2. Presentation Outline The Search for an Obsolete Technology McLuhan’s Tetrads and the Analyses of the Obsolete and Emerging Technology Interviews with Decision Maker & End User Six Forces that Drive Emerging Technology
8. Interview with a Decision Maker Brooke Parker, Mathematics Department Head of a Middle School How does the RM Classpad enhance the resources present in the building? What types of shortcomings do you foresee being the reason to replace the RM Classpad?
9. Interview with an End User LaTasha Arnold, Middle School Mathematics Educator In what way have you incorporated the RM Classpad into your classroom instruction? What devices, if any, do you no longer use as a result of having the RM Classpad?
10. Six Forces that DriveEmerging Technologies Evolutionary Technology Rhymes of History Disruptive Technology Science Fiction Increasing Returns Red Queens
11. Six Forces: Evolutionary Technology New technologies are the result of numerous evolutions or modifications of existing devices. The technology S-curve may be used to show the progression of new technologies over time.
13. Six Forces: Evolutionary Technology Users did not have to be technological savvy to use the device. Users were able to arrange the materials for display as they liked. Users could obtain transparencies at a low cost. Users could prepare the transparencies in advance. Users could store the transparencies for later use. Users were able to face their audiences while presenting material. The devices are relatively large which makes them difficult to store and transport (Media, 1996). Color transparencies are expensive to produce (Media, 1996). Information from other sources is not transferred effectively to the transparency; therefore, users have to modify the material so that audiences are able to see the material (Media, 1996). To advance to the next transparency, the user must physically replace the material. Users cannot manipulate the information on the transparency. Three-dimensional objects are not easily viewed; additionally, users are not able to manipulate them for better learning experiences.
14. Six Forces: Rhymes of History The use of the overhead projector as an instructional tool rekindled the use of other visual instruction devices.
15. Six Forces: Disruptive Technology “New technology with the same functionality of an existing technology, but it functions more efficiently, and then obsoletes that technology”
16. Six Forces: Science Fiction Science fiction acts as a catalyst for many emerging technologies. Inventors’ imaginations are sparked by science fiction works. Science fiction does not play a role in the emergence of the overhead projector. Tablet PC-like devices from Star Trek are precursors to the RM Classpad.
17. Six Forces: Increasing Returns Increasing returns describes what happens when two competitive products hit the market at the same time One technology will pull ahead of the other competing technology.
18. Six Forces: Red Queens This force describes what happens when there is a “huge competition between two technologies.” These two technologies dominate the market to the point where other manufacturers become (or remain) obscure.
19. What’s Next? RM Education, the maker of the RM Classpad, lost $2.1 million in the first half of this fiscal year. With products like the Apple iPad in the market, the technology of the RM Classpad is not powerful enough. The Classpad will be in the supply closet within the next three years.
