3 posts tagged “higher education”

Recommendations for future research

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 this the official research site.

    I would recommend a national quantitative study with entertainment professionals that focused on the themes and the findings of this study to verify the findings of this study.  Future research may also examine and chronicle the impact and effects of current and future technologies in the educational process, as well as the each of the fifteen implications discussed previously. A mixed methods study may be employed to study the development of edutainment and convergence with entertainment professionals. Furthermore, a mixed methods study with academic professionals and entertainment professionals that focused on the themes and findings of this study could serve to compare and contrast the thoughts, words and recommendations of these two different groups. Finally, I would conduct a longitudinal mixed methods study that would utilize focus groups and individual interviews, so that the academic and the entertainment professionals could jointly discuss edutainment and convergence and the issues that will arise in the future as technology develops and new research on learning methods and student –centered approaches emerges.

Future research can also focus on efforts to keep knowledge public and reform copyright laws so that terms such as academic freedom and fair use are more than an academic concept, but a political reality that businesses would be compelled to respect under the law (Bagdikian, 2000, 2005; Battelle, 2005; Lessig, 1999, 2001, 2004; Napolitano, 2004, 2007; The Center for Public Integrity, 2000; Vise & Malseed, 2005).  Academia has to be very careful that it does not become too identified as an instrument of corporate and government institutions (Bagdikian, 2005; Giroux & Giroux, 2004; Lessig, 2002, 2004; Moore, 2003; Napolitano, 2004, 2007; O’ Harrow, 2004; Risen, 2005; Rosen, 2001).  

Finally, a rhetorical question was advanced: Can a professor freely present provocative ideas in a class setting in a university when the class is being televised live and recorded for instant worldwide distribution without fear of retribution because of convergence technology? (Brin, 1998: Kaplin & Lee, 1995; Moore, 2003; Napolitano, 2004, 2007; O’Harrow, 2005; Risen, 2006; Rosen, 2001).  Only time and future litigation will provide the answer to this question, but it also gives rise to another rhetorical question: If academic freedom was originally instituted at The Academy to protect professors and students for views expressed on campus, does this same level of academic freedom extend to the digital classroom in an open society where the public can view or listen to course in today’s politically charged environment? (Apple Computer, 2006; Brin, 1998; Moore, 2003; Napolitano, 2004, 2007; O’Harrow, 2005; Risen, 2006; Rosen, 2001).
As I thought about the implications of academic freedom, I decided to use convergence technology one last time to find out if the participants would still use the technology. 
Each of the participants were sent a text message with the following message, “The bottom line question is this: after all of what we have talked about in this study at the end of the day would you use or recommend the use of edutainment techniques and convergence technology that we have talked about in the classroom?” The participants that answered responded within five minutes. Cesario answered,
“Yes, I would straight up use them (edutainment and convergence)!”
Erin sent a text: “Yes! Because it works for all types of students! Especially the visual learners like me.” Jeff replied, “Yes!”  Rebeca replied,
“ Absolutamente! (Absolutely in Spanish with strong enthusiastic emphasis).” 
Sadia was adamant: “Yes, absolutely! It should be in the classroom. It needs to be done in the right way with the educational content! “
The future of edutainment and convergence
This research examined the merging and utilization of edutainment and convergence in higher education from the perspective of entertainment professionals. At the end of the day, this research found that one process and one word lay at the heart of all education, edutainment, entertainment and technology: Communication. Jeff epitomized this discovery and summed up this study by saying, “Communication is such an important part of every area of study. You could be the greatest chemist or historian, but without effectively communicating with students and peers, one could be a poor educator.”
To be sure, education is literally impossible without communication, and this is why edutainment and convergence offer unlimited possibilities for the future of learning and learners. Perhaps essential is that all stakeholders in the educational process have a greater understanding of how entertainment techniques and new technology can work in concert to create a learner-centered environment that results in students and educators who are critical thinkers, leaders, and team-oriented with digital skills, professional skills, and communications skills that are necessary to compete in the global economy of the twenty-first century.

McLuhan (1967, 1968) maintained that the media is the message, and that electronic media would create a global village that would enable citizens to create electronic extensions of their minds and bodies. Perhaps, higher education will embrace edutainment and convergence so that scholarly knowledge can explore every available outlet.

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). The participants and several authors suggested that this problem will continue until the content creators adopt a new business model or Congress passes a new law to halt the encroachment on fair use rights that has resulted from lobbying and the passage of deregulatory laws that have launched numerous intellectual property lawsuits (Bagdikian, 2000, 2005; Davis, 2004; Lessig, 2001, 2002, 2004; McChesney, 2004; Napolitano, 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) .
Ninth, several participants recommended that professors receive entertainment training as a producer, director, and performer so that the professor can create a more interactive learner centered environment that creates stars since several participants agreed that instructors already act in the capacity of a film director. This could result in a partnership between the entertainment world and the academic world that results in mutual collaboration for learner-centered educational tools and approaches with potential new revenues for educational, technology, and entertainment companies (Farkas, 2006, 2007; Google, 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).