epic2015

Assignment #2 After watching a movie called epic2015 that predicts future technology trends, I react to how technology will change the practice of teaching.

In this futuristic setting, print media is quickly going out of style. It is too slow-moving to keep up with the increasingly fast-paced world. In a universe where all information can be instantly tailored to the individual, if it can’t change to meet your evolving preferences, it is not useful.

In such a world, I see students no longer learning from textbooks, but receiving lessons and reading materials over podcasts. If a student is out sick or has a dentist appointment, she can tune in to the lesson wherever she is at. Perhaps students are no longer required to read, but instead listen and watch prerecorded lessons from a virtual textbook.

Students are able to work at their own pace, so motivated learners can advance far beyond where they might in a traditional classroom. Such a digitized learning system has great potential for accessing additional information instantly. If a certain topic really piqued student interest, they could investigate it further at the click of a button. This could be a powerful tool in motivating learners and keeping interest high.

Potential downsides in this wired world:

• Creating an even larger reliance on technology at the expense of social learning and interaction.
• In a world where information is fragmented and pulled together to exactly fit a person’s needs and interests, people might never be forced out of their comfort zone. Many will be tempted to learn only what they want, seeking out a single viewpoint.

To solve these problems:

• Students must learn how to rate the quality of information they are using in reports and essays.
• Educate students on integrity – both exercising their own as well as recognizing it (or a lack of) in available information.
• Class time spent in cooperative work groups.
• Caution students against piecing together disjointed information and believing this constitutes the whole story.