The new year is almost upon us. Resolutions are being made as predictions are flying left and right. Oh… and nothing that was supposed to die this year has died yet.
So now it is time to just change the year on those predictions to ‘2010’ and hope that no one notices that our predictions from past years haven’t come true.
I apologize for the lack of posts this month, but most of the EdTech news has been so monotone recently. Google Wave, Google Wave, Google Wave. I love to explore emerging technology just like the next person, but there are other things out there. And many of them we can actually use now in education… not wait until some secret date in the future finally arrives.
The college I work for recently hosted a presentation by Daniel M. Russell, a research scientist with Google. His insights into search were fascinating. And his comments about Google Wave were concerning. He bluntly stated that the interface isn’t working for people at all. Then he clarified what the current status of “preview” means to Google: they can change or cancel the Wave project at any time if they want. The email killer itself could get canned if Google just decides one day that it isn’t cutting it.
And just why does everything in the world of technology have to die? Why are there so many technology killers out there? iPhone killers. Email killers. Windows killers. University killers. Sheesh.
Why do we have to get rid of something just to get something new? Email works just fine (and 94% of the online activity of the millennial generation is spent using email (still), so I doubt it is just for old people). Why do we have to kill it? Why not use it with Google Wave?
I am one of those odd people that will listen to a vinyl record and an mp3 in the course of one day. I’ve always felt that if something has value now, it will have value in the future. New ideas and products should come along side existing ones, not kill them altogether.
Well, except for 8 tracks. Those never made sense to me.
Of course, since nothing that is predicted to die actually ever dies, I am really just making a big deal about nothing. I guess I am just growing bored waiting for people to realize that nothing ever really dies in the technology world, and that Google Wave is still too around the corner to be any use to us right now. Then maybe we can get some interesting ideas flowing again.
Matt is currently an Instructional Designer II at Orbis Education and a Part-Time Instructor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Previously he worked as a Learning Innovation Researcher with the UT Arlington LINK Research Lab. His work focuses on learning theory, Heutagogy, and learner agency. Matt holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies from the University of North Texas, a Master of Education in Educational Technology from UT Brownsville, and a Bachelors of Science in Education from Baylor University. His research interests include instructional design, learning pathways, sociocultural theory, heutagogy, virtual reality, and open networked learning. He has a background in instructional design and teaching at both the secondary and university levels and has been an active blogger and conference presenter. He also enjoys networking and collaborative efforts involving faculty, students, administration, and anyone involved in the education process.