Minglestick – Emerging technology for the classroom
An object that I believe will decrease the need for synchronous communication and traditional classroom discussions and collaboration is the Minglestick. The Minglestick is a flash drive that uses an infrared device to transfer information from one Minglestick to another at any time. Technology has emerged to the point where flash drives and infrared devices allow people to communicate and exchange information, as in a teacher/student or student/student, without the use of the internet. (http://www.minglestick.com ) This type of technology could allow the exchange of ideas, thoughts, and discoveries among the community of learners without participating in face to face discussions and collaboration.
The knowledge that I have gained through this Masters Degree program has made me realize how powerful learning can be and the global implications for collaboration by participating in an asynchronous learning environment. Students who do not have use of the internet but have a computer could participate and collaborate which brings technology to more students. This type of technology could potentially make traditional classroom collaboration obsolete. Face to face, synchronous communication does not work well in a world that is fast becoming a community of global learners. Students have always had to use paper in the classroom to turn in work by typing, printing, or writing. The development of infrared devices will finally make our classrooms paperless. A teacher could have assignments distributed or turned in efficiently thus saving the teacher the time collating papers and turning them back to students.
This device rekindles or retrieves the community meeting that has taken place in many forms throughout history. Face to face interaction to discuss and promote ideas has always enabled local communities a forum to discuss ideas and solve problems. Complex ideas and topics can now be easily shared among members of these new learning communities without face to face interacton.
The Minglestick is designed to replace the paper business card. The Minglestick also brings people together and allows them communication between each other. What Minglestick fails to realize is how powerful their device could be in the field of education. The combination of infrared and flash drive technology is an amazing concept that could become invaluable to teachers and students currently in a traditional classroom.
A school would want to develop this technology to help teachers save time and enable the possibility of creating a portfolio of artifacts that could easily be stored for both teachers and students. I imagine a day in the future where students will have to create an online portfolio for entrance into major colleges and educational programs as a pre-requisite. The technology used by the Minglestick may enable teachers and students to begin this process.
April 26th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost certain you won’t.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
July 22nd, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Excellent quote Coach. I am sure your teams win a great deal with a coach that shares that philosophy
Mark