Newer
technologies that can be adapted for educational purposes will enable higher
education institutions to engage students more deeply in 2015 and help them get
more out of their studies, in the view of Kyle Bowen, director of education
technology services for Penn State University.
In an
interview with Campus Technology,
Bowen pointed to video production and networked 3-D printing as examples of the
type of technologies schools should be exploring. “Some of the newer
technologies, or even technologies that have been around for a while, are
beginning to mainstream in ways that are helping us extend learning beyond the
class,” he said. “We are starting to see a generation of tools, practices, and
spaces to support this, and that’s where our opportunity is.”
Bowen said Penn
State set up a One Button Studio, a self-service video production space where
students can record anything they want onto a mobile drive—such as presentations,
performances, creative film projects, or demonstrations—without worrying about
technical aspects. Penn’s networked series of 3-D printers enables students to
create and print projects much faster.
Among the
advantages of using these technologies for academic work is that they allow
faculty “to reclaim time in their classes—time they can recover from less
efficient practices and reallocate it to teaching,” Bowen said.
Looking
ahead to the new year, Bowen anticipated a rise in the use of digital badges
and portfolios to recognize mastery of academic content. That will coincide with
institutions offering shorter, more condensed courses, a trend that’s likely to
affect course materials as well.
