I AM therefore IM

Slide 1: Instant Message’s Effect on the Work Place, Education and the Home wanda moye IT780 Instructional Technology April, 2008

Slide 2: INVENTION YEAR INVENTED  1876  Telephone  Electronic Computer  1945  Cellular Phone  1973  Web browser for exploring  1993 Internet  1817  American Sign Language  1450  Printing Press  1867  Typewriter  1895  Wireless telegraph  1824  Braille  1565  Pencil  Instant Messaging  1997 (TFK, 2003)

Slide 3:  Instant Messaging (IM) and Text Messaging (TM) IM & TM are real-time software packages whereby family and friends can communicate. Over time, corporations have adopted forms for the workplace. (Farmer, 2005)

Slide 4:  Company named Mirabilis created “ICQ” this is short for “I See You”  However, AOL, MSN, and Yahoo are the corporate giants that made the software available to their customers.  Originally, buddy list (other subscribers to the software) and chat rooms (specialty areas by invitation created communication by way of typing in text and waiting a response) (Bird, Instant Messaging: Corporate Productivity Tool or Cool Toy)

Slide 5:  This became time consuming and gave way to human ingenuity, the use of Acronyms (abbreviations for common spoken language)  Example….. • BTW means “By the Way” • POS means “Parents Over Shoulder” (Garrett, An Essential IM Acronym Guide for Parents)

Slide 6:  Originally the software packages where on home personal computers as a way for real time communication  It did not take long before the software became part of the work environment  Due to the wide numbers of computers in the classroom and the number of cell phones that use Text Messaging, it is also in the educational setting

Slide 7:  Pros • Many corporations use IM and TM as productivity tools • It is suspected that it will exceed e-mail as the number one form of electronic communication • It saves time and allows for easier communication (Walker, 2004)

Slide 8:  Cons • Security Concerns (viruses) • Unproductive time at the workplace  Some Solutions • Establishing Policies for IM usage • Blocking IM Communications Altogether (Shinder, 2004)

Slide 9:  Educators have been searching for ways to motivate students.  Today’s students are identified as Digital Natives (they use technology every day)

Slide 10:  Pros • A form of socializing • Teach student how to control their own behaviors • Allows for flexible classroom design • Discuss homework • Jobs require proficient technology skills • Inclusive for students that are not in the class but want to be engaged

Slide 11:  Cons • A class distraction • Special Needs and ADHD students need to be kept on task • Just a form of socialization • Student have no self-restraint • Student will not use it for a learning device • Creates bad habits for writing skills (DeGennaro, Donna & Texley, Sharon, 2005).

Slide 12:  Last2003, 65% of U.S. kids ages 2 to 17 used the internet from home, school, or another location  Thegap between the haves and have not’s leave student without technology left behind  Childrenare losing verbal communication skills and family interaction time

Slide 13:  Concerns • Concerns of online predators • Sexual solicitation • Children ordering items without parents knowledge • Children using acronyms so parents do not understand what is being said (Time for Kids (TFK), 2003)

Slide 14:  Twitter • Free Communication Service for use with instant messaging software and mobile phones • Instead of instant messages you send “tweets” on tweeter’s website (short messages) • It was started by a 10 person start up team • You can tweet or be tweeted anytime of the day (Pontin, 2007)

Slide 15:  Alexander Graham Bell would be speechless to see a cell phone’s capabilities (www.wiki.answer.com)  Charles Babbage, father of the 1st computer would not be able to comprehend is size and power of today's laptop (www.computer-museum.com)  PhiloT. Farnworth, father of television transmitter, would not be able to envision the digital flat screen television with hundreds of television stations around the world (www.tvhistory.tv)