Future Forces affecting Education

Media-Rich Pervasive Learning

When I first opened Knowledge Works Foundation site I was expecting to see just an information site, but I was surprised by how great of a resource it is, not just for educators, but for everyone. I actually spent hours just looking at the different combination of issues and trends on the map and for the most part of it, I was really impressed and challenged at the same time. It is literally an all inclusive tool that has something for everyone.

In terms of education, I am still learning more about how technology can best be used in education systems as well as other forms of training. Media-Rich Pervasive Learning caught my attention because of my interest in online, distance, web-based, or e-learning evolution. I am currently doing research in online education as perceived by college students and as I read this section I kept asking myself how online learning may never match up to the traditional face-to-face learning. However this map Media-Rich Pervasive Learning claims the possibility of being able to learn any time in any place. Since technology is currently able to provide what is needed to make it happen, it is going to happen, just like we have seen real time video conferencing come to live few years ago, something no one thought possible 15 years ago.

The media that we have according to this trend will be powerful enough to bring live to online or distance education, a factor that still lacks in most of the current online / distance learning environments. According to Knowledge works Foundation, there will be a shift from “the box” (the computer or TV and the screen) to a focus on context—our physical location, the information we can access, and the people to whom we can connect, physically and virtually. The new learning in digitally enriched physical spaces revitalizes kinetic learning and the opportunities for learning through emotion and movement.

In some of the research that have been done on online / distance learning, two of the most common complains from students have been boredom and isolation from the real face-to-face environment (which is usually rich in emotions, feelings, reactions and touch among other special characteristics of a real classroom). Media-Rich Pervasive Learning seem to answer some of the concerns, it may just be a matter of time since all the tools are available. The phone is just one of them!