IV. The Future of Online Learning and a Look at Emerging Technologies Curt Bonk, Ph.D. Indiana University CourseShare.com

The Future Note: any predictions are bound to be too conservative!!!

14 E-Learning Technologies of Future? 1.Human Resource Portals/Business Development Resources 2.Communities of Practice 3.Electronic Books 4.Instructor/Trainer Portals 5.Knowledge Management 6.Intelligent Agents 7.Online Language Support 8.Online Mentoring 9.Online Simulations 10.Peer-to-Peer Collaboration 11.Reusable Knowledge Objects 12.Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality/AI 13.Wearable Computing 14.Wireless Technology

4. Instructor/Trainer Portals

5. Intelligent Agents/AI

7. Online Language Support (pronunciation, communication, vocabulary, grammar, etc.)

Typical Features (e.g., Englishtown (millions of users from over 100 countries) Online Conversation Classes Experienced Teachers (certified ESL) Expert Mentors Peer-to-Peer Conversation Private Conversation Classes Placement Tests Personalized Feedback University Certification Self-Paced Lessons

8. Online Mentoring Expert mentors novice from remote location Carnegie Mellon Univ.

Adventure Learning Purpose: engage in adventurous study of the global environment. (e.g., Telepresence or virtual fieldtrips, ask an expert forums, cross-classroom collaboration, debate forums, MayaQuest)

NASA and network gurus are working together to extend the Internet to other worlds in the next few years. But there are some limits that not even the World Wide Web can route around, such as the speed of light. So the builders of the Interplanetary Internet are going back to the basics, retooling protocols for future communications with Mars and beyond. A web’s that’s out of this world Alan Boyle, MSNBC, Nov. 8, 1999

9. Online Simulations (SimuLearn)

10. Peer-to-Peer Collaboration (Group-enabled Project Management) Possibilities: 1.Data Sharing ( 2.Resource Sharing ( iew.htm) 3.Workgroup Collaboration (

Grove creates a shared space to explain problems, receive assignments, post course updates, hold group meetings, write and edit papers, and teach students research methods.

11. Reusable Learning Objects “Learning Objects are small or large resources that can be used to provide a learning experience. These assets can be lessons, video clips, images, or even people. The Learning Objects can represent tiny "chunks" of knowledge, or they can be whole courses.” Claude Ostyn, Click2Learn

Displaying Learning Objects Stephen Downes, New Tools, New Media “Consider the impact of a resource like Martindale’s Health Science Guide, a resource center listing 60,000 teaching files and 129,000 medical cases. Such a resource if made available to medical schools around the world, would greatly facilitate the creation of courses in medicine….” (as well as sustainable revenue for the center)

Accessible: access instructional components from one location and deliver them to many other locations Interoperable: use instructional components developed in one location with a different platform in another location Reusable: incorporate instructional components into multiple applications Durable: operate instructional components when base technology changes, without redesign or recoding Affordable: increase learning effectiveness significantly while reducing time and costs Accessible: access instructional components from one location and deliver them to many other locations Interoperable: use instructional components developed in one location with a different platform in another location Reusable: incorporate instructional components into multiple applications Durable: operate instructional components when base technology changes, without redesign or recoding Affordable: increase learning effectiveness significantly while reducing time and costs ADL Functional Requirements (Bob Wisher, 2001)

12. Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality l Avatars--representations of people l Objects--representations of objects l Maps--the landscape which can be explored l Bots--artificial intelligence

13. Wearable Computing

IBM VisionPad Created as a small laptop Applications will determine how close it meets our model IBM Wearable ThinkPad

14. Wireless Technology

So What Happens to Instructors and Students in the Future???

Faculty Member in 2020 Track 1: Technical Specialist Track 2: Personal Guide Track 3: Online Facilitator Track 4: Course Developer Track 5: Course or Program Manager Track 6: Work for Hire Online Lecturer Track 7: High School Teacher Track 8: Unemployed

Track 1: Technical Specialist Help critique technical aspects of media and materials built into online courses. Here one would be part of a course development team or instructional design unit. Freelance learning object evaluator. Here one would likely operate alone or as part of a consulting company.

Track 2: Personal Guide Provide program or course guidance to students on demand or preplanned. Becomes more of a generalist across university offerings. For example, one might help students see how different learning objects or modules fit together into a degree.

Track 3: Online Facilitator Offers timely and informed support to students struggling to complete an online course or inserting questions and nudging development of students who are successfully completing different modules. This is the most similar to college teaching positions today.

Track 4: Course Developer Help develop specific courses or topic areas for one or more universities. In many institutions, this will move beyond a course royalty system to a paid position.

Track 5: Course or Program Manager Supervisor or manager of an entire new program or courses, most often leading to certificates or master’s degrees. Similar in stature to a development head or chairperson.

Track 6: Work for Hire Online Lecturer Is a freelance instructor for one course or a range of course. May work on just one campus or on a range of campuses around the world. While this will be highly popular and rejuvenate careers, institutional policies are yet to be sorted out.

Track 7: High School Teacher As universities begin to offer secondary degrees, some college faculty with online teaching experience and teaching degrees will find positions in those classes. Some may view such positions as being demoted to the minor leagues.

Track 8: Unemployed If one does not find a niche in one or more of the above tracks or roles, he or she will likely be unemployed or highly unsuccessful.

Student Differences in 2020 Live Longer More Educated –Multiple Degrees –Accustomed to Multiple Learning Formats –Design own programs and courses Specialists AND Generalists Courses/Degrees for unknown occupations Expect to Take Courses Where Live Cyber-students (various digital aids attached to appendages)

Possible Scenarios in Year 2020 Virtual U’s and Traditional U’s Coexist Traditional Univ’s buy stake in Virtual U’s Traditional Univ’s form Consortia Some Trad U’s Move Ahead, Some Don’t Other Technology arise well beyond Web Large Virtual U’s Buy Competing Traditional U’s and shut them down

What Uses for Old Institutions of Higher Learning??? Museums Historical Monuments Bomb Shelters Resorts and Apartment Complexes Nostalgic Retirement Homes Green Space Prisons

Some Final Advice… Or Maybe Some Questions???