Emerging Technologies for Learning - New Report from Becta in the UK, 2006Interested in what lies ahead for ICT(Information & Communication Technology) in education and learning? This new 56 page report from Becta* addresses just that. Although the report is about ICT, it is not technical in nature.
The authors make excellent use of future scenarios and descriptions of current "experimental" uses of ambient computing and mobile devices and embedded computing to help the reader start to visualize and understand how ICT will/is enabling new ways of reaching learners and new opportunities for enriching teaching and learning. The report is worth reading just to find about these new ventures, if you have not been keeping up with "Mudlarking in Deptford" or "Savannah" or other initiatives.
The report can be downloaded or ordered from their site.
The report has 5 sections:
1. Mobile Technologies: Transforming the Future of Learning - Geoff Stead
"Mobile technology is all around us. As devices become cheaper and more interconnected, we are changing the way we use them and integrating them into our personal cocoon of communication, collaboration, entertainment and media creation. The future is more mobile, more connected and more personalised. New generations of learners will expect this as the norm.
They will be connected with many different devices, and demand equality, inclusion and always-on access wherever they are." (p. 15)
2. The Ambient Web Bill Sharpe
"Computer networking is very confusing Â? especially the rapidly developing varieties of wireless communication that are key to ambient devices. However, we can think about the main developments broadly in terms of two things that they enable. ...
First, they enable anything to connect to the internet from wherever it is. Â?Anything, anytime, anywhereÂ? ...
Second, new technologies allow devices to come together and communicate just among themselves.' (p. 18)
The overall effect of the ambient web on learning can be thought of as the opportunity to enhance learning intensity through a wide variety of means: more immersive physical experience; richer interaction with the environment; personalised content; real-time collaboration with co-learners; and participation in building content." (p.23)
3. The Future of Human-computer Interaction Paul Anderson
Paul discusses three scenarios that show how ambient computing and an "aware" computing environment might interact with teaching and learning. Both his scenarios and Bill Sharpe's examples of "Mudlarking in Deptford" and the "Savannah" projects show how much more we can do with "computing" in education that is several steps beyond the notion of "one computer - one child". Paul Anderson also picks up on this in his section on Human Computer Interaction titled "PCs, we have a problem!".
"In recent years, education has focused on increasing the use of ICT in schools through the introduction of basic technologies: PCs, laptops, interactive whiteboards and projectors. While these technologies are beneficial and have been shown to help with educational tasks, their design and usability are an issue, and they represent a barrier to our relationship with technology." (p. 31)
4. Social Networks Leon Cych
Leon discusses Web 2.0 technologies and their adaptation to education including geo-tagging --Google Maps and Google Earth, open API's, collaborative tools like wikis, blogs, podcasts, moblogs, vlogs, and RSS, and peer-to-peer and swarmcasting.
Leon briefly touches on new models of distribution that are starting to emerge and indicated the BBC is looking at ways to make their media content available under a license like Creative Commons for "remix". Imagine how a more workable educational license could exploded the use / remix of multimedia content in education.
"In the last two years the innovation made possible by pioneers of the internet in the early to late 1990s has begun to mature and evolve. Because of easier access to broadband networks, some people and systems have started to focus on, coalesce around and Â? most importantly Â? build exciting digital technologies and services never available before. From these new, social ways of working, practices are emerging that have cultural, philosophical and educational repercussions." (p. 32)
The way we view and produce multimedia content will change. Some institutions, notably the BBC, are anticipating this cultural shift and are already developing innovative solutions." (p.39)
5. The Broadband Home Michael Philpott
"Information technology continues to be increasingly important in education Â? not just as a subject in its own right, but also as a key enabler in improving the teaching of other subjects. Broadband access, the home network and consumer electronic devices are helping to extend education both beyond the classroom and beyond traditional school hours.
Broadband access provides flexibility, convenience and innovative educational content right into the home. With the addition of mobility, broadband access will allow students to get access to content, their peers and their teachers whenever
they wish and from wherever they wish." (p.42)
What is BECTA?
"Becta is a UK agency which supports all four UK education departments in their strategic ICT developments." [BECTA web site]
"Becta plays a central role in evaluating the potential and impact of technology in education, working closely with UK Education Departments, educational institutions, industry and academia. Our aim is to understand the effectiveness of technology in addressing educational issues and supporting educational outcomes. This review, like our other work in this area, draws on a range of evidence and thinking, and presents a balanced and informed view which will help educators and policymakers to think about the future."
