A paper I was asked to present at DLA
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/dla/
The nature of life itself seems to be taking us deeper and deeper into an “E-World,” our classrooms and our very lives have become “Technology Enhanced.” Digital media like Twitter, Facebook and Instant Messaging have made a major change in the way we see news or even hear about new products. There was a time when “word of mouth” actually meant there was a mouth involved, not anymore. “Word of mouth” has become somewhat like screaming from a rooftop. What we used to tell a friend, we now tell our whole network of friends as quickly as posting a status update on our Facebook page. We no longer need television to catch up on current news events. After all if it’s on television, it’s probably already old news.
This new E-World seems to be a place that pushes the imagination envelope. Our static photographs evolved past moving pictures and are now pushing into the realm of living holograms. Reality has all but buried the pen and paper and instead has given us the pixel to become our ink. Web applications like “Google Docs” have opened the window of opportunity even further and allowed us to reach across borders and bring together many minds for single projects, thus allowing us to create virtual “supercomputers” from human minds.
The future is poised to take us even further into this digital world. Things like digital paper and augmented reality are looming on the horizon. Our college text books may look like something out of a Harry Potter film, and will be as up-to-date as life itself offering changeable media on a paper thin bendable screen. The paintings on our walls may no longer be “still” but will be painted with Digital Ink and will feel as real as looking out a window.
Current and future technologies can play an important role in how we design our education. Many universities have moved to Google Apps giving them access to tools like Google Docs, Google Sites and Google Email. These and other tools are taking us into a world of online collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Technologies and their Educational Possibilities
Many technology based companies are creating applications that can enhance our educational experience. In the past it seems the learning curve was often too steep for many instructors and students alike to take advantage of the opportunities offered. I believe however, there has been a major step forward and companies are beginning to understand the need for a “user friendly” environment.
Google Docs is one of the technologies that I believe has a lot to offer for education and collaborative learning. With this students are able to work together on one document in a collaborative effort, although they may be miles apart. Docs allows for collaborated documents, presentations and even spread sheets as well as the ability to share the files as a web page that could be used inside of a learning management system. One of the major benefits is how smoothly it handles PowerPoint slides for web use.
There is another web based tool called “Google Knol.” Knol is basically a global area for sharing knowledge; it opens up the possibilities of easily using outside expertise while teaching an online class. There are literally thousands of presentations on all types of topics that are available to use as free resources.
Facebook and Twitter are two others that may have a lot to offer in the education arena. For instance, Facebook has the ability to create groups that an entire class can follow for updated class information. Many Professors are using it to take education to the students and giving them more options for learning. Twitter can be used as an announcement tool or perhaps a way to share web links and other useful information. One use of Twitter is to utilize its ability to stream RSS and feed it directly into your online class. RSS stands for "really simple syndication” and although it is a bit more technical, has some very useful applications.
Tomorrow’s Education
Looking into tomorrow there are many more technologies that will add to our educational options. Imagine a classroom where medical students could view a 3D hologram of a real patient and be able to see actual injuries and offer diagnosis. According to ZDNet this technology may already be a reality. A company out of India called Infosys has patented a 3D holographic device that may be able to do just that. This technology opens possibilities for online medical training far beyond our current capabilities. “The portable machines will capture and send 3D snapshots of the surrounding world, helping accident investigators, teachers and doctors work remotely by instantly relaying realistic depictions of car damage, injuries, medical scans or educational aids.” (Heath, 2008)
Another bit of future that is looming on the horizon is something called “Augmented Reality.” This may be a bit further down tomorrow’s path however it may offer us even more options in our educations and our lives. With this technology, we will be able to live in reality but with an extra level of vision. We will be able to tie reality with a vast amount of web based knowledge and information and see them as one.
Conclusion
Education and technology should and can work together to create a new and improved learning experience. As we look at education, it is time we step beyond the fear of change and into a new area of enhanced learning. We live in a fast-changing world and it is our duty as educators to change with it.
References:
Milian, M. (2009, july 13). Appiphilia: augmented reality iphone apps for finding subways and twitter neighbors. Retrieved from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/07/augmented-reality-iphone-apps-subway-twitter.html
Heath, N. (2008, June 20). Holographic handsets on the market by 2010. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/emerging-tech/2008/06/20/holographic-handsets-on-the-market-by-2010-39437065/
Second Life. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://secondlife.com/
Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/
Twitter. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://twitter.com/
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