"Big Idea" You Find In Chapter 4

Q: Pick out the most important "big idea" you find in Chapter 4. Submit to the discussion board:

1. what the idea is,

2. why you feel it is important, and

3. how you can apply it."

Understanding the push and pull outlined in 4.2 is important in all modern organizations and understanding the importance of in public education is vital. Let me use a real life example of understanding the importance of it as it applies to 4.2 pages 60-61.

We have every classroom equipped with a TV, VCR and in some cases a DVC/CDROM player. However, these TV's are all CRT boxes and we will need to upgrade these since the contract between Menomonie and "Channel One", the company that purchased the TV's for us ends in January 09.

So the push of the market and new technologies has made our CRT TV's and VCR players obsolete. As much as that is the case, so too are the DVD /CDROM players no longer of much use since the new format, Blue Ray or what ever "wins" will drive the HD content that is played. This is a market push to change.

The pull in our case has to do with the need for content consumption (that word again) in a convergent paradigm. So the "(c)hanging requirements from the environment and the organization: the environments within which organizations operate are becoming increasingly complex (hard to understand) and turbulent (subject to constant change).

In our case the complexity has to do with moving the traditional brick and mortar classrooms to the asynchronous and online environment that gives all our teachers access to the same tools they have in the classroom. In my example access to TV, DVD (movies) and audio books.

Secondly the push of the technology itself. We now have access to online DVR's, not simple TV's and this can be viewed through the web browser, digitized digital "movie" content and the ability to stream audio books through iTunes, Shoutcast, Flash Players and so on. The push of the new technologies that can help eliminate the need for hard-wired single purpose boxes. Therefore, the "(a)vailibility of technology: the mere fact that ICT applications are available is also a reason to consider to what extent these applications have to be adopted by the organization." In this case, sdmaonline.com

Finally, we know that know that we now have competition for our educational dollars from other schools facing the same challenges. Now they don't have a brilliant guy like me who understands this stuff so they are in trouble. (That was to check if you were listening :-} ) "The behaviour of others: the 'me-too', or 'bandwagon' phenomenon also plays an important part in justifying the adoption of ICT applications." While there is a part of that that drives ICT in education, in our case this is much less the case as it was in the past since we have a tangible and identifiable need to adopt these new technologies in order to remain both viable and relevant in the marketplace.

The final reference from 4.2 is what I find most important: "The interaction between 'technology-push' and 'market-pull' is of great importance at the market level where innovations are developed and subsequently offered."