Collaborative environments:
These are already in place in many of the higher education environments and social networks. These environments allow individuals to work together towards a common goal. These environments are being touted because they can model how companies work together towards a common goal. Students can work together either at the same time or at different times on a project and other group work. Collaborative environments can also be set up for students explore situations as a group to learn new content and skills.
Online communication tools:
These are also more prominent on the college level. These tools allow students and teachers to communicate with each other rapidly outside of school. Chatrooms, instant messaging, skype and email allow for fast communication and opportunities for instruction that occur outside of a traditional classroom. Some of these tools can be used to store information and recordings of various types that students can access later.
Mobiles:
Research is suggesting that individuals will receive the majority of the web content via a mobile device. Mobiles are also becoming more powerful, being able to run outside applications, take pictures, recording video and audio. Outside applications have the greatest chance to increase the use of mobiles in classrooms, as the options for content delivery with these applications are numerous. Mobile applications are taking the place of other tools, such as personal response systems, making these systems obsolete or unnecessary as their uses are being replaced by mobiles.
Cloud computing:
Cloud computing occurs when many computers are linked together to function as a unit. They share network space and processing power. This allows information to be accessed anywhere that the network is accessible. Teachers and students can use these networks to store information that individuals can access. The primary hindrance to the use of these clouds is the restriction of access by school districts. Many school districts restrict web access, and this makes it difficult for teachers to take full advantage of these clouds. For these to become more prominent in schools, restrictions will have to be lifted.
Smart Objects:
Smart objects are objects that contain technology that possess knowledge about themselves and possibly about objects that surround them. Smart objects are slowly becoming more prominent in every day life. These objects sometimes can connect to the internet, interact with other smart objects, and provide information to the user of the object. These will need to be developed more before they become more prominent in the classroom.
The technology that could be a potential boon to teacher is online communication tools. Students spend a significant amount of time online, and can be instructed outside of classroom time. When students are most interested in a subject is the time for instruction, which may not necessarily be when the student is in the classroom. This will also increase the workload for the teacher, in terms of quantity of time spent working, but will also increase many aspects that are beneficial to the student-teacher relationship. Students will also learn more.
The technology that could present the greatest problems are the use of mobiles. Cell phones present greater complications within the classroom than benefits. Rampant cheating and distractions from instruction come to mind immediately. There are other tools out there that do similar things that outside applications on cell phones do, and do not present these complications.
