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The Technology Source is a publication to help educators keep on top of current trends and advancements in technology. It is available through the mail or you can simply sign up with your email address to receive monthly publications. In this particular article, The Technology Source tells about how the "Virtual University" is likely to become a thing of the present, not a thing of the future.
Alan Cummings, contributor to the Vision column, believes that by the year 2020, the "business world" and "education world" will work closely together. He foresees elementary age students at home studying and schooling via teleconferencing throughout the financial contributions and sponsoring of corporate sponsors and education brokers. While, at the same time, parents will be able to update their own personal skills with training through the same teleconferencing. Cummings states that "qualifications will matter greatly; social status, age and gender will count for little."
Charles Morrissey, instructor at Pepperdine University, contributes to the article by saying that education and business are reaching the point of being equivalent. He believes that higher education administration need to see how businesses do "problem solving" online with other companies and co-workers. Morrissey says that universities need to develop a "Virtual Knowledge Network:a continuous, on-line learning spectrum where faculty, students, alumni, and the community members can interact to the benefit of all.
Technology Source's first case study was with the masters program at East Carolina University. It is one of the first programs to experiment with the idea of a "Virtual University." They offer two courses through distant education. This is based on the concept that learners are prepared to adapt to changes in the field of new technology. It prepares the students to not only reach individual, personal goals but goals for the school as well. Students will be able master the content area of their studies while keeping abreast of the newest technology.Another case study is with Floyd College in Georgia. Here, Assistant Professor, Peter Dilorenzo has developed a program to teach his physical education class through computers. They learn about various sports and watch videos to learn the fundamentals. Dilorenzo then video tapes the students as they participate in an activity and digitally attaches their personal performance to their computer,. THe students in return watch themselves on their computer and try to improve on certain areas. Dilorenzo says that by teaching this way, he is able to keep the students interest in physical education as well as the academic areas.
The "Virtual University" will be an educational learning place where professors and students will have their own personal workspace. It will consist of a course editor to design and edit the curriculum, a grade book, and instructional tools. The main idea will be to teach and learn on-line.
I personally have mixed emotions about this topic. I am from the "old school" where I believe in old tradition. I think students should be together in a school, not learning individually at home. Kids need the social development that being around other kids and functioning in a classroom gives. I am afraid that computers will, and in some cases already have, made our kids today lazy. The majority would rather sit in front of the computer or video game than go outside and play. Kids now days don't have much imagination because a computer does all of their thinking for them. ( I think I should have been teaching with Ms. Wilder, in Walnut Grove, trying to get Willie to behave!)
However, being an education major and approaching the year 2000, I realize that computers and technology as a whole is where our world is headed. I think it is good that we are teaching our students at such a young age about computers. Because, in all reality, they will have to have a good, solid knowledge of technology in order to survive as an adult once that time comes. I am willing to learn what I can in order to teach give my students a good education. However, I just hope we, as educators, can find a way to teach the new age of technology along with instilling the "good old values" that need to be taught even before one knew what a computer was.
