For homework in EDT 520, we were also assigned to read the current Horizon Report, which is periodic report on current technology trends and their implications for education. As you will be able to read, if you had the inclination, the report lists four driving trends, four challenges and a few technologies to watch.
Something that struck me was what the report has to say about mobile computing devices. Interestingly, the report states that roughly two-thirds of smart phone users are from developing countries. Smart phones are cheaper and many people with limited incomes use these as cheap desktops with internet access. I guess that makes sense. In the US, we've all adapted to the need of having home computers and laptops before the smart phones got their rise, so the smart phones have become somewhat of a second option for us.
The report also talks about the use of mobile devices in education and I can't believe how progressive some universities are. Many tech schools are having their students create iPhone or Droid apps, while others are actually giving their students mobile devices so they can work on their studies virtually anywhere. Studies have shown that students with these devices log more hours on their work. I can't believe the ways in which universities are embracing this technology.
With the educational implications, I expect that there will be even more smart phone users in the US. Soon, everyone will be expected to have a smart phone as much as they are expected to have a computer. I doubt that these implications will quite reach the public schools of Maine very soon, but it is interesting to read about.
The first time I realized that smartphones were taking over in education was when I heard about the messaging systems they set up to notify students of events and disasters on campus. It is amazing how many people do own one now. As an avid user of an iphone, I can't imagine having a regular flip phone anymore. I enjoy being able to browse the internet anywhere and at anytime. I agree with you in how shocked you were that universities are embracing smartphones. Usually all you hear about is how much trouble phones that students have are related to cheating and being distracting in the classroom. This sort of technology will need to be limited in someway in order to become as useful of a tool in education as we would like it to be.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, I didn't even think of the campus alert texts that they send out, and that was happening when I was an undergrad, a few years ago. I wonder if they can or will develop limited devices that merely have wifi capability or something of the sort for universities. I'm sure it's possible, but maybe not cost effective.
ReplyDelete