Key Competitor

This educational revolution is different to all previous paradigm changes in

education because of how technology is used in daily-life. Technology, in
particular the Internet, Web 2.0 platforms, mobile devices, computers and virtual
realities have become a standard part of how society functions. However, nearly
a century later, schools deliver education in much the same manner as they
always have. This report will discuss how the digital age is leading to a
fundamental shift in how we manage education.
Open Sources and the Internet.
This section will show the concepts of MOOCs and Web 2.0, why they are
disruptive technologies and what effects they will have on our educational
environments. The educators and industry-professionals alike are promoting the
ideas that education is still in the early stage of a revolution, yet many involved
in education sector remain unconvinced. In discussing the complexities of Open
and the Internet, this section will demonstrate why MOOCs and Web 2.0 are
technologies to watch in education.
1. MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses
MOOCs are free with open online courses and unlimited enrolment. They
also provide access to courses being taught by leading scholars and
industry experts, and are being offered by the worlds leading universities.
The original three universities to offer MOOCs were Harvard, Stanford and
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MOOC providers are
offering MOOCs as an alternative to traditional education. MOOCs offer
students traditional course materials such as readings, quizzes and
problem sets. Students are taught via video lectures, can participate in
online discussions and study groups, and can communicate with teaching
staff. MOOCs are revolutionary in offering students free, world-renowned
education that can be completed anywhere and at any time. With the rise
of free online courses, the importance of providing a community for online
learning has become of utmost importance across all MOOC platforms.
Forums, peer review and real-time discussion during video lectures have
all played a key part in making online education courses more interactive
and user-friendly. If MOOC students feel theyre learning alongside peers,
theyre more likely to return to complete the course.
2. Web 2.0
The Internet has drastically changed how people interact, communicate
and present information. New platforms such as Wikis, blogs, podcasts,
bookmarks and social media sites including Facebook and Twitter have
adapted the original website platform in such a way as to coin the term
Web 2.0. It is now not uncommon to see Web 2.0 being used by students
and teachers alike as tools to support learning. However, this technology
is also being used to extend students learning environments beyond the

classroom. These platforms are designed so that participants can have

input into, comment on and share the work of others. This creates a much
more engaging educational context because it gives students more
opportunities to participate, provides greater access to additional
information and provides more opportunities for students to learn.
However, as briefly mentioned above, the Internet and Open Source
platforms are also allowing for innovative adaptions to the current
infrastructure of education. Although the Internet has drastically changed
how people communicate and process information, this change is only
starting to be implemented in schools. Web 2.0 platforms may not be
considered a disruptive technology as they have become a part of
everyones daily life. However, if these platforms are further used to
extend students learning environments beyond the classroom we can only
imagine the possibilities. The education industry and society in general
have yet to decide whether a dependence on Web 2.0 technologies is a
good thing or not

Mobile and Multi-Faceted Technology

This section will discuss cloud computing, mobile learning and multi-touch
devices, explore why they are disruptive education technologies and,
consequently, what effects they will have on our educational
environments. Industry-professionals and certain educators are trying to
make mobile and multi-faceted technology a necessity in education. Some
educators, however, remain unconvinced by the technologies benefits. In
discussing the complexities surrounding mobile and multi-faceted
technology, this section will demonstrate why cloud computing, mobile
learning and multi-touch devices are technologies at the forefront of
change in education.
3. Mobile Learning Devices
Mobile learning was redefined with the introduction of smartphones in
2001, mobile applications in 2008 and tablet computers in 2010. By 2013,
these mobile learning devices, alongside laptops, have become incredibly
capable, useful, and ubiquitous in the developed world. Mobile learning
devices, if implemented in educational institutions correctly, promise to
make education individualized, customized and accessible for every
student. Mobile learning devices are also increasingly necessary for
students and educators alike, if they are to partake in the aforementioned
revolution of education. A part of mobile learning devices significance for
education is the rising popularity of Apps. The word app is short for
application and refers to, typically, a small, specialized program that can
be downloaded onto most mobile learning devices. Tablets and
smartphones are specifically designed to be optimized app platforms.
Apps are very useful for educators and students alike as learning tools.
They range from annotation and mind-mapping apps, diary and journal

apps, to apps that allow users to explore the stars in the night sky or
examine the minute particles that make up a chemical. Apps and mobile
learning devices together enable users to learn and experience new
concepts wherever they are, often across multiple devices.
4. 3-D Learning Tools.
Engaging with a virtual world via mobile, multi-faceted technology can still
be regarded as a passive activity, but 3-D learning tools promise to
change this. Education is increasingly focused on integrating soft skills,
such as creativity, into students repertoires and 3-D learning tools are
becoming a popular solution. Exploring the progress from designing 3-D
images to producing 3-D objects has and will continue to open up new
learning possibilities.
Interactive demonstrations and increased participation are encouraged
generally by mobile, multi-faceted technology, but are a focus of 3-D
learning tools. 3-D learning tools emphasize active, formal and informal
learning in an unparalleled manner for all levels of education. Visual,
tactile learning improves students understanding, as they are able to
comprehend how the parts make the whole of something. This more
physical type of learning makes complex concepts more easily
understood. This physical, visual type of learning is provided by 3-D
technology. 3-D learning tools, particularly 3-D printing, are shattering the
passivity of traditional education. These technologies encourage an
interactive, engaging and dynamic learning environment where students
experiences can go beyond the pages of a textbook. As 3-D technology
becomes cheaper and more readily available, students learning
experiences will change dramatically. Learning will no longer be restricted
to understanding the theory of something, it will become about
experiencing the object itself.