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This article tweeted out by a friend, made me nostalgic. Again, I find it amazing how far and fast we have come. The 21 Things That Became Obsolete This Decade…
The Stylus-I remember my first Palm, how excited Jeff was to get one for me. He had a friend pick it up in Hong Kong as a surprise. That thing spent many an airplane ride and a beach bumming hour keeping me entertained. It was my first introduction to learning to read a book in a digital format. I was sold once I realized how many more books I could bring on a trip! I kind of liked the stylus…weird to think this was only five years ago.
Land Lines-Interestingly, we are not hooking up the land line in our new condo and because the line is in such an awkward location (design wise) we’re considering taking it out and patching the area with some sheetrock. Even my mother is realizing how easy it is to just use the cell phone-she’s finally grasped that she can call my sister long distance from her cell and it doesn’t cost her any more money. Unfortunately she still is unable to retrieve her voicemail unassisted!
VCR-I find it absolutely crazy to think that it was just in 2002 that DVD players outsold VCRs…and yet I barely remember using a VCR. Funny to think that “Be kind, rewind” no longer has meaning today.
Boundaries-I love the idea that “boundaries” have become obsolete! This is something that I’m constantly dealing with when working with Middle School Students. I’m not sure boundaries are completely obsolete, but they are definitely needing redrawing and rethinking.
I then followed another link to a post entitled “21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020.” As I read through the author’s list, I found myself first chuckling and then wishing that was truly what the future would look like! From the first item, Desks, to the last, Paper, I found myself nodding in agreement. Although, I do think some of the items might be a little ambitious to think they’ll be obsolete in 10 years. So far, I have found education to be slow to change. The idea that the landscape of learning will be so altered that we can all shift our paradigm of education to incorporate a fluid, individual idea of what school could be…well, like I said, maybe a bit ambitious!
Some of the items on the list, though, are things I’m seeing a slow, tentative movement towards. Number 11, for example, talks about the change needed in IT departments. I do think this is something that a few schools are realizing and they are trying to make that switch. I think part of the problem is, though, that schools think the answer is to move the traditional IT person into the role of innovator and change agent…maybe not always the best fit. Just because someone gets hardware, doesn’t mean that person gets the bigger picture and/or can effect real change in a school. I have had the lucky privilege to work with some of the “IT” people that the author writes about-true innovators who ‘get it’!
I did enjoy this post-I’m hoping that the author had a crystal ball and could see the future when writing it. Ten years for all of this change to take place, that I can deal with…my fear is that it may be much, much longer. If I had a magic wand, I’d use it!
Hello Mrs. Galloway! My name is Rebecca Classic and I am following your blog as part of my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I am getting a second bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Education, 6-12. You can check out our class blog at EDM 310 Class Blog and my personal class blog at Rebecca Classic’s Blog
I also find myself nostalgic on occasion for my old technology. I even still hold onto some things for no reason at all. I continue to keep my land line, for instance. I worry that my cell phone won’t be charged and I will need the phone for an emergency so we waste $20 a month keeping it hooked up even though my husband continually tries to talk me into dropping it. I hold onto my video cassette tapes, also. When I bought a new DVD player last year, I had to get one with a VCR player in it. I actually watched one of my old videos the other day, even though I could have rented the movie on DVD at the library for $1 and viewed it with a better picture. It seems silly, but I just cannot quite let go. Just to age myself a little, let me tell you that I have a video cassette my friends and I recorded during the last few days of our senior year in high school and I had it converted to VHS from Beta a few years after we recorded it. Beta! Isn’t that funny! I guess I’m not the only one because, out of curiosity, I looked on E-bay and there are old Beta players for sale there. Change is hard for us old folks (I’m only 41, but it seems like by technology standards that makes me old).
I looked at the post, ”21Things That Will Be Obsolete in Education by 2020” and I have to agree that it is a little ambitious. Education definitely moves too slow for all classrooms to look like that in 10 years. So many schools are without good technology resources so it would be impossible to carry off this vision. It is really interesting that the author feels the SAT test will become obsolete when, at least here in the United States, we have more standardized testing than ever before. Testing is too profitable to let go of its hold on our education system anytime soon. I enjoyed your post and look forward to reading more!
Hello Mrs. Galloway!
My name is Rebecca Classic and I am following your blog as part of my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I am getting a second bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Education, 6-12. You can check out our class blog at EDM 310 Class Blog and my personal class blog at <a href=”Hello Mrs. Galloway! My name is Rebecca Classic and I am following your blog as part of my EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I am getting a second bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Education, 6-12. You can check out our class blog at EDM 310 Class Blog and my personal class blog at Rebecca Classic’s Blog
I also find myself nostalgic on occasion for my old technology. I even still hold onto some things for no reason at all. I continue to keep my land line, for instance. I worry that my cell phone won’t be charged and I will need the phone for an emergency so we waste $20 a month keeping it hooked up even though my husband continually tries to talk me into dropping it. I hold onto my video cassette tapes, also. When I bought a new DVD player last year, I had to get one with a VCR player in it. I actually watched one of my old videos the other day, even though I could have rented the movie on DVD at the library for $1 and viewed it with a better picture. It seems silly, but I just cannot quite let go. Just to age myself a little, let me tell you that I have a video cassette my friends and I recorded during the last few days of our senior year in high school and I had it converted to VHS from Beta a few years after we recorded it. Beta! Isn’t that funny! I guess I’m not the only one because, out of curiosity, I looked on E-bay and there are old Beta players for sale there. Change is hard for us old folks (I’m only 41, but it seems like by technology standards that makes me old).
I looked at the post, ”21Things That Will Be Obsolete in Education by 2020” and I have to agree that it is a little ambitious. Education definitely moves too slow for all classrooms to look like that in 10 years. So many schools are without good technology resources so it would be impossible to carry off this vision. It is really interesting that the author feels the SAT test will become obsolete when, at least here in the United States, we have more standardized testing than ever before. Testing is too profitable to let go of its hold on our education system anytime soon. I enjoyed your post and look forward to reading more!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Classic
My name is Gaillard Broughton and I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 Fall 2010 class. The link to my blog is http://broughtonsydneyedm310fall2010.blogspot.com/ and the link to the class blog is http://www.edm310.blogspot.com/ . I will be reading some of your blog posts and summarizing my visits to your blog on my blog by September 12. I find your blog post very interesting and mind-blowing. I can not believe how much technology has changed in such a short period of time! My mom still owns some VHS movies and as a matter of fact, we watched one as a family the other day! To be honest, I found it a pain having to rewind it, etc. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Loved this story! I feel that technology is rapidly changing but Education is just not keeping up with it the way it should. There are so many ways to improve education through latest technologies and we, as society as a whole, are not taking advantage of them.
I am glad to see someone else that agrees with me. The only way to learn, is to move forward. It is about time that teachers realize this should extend to the classroom. I read the “21 things …”, and it really is amazing how technologically advanced we are becoming, and how far we still have to go. I especially enjoyed #12, how schools will soon become ‘homebases’, where only a part of the learning will occur. The idea of learning through experience is finally overshadowing the practice of learning through repetition. Once teaching techniques move away from the archaic ways of memorizing and reciting, we will be able to finally teach skills, not facts. I also agree that the purpose of “IT” people should be to constantly search for innovative ways to improve our learning atmosphere.
Hi Ms. Galloway, my name is Paige Bryant and I’m currently in professor Strange’s EDM 310 class.
I am glad to see someone else that agrees with me. The only way to learn, is to move forward. It is about time that teachers realize this should extend to the classroom. I read the “21 things …”, and it really is amazing how technologically advanced we are becoming, and how far we still have to go. I especially enjoyed #12, how schools will soon become ‘homebases’, where only a part of the learning will occur. The idea of learning through experience is finally overshadowing the practice of learning through repetition. Once teaching techniques move away from the archaic ways of memorizing and reciting, we will be able to finally teach skills, not facts. I also agree that the purpose of “IT” people should be to constantly search for innovative ways to improve our learning atmosphere.
I hope that all 21 things on the list become obsolete or change within the next ten years. I think that the ten year boundary might be a stretch but slower progress is better that no progress. I believe that the switch from VCRs to DVD players shows how sudden things are capable of changing. Its rare that one is still able to find a VCR/DVD combo. Hopefully technology in schools will follow the trend of being technically literate.
I believe and hope that classrooms of the future reach their capability and greatly surpass those of today. By doing so I beleive that learning will increase and become a more enjoyable experience for students and teachers.
I enjoyed reading your post! At only 19 years old, I had a hard time understanding how much different things were 5-10 years ago. After all, I was 10 years old when my family got a DVD player. It’s amazing to me how much things have changed. I can’t wait to see what my own classroom will look like when I finish school. Although it’s only a couple years away, I have hope that some of the things on that list truly will become obsolete! If I had a magic wand, I’d use it too!
Hi, Mrs. Galloway!
My name is Allie Howell, and I am currently an education major at the University of South Alabama. As a part of my course of study, I am taking a class called EDM310; and as an assignment in this class, I was assigned to read your blog!
This post made me laugh! Since I am only twenty years old, many of the things listed in “21 Things That Became Obsolete This Decade…” are a part of my childhood memories.
I remember AOL like it was yesterday – along with that horrible static sound that came through the speakers every single time you logged on. And I remember my mom getting so upset when she would need to use the phone, but couldn’t because someone was using the dial-up.
I also remember going to Blockbuster just about every weekend and sometimes even multiple times a week! Now with things such as NetFlix and Red Box, the Blockbuster days are long gone. I actually just heard the other day that Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. It’s sad, but times change I guess…
Just a few of weeks ago during a trip to Atlanta, I asked my boyfriend, “How did people get around before GPS?” I can’t imagine having to pull out a massive piece of paper every time I had to figure out how to get somewhere. Plus, actual maps seem so confusing.
I can’t wait to see what the world will be like ten years from now!
I will be posting my response to this post in two weeks. If you care to read, the url is:
http://howellallieedm310.blogspot.com
I also find how far we have come amazing. The 21 things that became obsolete this decade shocked me. We used to rely so heavily on these things and now within the last few years it is rare to even hear of them anymore. I did (for the first time in probably 5-10 years) visit a Blockbuster this past Friday night, only because I was looking for a movie that came out in 1987! I don’t have a land line either… sometimes I wish I did… but that’s only when I can’t find my cell phone and need to call it in order to find it!! You can check out my blog at paveykrystinedm310.blogspot.com
Daneah,
I am commenting as an assignment for Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class. You make some very interesting points, especially about the DVD just outselling the VCR in 2002. It really does seems like it has been longer than that. I have to agree with you in stating that those 21 Things will probably take more than ten years to accomplish, but also as fast as technology is moving it is possible. This blog was very interesting and thank you for sharing it. You can see the comments that I have posted on my blog at http://sextontabithaedm310.blogspot.com or you can visit our class website at http://www.edm310.blogspot.com.
Tabitha
Hi! I’m in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class and I really enjoyed your post! I agree that it is crazy to think back even five years ago and things aren’t the same or new anymore. Land lines are a little out dated now.Though in my home will still have one, but I personally never use it. The paragraph on boundaries was great! I hadn’t thought about that changing. Things are changing though like you said. I really enjoyed your post! I like the name of your blog too!
also here is my blog if you would like to see the full post! http://kelleyfrancesedm310.blogspot.com/
I am a student at the University of South Alabama, in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 course. I have been assigned to post on your blogs a couple of times and then write a summary when it is all said and done.
I absolutely loved this post! It is truly remarkable how much things have changed. I loved when you said the days of “Be kind, rewind” are over- this honestly made me laugh out loud (which got me strange looks from my husband!). I viewed the two blogs that you posted in this post. The one about the future really stuck in my mind. No paper in 10 years?! I think that would be amazing for education, but I never actually thought about the paper companies. Hopefully they will be able to adjust rather than go out of business so that all of the employees can keep their jobs! Anyways, I really enjoyed reading this post and I truly look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you for your time,
Mattie Bearden
I was directed to your blog by my EDM310 professor Dr. Strange. In his Microcomputing course, we are always looking forward to educational tools of the future. We are constantly being called to think of all sorts of technology which though not originally meant to be for educational purposes can be applied in an educational institution and applied to extend our abilities as educators of the future. It is interesting to think that many people think that the pencil and paper may soon become an out-fashioned educational tool. Some go as far as to think that, as long as students have technology, teachers may become expendable. I agree that these are all great tools, but tools don’t do all the work on their own. Without people making music and putting it out there for others, will the future of ipods and mp3 players still be as musical?
Hey! I am a student at the University of South Alabama. I have been led to your post by Dr. Strange for my EDM310 course. I like this post and it made me think about alot of things that have changed since I was little. I will be turning 20 this coming January, I grew up living with my grandparents so it is amazing how much can be found in their house. Old typewriters, projectors, video cameras and much more that is no longer in use. Technology in the classroom is also changing as you mentioned and soon the classroom will be a completely different environment than what we grew up in.