By Jeanette Evans | Associate Fellow and Charles Dull
This column investigates emerging technologies in education and how we might use them in our work. Whether it is social media, wearable technologies, the latest in printers, personalization, big data, BYOD, cloud computing, mobile apps, MOOCs, analytics, digital identity, haptic interfaces, augmented reality, or the internet of things, we can all benefit from current thinking on these technologies. Contact the columnists at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net.
In this month’s column, we’ll look at some ideas on advances in technology in education and beyond and how these might impact the future of not only education but all learning products that include technical communication. The quotes in the following come from an article by Charles on “Three Technological Trends That Set the Tone for Higher Education’s Future” (http://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/distance_online_learning/technological-trends-set-tone-higher-educations-future/), which you might find of interest.
Trends and Disruptions
We hear today about trends and disruptions as they relate to technology and change. Advances in technology today often are complex and happening at a fast pace. So distinguishing a trend from a disruption can be hard. Looking at acceptance rates, use, and environment can help to show whether a technology is a disruption or here to stay.
Technology Allows Change to Happen
Massively open online courses (MOOCs) disrupted traditional approaches to learning. Now we can look at whether this disruption will have an impact on the future of education and become a trend.
Technology allowed MOOCs to emerge. MOOCs and their success showed that technology could manage large-scale enrollment. MOOCs also showed that technology could help to deliver instruction effectively.
“MOOCs merged … accessibility with earlier ideas of free tuition. University of the People has been around since 2009 offering free tuition. The Technological University of America began with free tuition and attempted an enhanced disruption with the ambitious goal of offering all programs on Facebook, using social media as the business model…. MOOCs have shown that you can create well-designed courses serving large populations with technology to manage the load (server activity) and increased activity.”
Now we need to think about the next step and look at business models and new and improved learning management systems (LMSs).
Social and Adaptive Learning
We can argue that social and adaptive learning are the future. Social learning “is more than social media and less than academic learning.” We now have social learning platforms that can provide learning at the point needed. These platforms can also include assessment.
Adaptive learning technology is a newer pedagogy. Learning theory converges with adaptive learning here. With adaptive learning you have a self-mapped learning experience while using assessment to measure and adjust direction.
Time will tell if social and adaptive learning become a trend and even blend.
Games and the Future of Learning
We can imagine that game-based learning and curriculum design are the future. A game-based curriculum design is a way to create immediate feedback and learning on demand, and arguably the only way to do that plus create a learning pathway based on competence. This type of curriculum provides an environment that is agile, socially engaging, and adaptive. Competence is built on social interaction and achievement.
“Imagine using a gesture-based game to build a holographic house to demonstrate mechanics or medical concepts. Award the ‘A’ grade for competency to achieve the outcome rather than to pass a test.” Students now see the real world “and fail to see its alignment with education. The trends tell us that if we do not change, we will cease to be effective.”
“If you want to find an innovative solution to difficult problems, just watch a group of little kids. Put a bunch of kids together, tell them to play and watch how they learn. They organize, sometimes by small groups, decide on some unwritten rules (which may evolve later on), they learn names and key places and they develop strategy and tactics and play. The outcome is they play and learn new skills, make new friends and develop social skills.”
That sounds like a good way to go in the future.
