Technological convergence in learning

Description:

Educational technology such as on-line distance learning is experiencing a wildly application. World-famous universities like Harvard have participated into the process; programs like CyberOne combing the use of WiKi and visual social community like SecondLife become open to student not only from Harvard University but also at a large extent. A multi-user virtual environments interfaces, in which participants’ avatars interact with computer based agents and digital artifacts in virtual contexts become a new trend— Technological convergence in learning.

Enablers:

1. Developments of computer ,network, telecom, multi-media etc

2. Various form of on-line social community

3. Consumer demand

Inhibitors

1. Intellectual rights, patents, or in general: knowledge protection [2]

2. General fear that adverse effect of advanced technology on student

3. Web-security

Paradigms:

With the participation of leading institute and wildly social cognition, technological convergence in learning will open a door for the future of education. In this process, when education gradually gets rid of its original classroom-teacher limitation, the result in turn will continue stimulate the development of technological convergence and various of new form will come out.

Experts:

CyberOne: Law in the Court of Public Opinion

Timing:

2010- various on-line visual education centers have matured .Wiki, google video etc become medium to provide learning resources and gradually replace traditional resources.

2010-2020- new technology including portable hard-device and software can better monitoring and controlling human affective etc gradually come into use. Teacher’s role begins to adjust to this new situation.

Reference:

http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/briefings/globalthreats.pdf

http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/index.php/Global_Terrorism