TOP TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN COMMUNICATION

Links of Interest

  • Cell phones are quickly replacing LAN lines, especially in those under the age of 30, according to a recent Harris poll. In addition, cell phone users are:
    • “Slightly more male (55%) than the general adult population (48%);
    • Better educated (33% vs. 26%);
    • Slightly more likely to earn less than $25,000 (30% vs 20%) and more likely to earn between $25,000 and $49,999 (30% vs. 25%);
    • Less likely to be affluent, that is earning $75,000 or more (23% vs. 35%);
    • Less Republican (23% vs 30%), more Independent (29% vs. 25%) though, interestingly, not more Democrat (36% vs. 37%).; and
    • More Liberal (27% vs. 19%) and less Conservative (23% vs 28%). (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=767)

  • TV Network news ranks as top source of news and information today. Two in five adults regularly read the newspaper. Why?  Lack of time is acknowledged the most in the US. But newspapers are noted as especially needed to learn about local and regional news, as well as to be in informed voter. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=768
  • One Laptop Per Child’s goal is to provide low-cost laptops to disadvantaged school children nationwide.  Governments from various countries have requested more than 3 million of these inexpensive computers for their children.  http://laptop.org/
  • Federal Communications Law Journal [pdf] http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/index.shtml
    There’s a whole lot of material to cover within the world of communications law, and within their aegis, the Federal Communications Law Journal (FCLJ) covers everything from intellectual property to cable regulation. The Journal is published by Indiana University law students, and it also serves as the official journal for the Federal Communications Bar Association. This status also means that the Journal will occasionally feature pieces by members of Congress and commissioners in the Federal Communications Commission. First-time visitors to the site can browse through the contents of the most recent issues, or they can browse through archived issues all the way back to 1993. Also, visitors can view some of their short commentaries in the “Forum” area and learn about print subscriptions and submitting manuscripts for consideration. (from the Scout Report)
  • Faculty Innovation Center: Resources [pdf, Macromedia Flash Player] http://www.fic.engr.utexas.edu/resources/index.cfm                            
    The University of Texas’s College of Engineering is committed to continual improvement of their undergraduate curriculum and they have created the Faculty Innovation Center in part to work on this process. Along with the work they do in the classrooms at the University of Texas, they also provide a number of tremendously useful online materials that are relevant to both those involved in engineering education and those who teach all manner of college courses. These resources are divided into several sections here, including “Teaching and Learning”, “Teaching with Technology”, and “Distance Learning”. All told, there are over eighty resources here, including a worksheet on developing effective lectures, a “best practices” overview for videoconferencing, and a guide to using student feedback. (from the Scout Report)