1. Strand One: Toffler’s Three Waves Plus One
Technological changes
throughout time

2. AS TIME PROGRESSES, SO DOES TECHNOLOGY
First Wave
Agricultural:
8000BC
Second Wave
Industrial
Third Wave
Informational
AS TIME PROGRESSES, SO DOES TECHNOLOGY
Fourth Wave
Nano/biotechnology
2003--????

3. First Wave: Agricultural8000BC-1650-1750
Education: individual instruction, limited resources, schooled at home
Communication: Oral and Gestural
Economy: production and consumption of food, hunting & gathering, families self-sufficient
Family Structure: Extended; families tend to live on same land,
Politics: castes & classes, authoritarian & birthrights
Production: Energy from sun, wind & water “Living Batteries”, “energy slaves”; forest, rivers, people and animals could be replaced

4. First Wave
8000 BC
Second Wave Industry
Economy: mass production of food, trade, stores, corporations (1907),
Family structure: Nuclear (2 parent-home), extended families distanced
Education: mass education, factory/assembly line focuses: rote & repetitive work, punctuality, obedience
Politics: crisis & strikes, coup d'états, wars
Production: factories, assembly lines, refrigerator in kitchens, vitamins(increased life expectancy),
Communication/Technology: transportation, tractors, post office (1837), telephone, typewriters, newspapers, movies

5. Third Wave Informational 1950-2003
First Wave
8000BC
Second Wave
Third Wave Informational
Economy: oil and gas production (foreign), money exchange rates, global industries (trade & travel)
Family structure: 2 working parent families, single-parent families, grand-parent /grand-child families
Education: computer labs, online courses (virtual schools), LCD projectors, CD, internet
Politics: capitalism, socialism, communism, world governments: UN, EURO
Production: increased flights, cars & busses, space exploration, drug & vaccines
Communication/Technology: computers/laptops, internet, cell phones, webcams, instant messaging

6. First Wave
8000BC
Second Wave
Third Wave
Fourth Wave 2005-
The next wave will be what Dr. Thornburg & Dr. Dede both predict. It will be a wave of creativity found through new innovative technologies; nano & biotechnologies. “It will offer better built, longer lasting, cleaner, safer, and smarter products for the home, for communications, for medicine, for transportation, for agriculture, and for industry in general.” --Center for Responsible Nanotechnology.

7. First Wave 8000BC-1650-1750 Second Wave 1750-1950 Third Wave 1950-2003
Fourth Wave 2003-???
Instant communication: cell phones
Priests in temples taught religion & principles in writing
Factories, mass production
Human genome sequence was completed.

8. References:
Center for Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN).
Dede, C. (Speaker). (2008). The Next Wave, Part 2. Laureate Education, Inc.
Thornburg, D. (Speaker). (2008). The Next Wave, Part 1. Laureate Education, Inc
Toffler, Alvin. (1980). The Third Wave. New York: Bantam Books Cambridge University Press
Wright Jr.,B.D. (2009, March 8). Assistant Regional Manager. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. (interview)