Storage Devices – Flash Drives

         The progression of storage capacity for computers demonstrates a dramatic growth in technical terms.  Computer storage began with 5 ½ in floppy drives and progressed rapidly into 3 ½ in floppy drives that improved storage capacity and durability.  From that chain, a cluster of innovations emerged to continue the quest for an innovation that could deliver high volumes of storage in stout containers.  This cluster includes Zip drives, external hard drives, CD drives, and DVD drives. The flash drive emerged as a dominant innovation from this cluster.  Flash drives continue to increase in capacity, decrease in size, and drop in price.  The result is an extremely small device that can survive the washing machine while containing large amounts of data.  Recent enhancements allow users to use a flash drive with encryption capabilities, to book a computer, as a host for software, and to interface with public machines. 

         The future of storage devices is interesting to consider.  The advent of the Icloud storage concept introduces a virtual replacement for the flash drive.  Another option is the Memristor currently patented by Hewlett Packard Laboratories (Memristor, 2012).  This device allows the computer to restart without rebooting.  The development of these storage options will support computing devices that do not require dedicated storage.  The software and boot requirements could exist outside of the computing device.  This change extends battery life by minimizing power consumption. 

References:

Johnson, C. (2011) Evolution of the flash drive. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://blog.premiumusb.com/2011/02/evolution-of-usb-flash-drives/

Memristor (2012). Retrieved September 26, 2012, from http://www.memristor.org/

Module 1 Posting

EDUC 8848

       Educators are beginning to explore the use of video games in the classroom.  Gaming is an area where many students exhibit increased engagement.  The use of gaming in the classroom can transform the classroom into an environment that students feel comfortable exploring.  The possibilities for extending learning using this format reflect educators communicating with students in an arena where they have expertise.  There are several websites that provide information on gaming in the classroom.  Useful information on the topic can be found on Edudemic and in Education Week.  For links to this information, please see the references and links.  

       Integrating gaming into the curriculum is challenging.  Many educators do not know a lot about gaming and do not have the time to develop games related to the curriculum.  The learning curve for the educator is quite high is this is not an area of personal interest.  Some classrooms have outdated computer equipment that will not adequately support the gaming programs.  This is also an area that does not appeal to all learners.  Research shows that females are not as interesting in video games, and those that play choose different games than boys (Hartmann & Klimmt, 2006).  This poses a dilemma for an educator designing a game.  It adds complexity to the concept to determine a design that will appeal to males and females. 

       Using gaming in the classroom meets the needs of some of today’s learners, however.  Consider the population of students that impatiently wait for school to conclude so they can get back on the Xbox.  These are students that gaming in the classroom could energize.  The classroom could merge with the skills they develop every afternoon when the torture of school is finally over.  With careful consideration to design, the gaming programs could provide variety to engage additional students.  Programs like SIMS allow students to learn a variety of life lessons in the various scenarios presented.  This appeals to a larger learner base and could expand the appeal.

       The use of gaming in the classroom would benefit from exposure and training for educators.  Designing a program is too complex for many educators, but learning to use an existing program would be possible.  The cost of the programs and the hardware could be shared by some of the program developers.  Having educational programs that are affordable in the classroom would increase their use on a personal level.  It would also provide companies with an opportunity to contribute to educational development.

References:

Ash, K. (2012).  Digital gaming in classrooms seen gaming popularity.  Education Week.  Retrieved September 10, 2012, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/02/30games.h31.html

 Gaming the classroom. (n.d.) Edudemic. Retrieved September 10, 2012, from http://edudemic.com/2012/01/6-video-games-to-use-tomorrow-in-your-classroom/

 Hartmann, T., and Klimmt, C. (2006).  Gender and computer games: exploring females’ dislikes. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(4), article 2.  Retrieved September 10, 2012, from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol11/issue4/hartmann.html

 Heick, T. (Jan. 24, 2012). 6 Video games to use in your classroom tomorrow.  Edudemic.  Retrieved September 10, 2012, from http://edudemic.com/2012/01/6-video-games-to-use-tomorrow-in-your-classroom/