elementary students as well, however, it has not yet become apart of the school setting. Today, there are even major businesses that are establishing virtual offices or meeting rooms so they can connect and collaborate virtually.

Second Life is still fairly new to some people. However, it has not replaced any specific technology as of yet. Even if Second Life were considered to be a learning environment, it has not actually shown the capability of making other online environment obsolete.

References:

Ho, C.M.L. (2010). What’s in a question? The case of students’ enactment in the second life virtual world. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 151-176.

Rosedale, P. (2008). Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html.

Module 3: Rhymes of History Technology

Someone once said, “The future will be like the past, only with cooler toys.” This quote is useful in understanding the force of rhymes of history. Rhymes of History are one of the forces that drive the emergence of technology. According to Dr. Thornburg (2008), a new technology is a fresh emergence of the impact felt many years before from another technology. Many factors influence the emergence of new technologies, with no one factor being fully sufficient to explain how or why one technology is adopted and another is not. According to Dr. Thornburg (2008), there are many forces that cause new technology to emerge. New technology does not just pop out of thin air. There are actual causes that aids in the emergence of new technology. The key principles of evolution were stated as numerous forces that cause technology to develop as they go through an evolutionary process as they continue to change (Thornburg, 2008). Of course, there are other forces the causes new technology to emerge that is probably sustainable and reliable enough to predict future trends. I like the comments made about the rhyme of history theory. Whenever new technology emerges, it definitely takes the place of one or more things used in the past.

Dr. Thornburg (2008) described a rhyme in history as an affect or effort of a new development that rekindles something from the past. One specific technology that comes to mind for me when thinking about the rhyme of history is the telephone. Communication has always been an important part of human interaction. Dating back years ago, communication was delivered in the form of mail using the Pony Express. With or without technology, we have always been able to communicate in some form or fashion. The telephone has definitely made it easier to communicate with others while also expanding the boundaries in which we can communicate with. However, with the new and still emerging technology, it is even easier to communicate with others in a fast and efficient manner.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Evolutionary technologies, featuring Dr. David Thornburg.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Six forces that drive emerging technology, featuring Dr. David Thornburg.

The History of Communication - http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa93

Telephone History - http://www.telephonymuseum.com/telephone%20history.htm