The Current and Future Trends of Media and Information
Massive Open Online Content and its Implications
Massive Open Online Content (MOOC) is defined by Educause as a model for delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a course, with no limit on attendance. It can be characterized by the following:
a. A revolutionary approach to education that veers away from the physical to the virtual
b. A kind of learning that happens online, breaking the norm of traditional schools or universities for higher education.
c. Utilizes information technologies like analytics to help instructors gauge their student’s learning.
d. Emphasis on connectedness.
The Implications
1. By taking learning into virtual space, attendance is no longer a determining factor in one’s education. This makes MOOC learning a popular alternative for those whose life situations make them unable to attend regular schools
2. Managing MOOC is relatively cheaper than running educational institutions. By taking out the experiences of Universities – which are passed down to students in exorbitant fees- MOOC addresses the high cost of education.
3. Analytic provides information about the learning process of students. Through the use of data collected through analytic, MOOC provides a means to improve learning.
4. Since it focuses on connectedness as part of the learning process, MOOC allows education to take place on a global scale. Connecting learners and instructors all over the world to one another to maximize education.
The use, advantages and disadvantages of wearable technology
Wearable technology is seen to be the up and coming technology of the future.
Wearable technologies today are smart watches. These watches are worn as a typical wristwatch but do more than just tell time. Modern smart watches perform the same functions as smartphones.
Smart watches as a wearable are developed for convenience, but its inability to function as an independent gadget puts it at a distinct disadvantage.
Another example is a Fitness tracker. It is derived from smart watches in form and physical design but serves health applications. Fitness trackers aim to promote health and wellness among its enthusiasts, unfortunately, issues in their accuracy have been raised in several reviews.
Virtual Reality (VR) wearable technology is gradually growing in popularity among enthusiast. Oculus, a high-end VR headsets intended for entertainment has been released to the public on March 28, 2016. This wearable technology takes users to computer generated worlds and let them experience it as if they were actually there. Oculus have so far received positive reviews among users. However, concerns were raised about VR technology’s potential to cause a total disconnect from the physical world.
The Concept of 3D Environment
3D or three dimensional in its literal sense refers to anything that has width, height, and depth. The physical world is an example of a 3D environment. The concept of 3D environment is explored to mimic the physical world in media.
Films are among the most common media offerings that incorporates 3D. 3D films make objects in their material appear solid to the audience through the illusion of perception. Earlier 3D motion pictures require audience to glasses with red and blue lenses.
According to How Stuff Work, these lenses force one eye to see the red part of the image and the other eye to see the blue or green part.
Computer software with 3D design capabilities like Daz Studio allows graphic designers to create 3D art and environments. This new technology is steadily revolutionizing digital graphics in media.
Another notable development is 3D printing. This technology brings digital data and design to the physical world literally. The concept of 3D bio-printing or 2D printing, using human materials like tissue ad bones to create organs or body parts that can be theoretically translated to an actual human body aims to solve that.
The paperless society
The paperless society is a society where communication is done electronically and all forms of printed communication have become obsolete. It is characterized by the shift from letters to e-mails, newspapers to news web pages, books to e-books, and so on.
Ubiquitous learning
Ubiquitous learning is common in the age of information. Since information in the digital age can be accessed by anyone, at any given time and place, ubiquitous or an ever-present type learning of learning is possible.
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