Technology and Innovation- Looking at 5 Disruptive Technologies in Higher Ed

The article Top 5 disruptive technologies in higher ed found here describes the pros and cons of 5 popular or growing technologies being utilized in higher ed. These technologies include online learning, competency-based education, the internet of things, virtual/augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.

To summarize:

Online Learning: Which is probably familiar to most people, consists of students taking classes online. The authors, Leigh M. and Thomas Goldrick list the increased student base and the greater accessibility to education for all students as benefits of this growing technology. However, there still are concerns with the lack of interaction between students themselves as well as with the professor that dampen the glories on online learning.

Competency-based Education (CBE):

This technology allows for measuring student progress which leads to the ability to design adaptive learning to then help the students who are struggling. The authors did not have anything negative to say about this technology as is makes learning more efficient and effective for individual students.

The Internet of Things (IoT):

The idea of the internet of things is the basically technology that allows for increased connectivity between devices and “everyday things”. Like CBE technology above, this technology allows for more access and easier learning as well as gives professors the support to make more accessible learning environments. Data tracking and analytics are also included, which as previously stated, provides feedback to make positive changes and innovations in the future. Once again, nothing negative was really mentioned about this technology by the authors as it includes very student oriented and learning focused types of technology.

Virtual/Augmented Reality:

Most people are probably familiar with these types of technology as well as computer graphics and VR type devices have been innovated and are growing in popularity. The authors mention that this type of technology is extremely beneficial in higher education especially in situations where it would be dangerous or otherwise impossible to study certain techniques or content. For example, medical students would have the opportunity to practice or learn advanced techniques in surgery or treatment without endangering the student or patients. Also, students studying history or geography would be able to experience renderings of ancient times or locations first-hand through these technologies. The one negative for this technology is that it is still very expensive. However, in the history of other technologies, as innovation and use grow the price will ultimately come down.

Artificial Intelligence (AI):

This technology even more so than virtual reality is more a future endeavor of higher education as it is still being developed. However, progress in AI with Siri, Cortana, and other experiments prove promising as this technology could greatly benefit students through personalized help and teaching.

My Reflection:

Overall, I think that higher education is slow to change and not overly susceptible to disruption. However, these technologies have “disrupted” student learning and from what I can tell it is for the better. I notice that the authors seemed overly positive and focused mainly on how each technology can or is being used in a positive light. I think that the negative side to these technologies should have been more thoughtfully considered. There are obviously drawbacks to all these technologies. Some of these examples were mentioned but the benefits of an “old school” style, the cost of the technology and even the moral or ethical implications of some of the technologies may all prove to be problems for anyone using these innovations. I personally, am not against any of these technologies, but I do think that moderation and thoughtful implementation of these things may be wise for anyone using these technologies, including higher education.