Future Implications of This Research
Implication of findings
By Chris A. Heidelberg, III
The official report of findings for my dissertation has been released today. The study was a eleven month national qualitative study of eight entertainment professionals from New York City, Hollywood, and the San Antonio/Austin, Texas, area. The study was conducted entirely through the Internet and with new media on location throughout the country. It was open-sourced research, and all eight media professionals agreed to reveal their identities and they fully collaborated with me on this study and the electronic web sites that were created as a result of this research with the guidance and support of the participants.The research obtained was utilized in the design of this site ; and it is the official research site for this study. There were several implications that resulted from the findings of this study. First, the participants and the literature enthusiastically endorsed edutainment and convergence as a skill to be incorporated in higher education. Several elite schools have embraced convergence en masse, but not necessarily edutainment (Apple, 2007; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Gee, 2003a, 2003b, 2004, 2005; Google, 2007; Heller, 2001; Jenkins, 2006; Lessig, 2004; Rhodes, 2001; Tapscott & Williams, 2006; YouTube, 2007).Second, incidents like the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech where students and professors were shot, demonstrated the need for the utilization of cell phones and handheld devices in the classroom in the vibrate mode, so that students, faculty and staff alike can utilize convergence technology for safety purposes as well as educational purposes as one participant maintained and recent literature, college policies, and federal policy from the White House have indicated (Apple, 2007; Google, 2007; Morgan State University, 2007; Prensky, 2001, 2006; The White House, 2007; University of Maryland, 2007; Yahoo, 2007;YouTube, 2007).
Third, the participants indicated there were numerous entertainment and technological techniques and tools transferable to higher education. Recent literature indicated that these tools and techniques are learner centered and just as effective or comparable to traditional instruction (Apple, 2007; Bonk & Wisher, 2000; Duke University, 2007; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Google, 2007; McCombs, 1997; Sitzmann et al, 2006; Stark & Lattuca, 1997).
Fourth, the participants maintained that the Pentagon,
NASA, and the civilian government has spent billions of dollars creating a digital military that has utilized video games and simulation for educational purposes. In fact, the literature emphasized convergence tools such as video games, high tech communications devices, satellites, and simulation utilized by the Pentagon and NASA for nearly four decades as a successful educational and training tool (Bonk & Dennen, 2005; Bonk & Wisher, 2000; Boot, 2006; Carroll, 2006; Gee, 2003a; 2003b; 2004; 2005; Halter, 2006; O’Harrow, 2005; Prensky, 2001, 2006; Dr. Robert Wisher, personal communication, August 20, 2007). The importance of edutainment for the military may transform the education system into a priority of the Defense Department and the business community for national security and economic competitive reasons (Boot, 2006; Dobbs, 2006; Halter, 2006).
Fifth, government policy that resulted from the commercialization of defense-based and space exploration technology has resulted in disruptive technologies such as the Internet, computer software, video technology, cellular technology, and audio technology that have blurred the line between fair use and digital property rights that has pitted consumers and device makers against entertainment firms and content creators (Apple, 2007; Bagdikian, 2000, 2005; Boot, 2006; Davis, 2004; Facebook, 2007; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Google, 2007; Halter, 2006; Lessig, 2001, 2002, 2004; Microsoft, 2007 O’Harrow, 2005; YouTube, 2007).
Sixth, the use of color, especially the color black, has transferred from film to the Internet because of convergence as technology firms, entertainment companies, and devices makers have utilized color to enhance the user experience and this has already impacted the classroom, the Internet, computers, television sets, cell phones, and handheld multi-media devices (ABC, 2007; Apple, 2007; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Fox, 2007; Microsoft, 2007; NBC, 2007; YouTube, 2007) .
Seventh, the participants advocated the use of black as the background color for video and rich-media blogs and websites. The use of black for media-based websites and blogs as a background color runs counter to conventional literature (Nielsen, 2000). In fact, broadcast sites have utilized black, dark, and multi-colored websites and blogs with black backgrounds for their video content (Apple, 2007; CBS, 2007;Disney, 2007; NewsCorp, 2007; MSNBC, 2007; NBC, 2007;Time Warner, 2007).
Eighth, the participants maintained that educators receive ongoing technology training from professionals, and one participant recommended that students assist in training their instructors to create an interactive and collaborative learning environment (Farkas, 2006, 2007; Jenkins, 2006; Tapscott & Williams, 2006; YouTube, 2007) .
Tenth, the educational community may be able to cut publication costs, shipping costs, and increase revenues by creating digital publishing entities that may eliminate or drastically reduce the role of commercial publishers through the use of convergence technologies such as podcasts, audio publications, digital publications, video publications and multi-media publications (Bagdikian, 2005; Davis, 2004; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Lessig, 2001, 2002, 2004; McChesney, 2004; Tapscott & Williams, 2006; Willinsky, 2006).
Eleventh, professors, researchers, and instructors will be able to publish digitally with the peer review system, or without the peer review system that would radically change what gets published, who gets published, and which universities will obtain grants, power, and prestige (Bagdikian, 2000, 2005; Davis, 2004; Lessig, 2001, 2002, 2004; Willinsky, 2006).
Twelfth, universities will have to reconsider the tenure process; since, they may not be able to legally own research that adjunct professors developed as graduate students and professionals in the field that is published digitally on the Internet through streaming, podcasts, or downloads (Apple, 2007; Davis, 2004; Lessig, 2001, 2002, 2004; Willinsky, 2006) .
Thirteenth, websites and blog researchers may have to reconsider their research and examine the research of screen makers and device makers regarding the use of the color black as a background color for video, photographs and rich media content (Nielsen, 2000).
Fourteenth, curricula changes that incorporate the use of edutainment and convergence for all students; the use of edutainment and convergence for ongoing professional education; and the creation of a multi-disciplinary major called edutainment and convergence with several concentrations.
The concept of developing and utilizing multiple portals to extend the university experience and individual university marketing brands has created what I call an Extendternet that enables universities, and even businesses, to utilize reliable and trusted third party Internet providers to host their content on blogs, video sites, online stores, social networking sites, social bookmarking sites, and online groups such as iTunesU, Facebook, Wordpress, Blip.tv, Blogger, Vox, MySpace, Orkut, Yahoo Groups, and YouTube (Apple, 2007; Delicious, 2007; Digg, 2007; Duke University, 2007; Farkas, 2006, 2007; Google, 2007; Microsoft, 2007; MIT, 2007; Stanford, 2007; University of California-Berkeley, 2007; University of Southern California, 2007; YouTube, 2007).
