Woz U

When you hear someone talk about about futuristic trends, using the term, “EdTech,” what kind of technology usually comes to your mind? Do you tend to think of cutting-edge offerings on today’s market, such as educational applications for smartphones and tablets, browser-based labs, and online learning platforms? Or, does your imagination often run wild with images of science-fiction-inspired devices that allow students to instantly download the daily lesson directly to their brains via a futuristic headset?

Is EdTech Based on Science Fact or Fiction?

As Oscar Wilde once observed, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” This means that the fictional worlds created in art and media often influence the real world in which we live, more so than the opposite. For this reason, there tends to be a fine line between the latest technology of our time and what is been presented in science fiction. In fact, even “the Woz” himself has attributed his childhood interest in technology to watching series like Star Trek! In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the futuristic trends in EdTech and how they can improve our educational system.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Nothing creates more fear than the idea of an uncontrollable machine with intelligence vastly greater than our own. Artificial Intelligence has long been portrayed as a threat to humanity in many works of science fiction. Even if you haven’t seen the Terminator series, you are most likely familiar with “Skynet,” an artificial intelligence system created by the military that becomes self-aware, rebels against its creators, and nearly manages to destroy all human life on earth. Of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger has to be sent in to finish the job.

In the 1980s, series like these created a real sense of fear surrounding Artificial Intelligence and what would happen if the technology were ever developed. However, we’re here from the future to let you know that AI has incredible potential for good, especially in the area of EdTech. Machine learning can identify weaknesses in a student’s skills and recommend coursework that would help them strengthen those areas. This could save educators a great deal of time and allow students to learn more independently. Artificial Intelligence might just save humanity, after all.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)

Virtual Reality is another staple of classic science fiction. If you grew up in the 70s or 80s, you would be familiar with the “Holodeck” from Star Trek, a virtual reality environment aboard the starship Enterprise. Within the Holodeck, the crew of the Enterprise was able to visit new worlds without ever leaving the ship. Of course, today’s virtual reality headsets are much less advanced, but they do offer a similar experience without all the hidden dangers.

Augmented Reality is similar to, yet distinct from Virtual Reality. AR often utilizes a camera and a viewfinder to place overlaying images or graphics on top of what the user is seeing. Imagine an AR application on the iPad that would allow biology students to learn more about the animals of Central America. The student could look around the classroom while using the iPad’s screen as a viewfinder. Then, exotic wildlife could appear on the screen, making it seem as if the classroom really were full of blue butterflies, spider monkeys, and jaguars. An EdTech application with VR, on the other hand, would attempt to transport the student to the rainforest by transforming the environment completely.

Adaptive Learning

While it may not sound as exciting as VR, Adaptive Learning in EdTech probably has a greater potential to improve learning outcomes. Adaptive Learning is an umbrella term that refers to solutions like customized lessons, exercises, and resources that constantly evaluate the learner and then “adapt” to their needs. This technology prevents students from being overexposed to unnecessarily repetitive material and helps keep learning fun and challenging.

Traditional forms of education, such as university hall lectures, standardized tests, and reading materials, can’t be customized for the individual. Therefore, it’s common for large numbers of students to either fall behind—or fall asleep—in class. Adaptive learning allows educators to customize learning at the individual level in a cost-effective manner.

Blockchain

Originally designed for cryptocurrencies, blockchain is a decentralized method of storing data now being applied in a wide variety of fields. To summarize, blockchain creates an encrypted ledger of data shared with and distributed to all users on a network. When a transaction is made, it is verified and recorded on the ledgers possessed by other users. Whereas records stored on a single server or device can be hacked and altered, blockchain keeps encrypted copies on thousands of devices and automatically makes corrections whenever a discrepancy appears. For example, if one wanted to steal $1,000 from my online banking account, they could do so by hacking into my bank’s database and changing the records to show a transfer from my account to another.

If my bank were to use blockchain, however, the system would notice a difference between my altered records and the records held by all other users who do not record a legitimate transaction ever taking place. Shortly after, the $1,000 would be placed back into my account to correct the hacked ledger. This same technology could be leveraged for use in education to prevent academic credentials and school records from being falsified or altered. For example, if one were to hack into Harvard’s records and add him or herself as an alumnus, this would conflict with the records held by other blockchain users, which say that he or she actually graduated from Yale. Within minutes, the system would recognize the discrepancy and return the altered ledger to its previous state.

Conclusion

It’s safe to say that today’s technology is not just the product of scientific discoveries and research. Instead, it also contains influence from the visionary minds behind classic science fiction. As life continues to imitate art, we’re bound to see even more revolutionary technologies enter our homes and our classrooms, some of which will resemble the sci-fi inventions we have dreamed of since we were young. This is a very exciting time in history for teachers who strive to find the best tools for their students, and for learners with a hunger for knowledge. Regardless of what changes in the near future, one thing remains certain: the teacher will remain the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to implementing EdTech in the classroom.