Changing Roles with Technology

In the recent issue of Current(The Public Television Newspaper) there was an article by Jeremy Egner on the keynote speech at the Intergrated Media Association’s Public Media Conference in Boston. The speech was given by video journalist Michael Rosenblum . Michael is sometimes called an evangelist for the video journalist concept. The video journalist is a journalist, videographer, sound person, and editor. The video journalist can use a laptop with video editing software and Ethernet encoders to edit and transmit his/her stories from remote locations. Traditionally the roles of journalist, videographer, sound person and editor were filled by separate individuals. New tools have led many stations to go with the “one man band” approach to field journalism. There are many different ideas as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. But, it is here now.This is similar to what Mr. Rosenblum was saying in his keynote speech. New technology is here. He said, “Get it or you’re unemployed, the steamroller is not coming, the steamroller is here.” Flash video, Google maps, podcasts are all elements that some Public Television Stations are using to augment their traditional broadcasts and in some instances creating new content for distribution on the web.Check out KQED’s Quest website for some idea of what’s happening with educational television. Television as we know it is going away. For broadcasters to keep their audiences they must drive them to the Internet.What does this have to do with education? New technologies are forcing educators to ask the same questions as the TV station employee, “What is my role and where am I headed?” Will the teacher of the future have more in common with the “one (wo)man band” video journalist? Will the teacher have to be a technician and an educator?