Unit Two Discussion Board Two

Jack Lilly

Colorado Technical University

CS875: Futuring and Innovation

Dr. Calongne

January 4, 2022

Unit Two Discussion Board Two

Group Decision-Making Methods

    There are several different types of group decision-making methods available around the world. Some are more general and can be used in most situations, while others are rather focused and suitable only for specific topics or criteria. Consider how communication in your business has operated before and how a group approach could improve that process. Understanding the discussion requirements is critical to ensure that the correct methodology is employed.

    One such technique is the Delphi Method. This method employs a series of questionnaires from a panel of experts with feedback until a consensus is reached (Kosven, E., 2020). Essentially, a topic is presented, and experts weigh their thoughts and polish the answer to its final form. The strength of this method is derived from the selection of the experts, so the proper choice is critical to ensuring accurate results. 

    A brainstorming session is dedicated to raising potential ideas and solutions to a problem. It has several advantages, such as building teamwork, encouraging critical thinking, and allowing the views of others to be considered (Willkomm, A., 2018). This technique has two substantial pitfalls: participants can be distracted from the overall goal, and not every participant necessarily knows enough about the topic to provide helpful information.

    The second method is called the stepladder technique and is quite interesting. This technique facilitates group effectiveness by structuring the entry of members into a group. The first step is the creation of a two-person subgroup that begins the preliminary discussion of the task with another group member joining after a set time. The three-person group then discusses the task for a set time. Finally, the last member joins, and the group arrives at a final solution (Rogelberg & O'Connor, 1998). The discussion evolves with new input from a group member at each iteration, and a final product is realized. 

Similarities

    The brainstorming session and the stepladder technique possess points of overlap in their discussions. They will work towards a common goal in a concerted effort using all group members. Both methods can generate ideas, depending on the topic of conversation. Additionally, they both lack an explicit mechanism to select group members. Instead, it is implied that members are already chosen and willing to engage in these techniques. 

Differences

    Although these techniques share many similarities, they are quite different too. A brainstorming session has all members collectively working together from the start, but the stepladder technique purposefully excludes members until a set amount of time has passed. The brainstorming session is less focused on solving a problem and more on generating possible solutions that can be selected later. Finally, the stepladder technique could be quite limiting in progress because not all team members are practicing the method together until the very end. 

References

Kosven, E. (2020). The delphi method: uses, do's, and don'ts. ISSSP for Lean Six Sigma. Retrieved                 December 17, 2021, from https://isssp.org/the-delphi-method-uses-dos-and-donts/ 

Rogelberg, S., & O'Connor, M. (1998). Extending the stepladder technique: an examination of self-paced     stepladder groups. Retrieved from                                                                                                   https://orgscience.charlotte.edu/sites/orgscience.charlotte.edu/files/media/Rogelberg%20and%20O'Conno    r%20-%201998%20-%20Extending%20the%20stepladder%20technique%20An%20examination.pdf

Willkomm, A. (2018). The importance of brainstorming: benefits & techniques. Goodwin College of             Professional Studies. Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://drexel.edu/goodwin/professional-            studies-blog/overview/2018/November/Why-Is-brainstorming-important/ 

Blended Learning

 

Unit Two Discussion Board One

Jack Lilly

Colorado Technical University

CS875: Futuring and Innovation

Dr. Calongne

January 4, 2022

Unit Two Discussion Board One

Technology

    The technology to discuss is mobile learning and it has become a powerful platform for education. Mobile learning refers to learning via the internet or network using personal mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and digital notebooks (Singh, H., 2021). Though this platform has been around for several years, it had not become significant until a few years. With the introduction of COVID-19, mobile learning became a vital asset and was sometimes the only viable platform that allowed students to continue their education at the time. 

    At my place of employment, my team is responsible for maintaining the 1:1 iPad Initiative in which all students K-12 borrow an Apple iPad from the Board of Education that facilitates their learning. The device enables blended learning by acting as a repository for all books and a portal to Schoology. They can interact with their class by submitting assignments or taking tests. When COVID-19 came about, and schools were temporarily closed, these devices acted as the only means students could continue their coursework. Fortunately, the system has been in place for several years, and students switched to true mobile learning with barely a hitch. 

Trend

    The trend to be discussed is blended learning and how it positively impacts students. Blended learning is an umbrella term that encompasses face-to-face teaching with technology-facilitated instruction (Educause, 2017). This trend will continue to rise because it is versatile and convenient for all users involved. Regarding my place of employment, blended learning has been in practice for the better part of a decade. Teachers assign all content through the portal provided by Schoology while also leading their classrooms in a face-to-face environment. 

Forces

    Two forces that impact blended learning and mobile learning are technological and societal. Technological forces become prevalent as technology evolves, becomes better networked and smaller, and more mobile. Students can use any device, including the small cell phone in their pocket, to access their classroom items and complete assignments. The societal force stems from the level of convenience afforded to students, teachers, and parents. Students have constant access to their coursework; teachers can instantly check on submitted work and even have it scored automatically; parents can closely monitor their child’s academics through a parent account instead of waiting for a paper grade card. All tasks are important because of the convenience inferred by the societal force. 

References

Educause. (2017). Horizon report: 2017 higher education edition. Retrieved December 16, 2021, from             https://library.educause.edu/-/media/files/library/2017/2/2017horizonreporthe.pdf

Singh, H. (2021). Why is mobile learning now more than just a nice-to-have? eLearning Industry.                 Retrieved December 16, 2021, from https://elearningindustry.com/why-mobile-learning-is-more-than-        just-nice-to-have 

    My name is Jack, and I am very interested in technical things. I find things like the limits of technology to be supremely fascinating. The limitations of reality are also equally fascinating, which brings us to quantum physics. As we know them, relativity and physics will break down on extremely small or large scales, and quantum physics is a way to study and understand these new rules. Creating new things from nothing, such as programming, is another interest. Understanding how tokamaks are used for nuclear fusion is another bullet point in this eclectic list. Thankfully, Youtube has excellent channels like PBS Spacetime or Arvin Ash to illustrate how a tokamak confines a plasma using magnetic fields in a torus (US Department of Energy, n.d.). 

    In this class, we students will learn about tomorrow's technology and how innovation can enable us to realize that technology sooner rather than later. It's about understanding where we'll be in the next few decades and how we'll get there. Today's technologies are continually undergoing enhancements and rebuilds to better suit the needs of the future. Because of this innovation, other technologies are introduced while the originals become more efficient. 

    This blog will focus on a few different topics such as technology, quantum physics, programming, and space. While these topics are quite different, they can also explain or assist with the other issues. The Quantum Computer Language (QCL) resembles the C programming language and translates ideas into instructions that can be executed by a quantum computer (Heim, B. et al., 2020). This way, it can help us learn more about quantum physics and manipulate it. Quantum physics will allow us to build better computers through quantum computing. Technology will continue to find new innovations to help us explore space. Space will enable us to research new technologies in a different environment. Everything is connected, and everything is also quite exciting when you start to dig into it. 

References

Heim, B., Soeken, M., Marshall, S., Granade, C., Roetteler, M., Geller, A., Troyer, M., & Svore, K. (2020). Quantum programming languages. Nature News. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-020-00245-7

US Department of Energy. (n.d.). Doe explains...tokamaks. Energy.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainstokamaks