Week 9 Trends in Media and Information

First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
Grade and Section: ________________________ Teacher: Rogel Mandap
Caroline de Taza

Today, new gadgets are being created and more applications are being introduced to the public,
adding to the thousands of technological devices that are available in the market. As technology constantly
keeps on changing, media and information do too.
The advancements that technology, media, and information now attained are results of a series of
development that follows a pattern similar to how a life cycle works. Thus, in order to understand the
current and future trends in media and information, must know the life cycle patterns that a particular
medium undergoes and how it has changed through a particular period of time.

Patterns of Media Development

In Lesson 2, you studied the evolution and history of media and information Marshall McLuhan's
Theory of Media Evolution was used to track the four periods of the development of mass media. Giving
new light to McLuhan s theory, W. James Potter (2016) gave out a new perspective in looking through
mass media’s development.
Potter saw a consistent pattern to explain the development of mass media. This life cycle patten
can be summarized into five stages, namely: innovation (birth penetration (growth). peak (maturity),
decline, and adaptation.

Innovation Stage
Each mass medium starts with a technological advancement. The development of mass media
was made possible through the introduction of a new medium. For example, newspaper created the print
industry, the camera helped start the development of the film industry; television paved the way to the
television industry, and so on.
However, Potter points out that technological innovation by itself is not enough develop a mass
medium. He explained that for the innovation stage to be fulfilled, it should also be characterized by
marketing innovations as well. Therefore, a business should be first created to promote the newly invented
technology, which may or not be backed up by the government, before it could build an audience. In other
words, there should be a creation of demand so that the production of supply will be successful.

Penetration Stage
After the innovation of the new form of technology, it now enters the market, with the consumers
buying and trying it. This is where the medium enters the penetration stage. This stage is characterized by
the public's growing acceptance and positive evaluation of the invented medium.
However, there are instances that even if the needs of the public are already being satisfied by a certain
medium, a new medium is invented that is able to satisfy those needs in a more creative way. Consider
television's overpowering radio for example. For a long time, people regarded the radio as the number one
mass medium. Then, television was invented, and the people's medium preference changed.
Peak Stage
The moment when the medium reaches its maximum penetration is the peak stage. Here, the
medium gains the most attention and utilization, generating more revenues compared to the other media.

Decline Stage
Although a particular medium has already reached its peak, sooner or later it will be challenged by
a new form of media which may cause its decline. Audiences start to shift to another medium, resulting in
an erosion of revenues and users of the old medium.

Adaptation Stage
With the rise of the new media, the declining medium should find ways to counter the shifting
balance or else it may become obsolete. This calls for the adaptation stage, where the old medium tries to
redefine and redesign its position and presence in the media market. This is why media convergence
happens.

Massive Open Online courses

One out of every 10 Filipinos are out-of-school youth (6 to 24 years), according to a 2013 FLEMMS
survey. That is about 4 million young Filipinos not being able to enjoy their right to education. Results or the
survey show that almost 37% of this number entered into early marriages, while 19.27% said that their
family had insufficient funds to send them to school. Nineteen percent lacked interest in attending School.
For a country like the Philippines to fully grow and develop, investment in education is significant
(Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, as cited by UNESCO, 2016). Only with proper skills training and
quality education will the human capital of the country flourish. But with a growing number or out-of-school
youth, can Philippines development be attained?
Luckily, technological advancements can make this happen. In 2008, educators Stephen Downes
and George Siemens created an open course that utilized online platforms Such as Facebook, WIKI, and
blogs to serve as classrooms. It was called Connectivism and Connective Knowledge/2008 (CCK8), which
around 2,200 people joined (Marques, 2013). This paved the way 1or the birth of massive open online
courses (MOOC).
Generally, MOOCs target a wide range of audience (massive)} are free (open); and are accessible
through the internet (online). Anyone with a computer/ tablet/ smartphone and an internet connection can
enroll in a MOOC that usually takes about 4 to 15 weeks. A MOOC Commonly consists or modules, Class
videos of university professors, and graded examinations. Students are usually given acknowledgment or
et tor finishing the course. For a minimal pay, students can even obtain verified certificates.
According to UNESCO and Commonwealth of Learning (2016), MOOC is the only technology that
was developed by and tor educators, unlike other media that were made primarily for commercial use. As
of 2016, there are almost 5,000 MOOCs on the internet (Online Course Report, 2016) used in 160
countries. These MOOCs are presented through online platforms like Coursera, EDX, Udacity, and Khan
Academy, that are hosted by prestigious universities like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Yale University, and Columbia University. The University of the
Philippines Open University launched the country's first MOOC in 2013.
Similar to MOOC is the open university, which also engages out-of-school youth or working
students through distance learning. Most of the activities are done online and physical presence at the
university is only required for at least once or twice a month. It is more similar to actual real-life classes, but
only more engaged online. Unlike MOOC open universities are not free and require entrance examinations
and interview. In the Philippines, a number of universities are already offering this type of educational
system, such as the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, and Polytechnic University of the
Philippines.
 These developments in education and the growing number of information openly available for
everyone allowed people to enjoy ubiquitous learning, or mobile learning. Anyone who has access to the
internet can explore about almost anything in the universe-anytime, anywhere.

Wearable Technology
Try to look back from ten years ago. What was the "coolest technological medium that you Could
wear back then?
Today, there are many technologies being developed that will make an uninformed person’s head
spin. What is a Google Glass? an iPhone watch? a DuoSkin?
Bringing the technological revolution to even higher level, scientists have come up with technology
that people could actually wear. It is called wearable technology, and specifically designed to be worn by a
person (Hayward et al., 2016). It aims to give the user an easy experience of the device and/or enhance
the user s senses without hassle.
Some examples of wearable technology include the following.
1. Smart Watches
Standalone personal communication devices that can be attached to a person’s wrist.
e.g. iPhone watch, Samsung Gear

2. Fitness Trackers
Wrist-worn, chest-worn, clip-on, o ear-worn devices that use motion sensors to record exercise and
health statistics and progress
e.g. Nike+Band, Fitbit Force
3. Smart Eyewear
Includes virtual reality(VR) eyewear that can put the functions of a smartphone or computer into the
users vision.
e.g. Google Glass, Recon Snow, Oculus Rift
4. Smart Clothing
Includes heated apparel, medical apparel, work monitoring apparel, etc.
e.g. DuoSkin, NFC Ring
5. Medical Devices
Devices used in diagnosis and in helping patients in recovery
e.g. hearing aids, contact lenses, sensors and pumps
6. Other Infotainment Devices
Includes wireless headphones, simulations, etc.
e.g. DoubleMe VR avatar creator, bluetooth headphones

Week 9 Trends in Media and Information

 First Semester
A.Y. 2020-2021
Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
Grade and Section: ________________________ Teacher: Rogel Mandap
Caroline de Taza