What does the future hold for Education IT? What doesn't it hold?!?! We
are already using technology in almost all aspects of education. Teachers use
online forums to connect their students outside of the classroom. We use
laptops/tablets and overhead projectors in the classroom. We certainly have
come a very long way from chalkboard and pen & paper.
How many of you have heard of “Gamification”? I will tell you that
until I started working on this topic I didn't The official definition is:
integrating game dynamics into your site, service, community, content or
campaign, in order to drive participation. This makes sooo much sense! Everyone
at one point in their lives has played some type of video game. They are
addicting. What makes them so addicting is that rush you get when slay your
opponent or make it to the next level. That feeling of accomplishment is
fantastic. Children these days live for that rush. School and learning doesn't quite give that feeling. (Everyone can relate.) But what if it did? There are tons
and tons of educational games and systems out there now that allow kids to
learn in a fun way and give then that sense of achievement by reaching learning
goals through games. That is gamification.
Gamification is where we are now. What is in store for education? In
the next 10-15 years, possibly even sooner, we will be able to experience
things like eyewear/HUDs, holography, digitally intermediated field trips,
retinal screens, etc. This is the kind of stuff you see in the movies. No way
would we ever have thought it could truly be possible. At least not in our
lifetime. Currently Google is working on beta testing their own version of
eyewear/HUDs called Google Glass. These glasses allow the wearer to view, what
looks like a smartphone screen, and interact with apps and menus through the
lens of their glasses. Just by making some simple head movements you can scroll
and change screens without using your hands. It even takes pictures and video. In
my own opinion they do look a bit goofy but the idea is still really, really
cool!
Just take the time to think about what will be available to you and
your children. The prospects are limitless.
I wanted to take a minute to shout out to the “Cloud Computing” group.
I recently read an article discuss the future of education and how it doesn't matter what the next new and innovative device will be, it is all about the
cloud and access anywhere. I think that is so true, as devices change we will
still need to be able to get our info where and when we want it. As the article
stated, four years ago the iPad didn't even
exist and who knows what we will have in the next four years. We will always
need our information.
