Figure 1. Second Life Technology
The figure above displays Second Life technology, the 2008-emerging technology (Rosedale, 2008) that has the potential of Dr. Thornburg concepts of wild card in emerging technologies (Thornburg, 2008b) and Christensen’s (2002) ideas of disruptive technologies that might obsolete the traditional bricks and mortar education system. A disruptive technology is a new technology that functions more efficiently than an existing technology, obsoletes it, and is on the evolutionary path (Laureate 2009). Indeed, new technologies are always susceptible to unanticipated wild card disruptive technologies. Disruptive innovation theorists advocate for disruptive technologies that might move schools from a monolithic structure that inhibits students’ performance to an intrinsically motivating student-centric classroom (Carmody, 2009).
The Second Life technology provides virtual worlds, where students use avatars for identification, offers rich media of technology such as text audio (VOIP), static images, video, 3-D, written verbal emoticons, oral verbal, nonverbal paralanguage, kinesics, proxemics, haptics, and objectics, with immediate real time feedback. The virtual world of Second Life certainly had the potential to be disruptive in the field of education. Second Life provides social benefits such as vicarious knowledge and attendance of social events (concerts, meetings), despite its inability for real physical human encounters. In addition, apart from the bandwidth problem, Second Life failed to produce the intended outcomes to transform life, business, and the global economy (Manyika et al., 2013). Second Life’s virtual attributes could not replace human physical touch and interactions of learners.
The researcher recalls the example of Apple that has improved its products, to produce disruptive technologies and overtake Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) mini-computers (Carmody, 2009; Christensen, Horn, & Johnson, 2008), with no competition. Thus, the researcher submits that advanced technologies might exhibit some features of Second Life, using virtual assistants and emotiv technology to exemplify Meyer’s (2010) views of disruptive technologies that promote forward thinking and personalized erudition. Within 50 years, another emerging technology or disruptive technology might replace Second Life. Futurists, Science Fiction, and innovators have provided enough information on artificial humans, memory and authenticity, and virtual assistants, which constitute an extension of user interfaces in engineering, computer science, and biometrics (O’Brien, 2013). Other technologies consist of brain downloading, which consists of neurophysiology and the structure of neuroanatomy that determines the interactions of basic components, and emotiv technology that uses sensors to tune into brain-electrical signals, to detect user thoughts, feelings, and expressions (Hedberg & Chew-Hung, 2007). For applications, robotic testing or artificial intelligence could speed up the grading of standardized tests, offering consistent and unbiased assessment of students’ tests responses (Mayes, 2014). However, the application of the enumerated technologies might require the effort of an evolved society with strong moral principles, and humanitarian policies, to be effective in education, health, manufacturing, aerospace (Aerospace's Next Disruptive Technology, 2013), and other services.
References
Carmody, L. (2009). Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn, and Curtis W. Johnson: Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. Educational Technology Research & Development, 57(2), 267-269. doi: 10.1007/s11423-009-9113-1
Christensen, C. M., & Horn, M. B. (2013). How disruption can help colleges thrive. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 60(5), 30-31
Chew-Hung, C. (2007). The G-portal digital repository as a potentially disruptive pedagogical innovation. Educational Media International, 44(1), 3-15. doi:10.1080/09523980601153747
Christensen, C. M., Horn, M. B., & Johnson, C. W. (2008). Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hedberg, J. G., &
Mayes, R. (2014). Putting Machine Testing to the Test. Futurist, 48(1), 6-8
Manyika, J., Chui, M., Bughin, J., Dobbs, R., Bisson, P., & Marrs, A. (2013). Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/disruptive_technologies
Meyer, K. (2010, March 3). The role of disruptive technology in the future of higher education [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/role-disruptive-technology-future-higher-education
Rosedale, P. (2008). Philip Rosedale on Second Life [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/the_inspiration_of_second_life.html
