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EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TETRAD

McLuhan developed four laws of media that seek to explain the impact of emerging technologies on society and other technologies (Thornburg, 2008). According to Marshall, every technology moves along four stages: enhancement, obsolescence, retrieval, and reversal.  The four questions addressed by each are:
1.     What does the technology do that is new?
2.     What technology does it obsolete?
3.     What does it rekindle from the past? and
4.     What does it change into in the near future?
The following illustrates the four elements of the document camera:
Enhancement
What does the technology do that is new?

Turns text and objects into digital format. Teacher can visually project objects and text for students to see with ease. 


Obsolescence
What technology does it obsolete?

This technology makes the overhead projector obsolete.
Retrieval
What does it rekindle from the past?

It rekindles the need to provide visual representation of objects and text to large groups of students, especially during whole class demonstrations. 

Reversal
What does it change into in the near future?
If pushed to its limits, this technology will not only assist classroom teachers in providing a visual representation, but will also record demonstrations to share video with online community. 

References:

Thornburg, D. (2008). Emerging technologies and McLuhan’s laws of media. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. Retrieved from: https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201470_01/PH_EDUC/NCATE_EDUC_8848_EDUC_7108/Module%202/Resources/Resources/embedded/emerging_technologies_and_mcluhan's_laws_of_media.pdf.

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