Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:966] RE: Future Technologies and Skills
From: Nelson, Dennis (Dennis.Nelson@ny.ngb.army.mil)
Date: Thu 25 Jan 2001 - 22:16:16 MET
From: "Nelson, Dennis" <Dennis.Nelson@ny.ngb.army.mil> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:966] RE: Future Technologies and Skills Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 10:16:16 +1300
From: "Brent Muirhead" <bmuirhead@email.uophx.edu>
The future of online education is an important issue for teachers who want
to be prepared for changes in their teaching and learning environment.
Distance educators must seriously address the need for planning to
effectively use new instructional technologies. Ultimately, the public could
become disillusioned with online education if they fail to deliver their
promises for quality and personalized instruction.
A potential way to address this vital issue is by creating various
futuristic scenarios
designed to address the following questions:
Q. What landmark technologies might alter the future of computer-mediated
education (CME)?
A. The technologies exist to promote CME. Their universal access will be
ensured by (as already is happening) a) reduced costs allowing distribution
at low prices or for free in return for commitments, and b) reduced support
for programs that cost more: e.g., physical education vs. computer-mediated.
The transition already is underway in the military which at times precludes
similar civilian cultural change by a decade or so. In the case, the system
being built for the military, to a degree, also is being built for the
society at-large.
To stop CME would require a technology enabling individual learning
simply through the temporary or permanent attachment to a device without the
need for facilitation, mediation, or other human interaction. Otherwise,
however strange the resources might appear compared to today, it will still
be CME (e.g., distance learning always existed: the only changes have been
in the time, space and resources between the labled "learner" and other
individuals involved.
Q. What additional skills will future online teachers need with the advent
of
major changes in the technological landscape?
A. Skills include: handling multiple projects, concise communication,
internet research, extensive networking, extrapolation, empathy,
self-discipline. As with the technological issue, the better teachers
already have been highly skilled in these areas. The better teachers just
lacked the internet as a stimulus / tool to become better in those skills or
accomplish the tasks, experiences associated with that skill development.
Dennis
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