Over the course of my career in the K-12 British Columbia Education System, I have been keen to use technology to create efficiency and innovation. I have not always agreed with the technology available in classrooms, and found the "latest and greatest" being pushed, or the easiest to implement by technicians without consideration for the overall effectiveness for teachers and learners. I have been blogging sporadically about this journey for years ( https://www.jonesybc.com/blog)
The focus of my ETEC 523 Mobile Learning project explored how the future of technological advancements will impact the way education is delivered. I examined how trends in current education with regards to mobile devices, the ubiquity of internet access, and the leverage of big data, can and will change when, where, and how education occurs, and the impacts technology will have on that process. I truly see these technologies becoming an integral part of everyday education. I questioned this before COVID-19, and have seen just how quickly online tools can be implemented within public education. It's likely that privacy and transparency will be the focal-point in this shift, however, the current global pandemic has shown that transparency of usage is key to our ongoing use of technology.
In exploring how new technologies might impact the delivery of education, and in some cases already are, we explored virtual learning environments in ETEC 510: Design of Technology Supported Learning Environments. Platforms using virtual reality environments as the basis for education are scarce but not impossible. A platform like Second Life, developed in the early 2000s, not only has entertainment-based virtual environments offering informal education opportunities; it also contains formal virtual worlds for prominent post-secondary institutions.
This assignment was created pre-Covid19. The current pandemic highlights the merits of VLE as a place for “face-to-face” interactions with an institution and students. This has yet to catch on as primary means of delivering educational content; however, the more readily available access to technological devices, like VR headsets, becomes, the more institutions are able to create engaging virtual physical environments. It would offer the opportunity to experience people, places, and events that might not otherwise be accessible due to geographic location, financial constraints, or restrictions due to a pandemic. I see this as a technological tool to help implement constructivist theories in education.