Where Is The Classroom Going?

Advanced Teaching Technologies: Brave New World is an article from the 12/28/2006 issue of Campus Technology that outlines the state of two developing technologies expected to impact the future of education. The new teleconferencing products - I'm sorry, I mean "next-generation telepresence solutions" - are very cool. These technologies are permitting the subtleties of human interaction to enter into teleconferences, making the experience barely distinguishable from a face-to-face meeting. However, it is doubtful that many of these systems will find their way into educational institutions while the pricetags run from $250,000 - $425,000 with monthly costs as high as $18,000 per room.

The other half of this "Brave New World" of teaching technology is prophesied to be the use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). It's "The Sims Go To College" but only more so, I guess. The crux of the idea is that learners (especially today's) are predisposed to effectively use a 3-D virtual avatar to fulfill a constructivist pedagogy. That is to say that students can explore at their own pace, building their own learning experience in their own way. Is this really the way of learning in the new millennium? Or is it dumbing down education because kids won't pay attention to anything if it isn't a game?

There are several MUVEs introduced, some developed with NSF grants. Whyville is targeted at younger kids learning (virtual) social skills. Quest Atlantis has 9-12 year olds role-playing through units along a storyline. The River City Project addresses national education standards for science, technology and the "21st century" and a varying content standards for grades 5-12. The Harvard-heavy development team has created an American town plagued with illnesses in 1878. From their 21st century understanding of scientific process, students interact with a local reporter to solve the health crises. How much structure is needed to qualify as a learning tool? If you're thinking, "What's next? Universities in Second Life?" - you're too late.