After looking at the broader concepts of world change drivers, we went into the first area of discussion for world changes based on information & Communication Technology. The evolvement of technology has been so rapid that it has revolutionized our means and speed of communication. Not only that, it has brought upon new ways of information dissemination, especially with the birth of e-books and social media.
Brief Overview of Week 5 Class:
Project Natal: Meet Milo
The class was first introduced to Milo, an interactive bot under Project Natal b y Microsoft. It truly showcased how advanced our technology is in the era that we’re living in, further proving the rate of development in the area. An interesting thought based on this development was how it could possibly help people who aren’t as socially adept as others, thus making such interactions as a therapy. However, I am skeptical if such benefits are enough to overthrow the concerns of bringing about more anti-social characteristics within the younger generation.
"The most exciting breakthroughs of the 21st century will not occur because of technology but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human” - Josh NaisbittI think this quote is really interesting. Who knows how controversial the definition of a human can be in the future? This could well be a very relevant and debatable discussion in TWC probably 3 to 5 years from now!
Moving from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0
We were then introduced to yet another emerging technology : Web 3.0. This concept has already been partially realized in many leading websites, where interaction between systems and humans is at a much sophisticated level where systems are on a continuous learning state of learning consumers’ needs, interests, desires etc.
Cloud Computing
The last exposure to emerging ICT concepts is cloud computing. I was particularly interesting in this as it was the topic of my individual review. However, I feel like cloud computing is like a double edged sword, where the concerns of privacy issues meet the wonderful conveniences and savings it brings about.
We then had our first presentation on the possibilities of having a mobile data network using the cars. This could help drivers alike to share information on the roads just as jams, accidents, and parking availability. Of course, the feasibility was discussed in the Singapore context, and whether or not privacy issues were of an concern in such technology adoption.
The second presentation then showcased the usage of games as a strategic learning experience. It highlighted the results of adopting such learning environment, and assessed the effectiveness of it. The discussion was based upon the “fun” factor where it contributes to a better learning experience. I however believe, that it is the similarity with reality based on the simulation that helps people to learn better as they can better relate to real-life situations.
The third presentation covered on the evolution of mass media, and how it has impacted the masses. What was interesting was about how it has set trends and cultures for many industries, and how consumers are bombarded by SO MANY things through the many means of advertisements now.
The last presentation introduced the concept of data mining, where information is gained from many free sites that provide certain services, one great example which we all know of is Facebook. These information may contain personal data that you might not want to reveal, but therein lies the dilemma where you have to provide some of these to be able to access such sites. This led to the question of the level of sacrifice one should make out of privacy to achieve greater progress. I personally think that privacy really depends on the how “well known” you are on the internet. I think lots of people are probably “google-able” right now, as a simple search of your name with your school would suffice. Age and birthdates would probably come from social networking sites. Thus, it is important to access how much info you have already “leaked” into the internet, and how much more are you wiling to “leak” for the sake of progress.
Interesting Observations
This lesson was the perfect example to illustrate the evolution of technology, to the point where it is convenience VS privacy. Our lives are so interrelated with technology, be it the social media, high connectivity rates with handphones, easily accessibility with e-mails. So much so that I feel technology is going to slowly devour us if we do not keep in check the difference between technology as a NEED, and technology as a DESIRE. For many times, many innovations has been using the excuse of “improving lives’ as the justification. However, is it really improving lifes, or merely an illusion for laziness?
Taking Milo from project natal as an example, yes it could be helpful for those who in inept in social skills. However, would this be a good excuse to remove the need for social workers, where the time and effort from a human being is needed?
Key Takeaways
Of course, I’m not a pessimist for technological advances. I think the greatest takeaway from me after being exposed to such technology is that we have to keep in touch with our lives, and not have a huge dependency on technology. Cloud computing was one example where I believe many people take them for granted, and would be very lost on what to do should that platform be their only place of backup. Scary isn’t it?
To me, technology should always be a bonus, not a necessity. We should be taking charge of the technology to run our lives, and not let it run our lives instead.
Further Discussion
The point raised about how Milo from the Natal Project was beneficial to help socially inept people to slowly adjust to the society. Many skeptics feel that technology is slowly eating away our social skills and interactions.
However, I wonder if there could be much to discuss on the positive side of technology socially. I feel that things like social media (facebook) could also act as a platform for people who are more introverted to interact with people they might not be comfortable with initially. Such platforms could also be a great way to search for long lost friends, or to drop a simple message to “take care”, to someone you are hardly able to meet (like sending smses). These could not have been achieved without the interconnectedness that technology has brought about. Would you consider such things as being socially interactive (i.e. since you are not exactly talking face to face as a real human interaction)?
Conclusion
The presentations from today have given me great insights on how technology has brought about many changes in communication means and information dissemination. It has brought light to the unknown impacts to the various aspects of society and life that I wouldn’t have thought of even as an IS student.
Was kept interested throughout the lesson as many of the topics raised and discussed could be of important relevance in my future life!
Rating: 9/10
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