Example snapshots from
Microsoft’s Productivity Future Vision
On 02/26/2015,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, active learning, adjunct faculty, adult learning, analytics, animation, attention, blended learning, changing business models, collaboration, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, computer science, copyright/ownership/NFTs, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, design, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, distance education, e-books, education reform, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, expectations, experimentation, face-to-face, faculty/staff, future of higher education, game-changing environment, graphics, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, ideas, innovation, instructional design, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, learning, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, more voice more choice more control, multimedia, online learning, online media, programming, staying relevant, strategy, student-related, surviving, teaching & learning, traditional / tradition, trends, universities, user experience (UX), user interface design, using teams, web design and production, writing,
by Daniel Christian
My thanks to Mary Grush at Campus Technology for her continued work in bringing relevant topics and discussions to light — so that our institutions of higher education will continue delivering on their missions well into the future. By doing so, learners will be able to continue to partake of the benefits of attending such institutions. But in order to do so, we must adapt, be responsive, and be willing to experiment. Towards that end, this Q&A with Mary relays some of my thoughts on the need to move more towards a team-based approach.
When you think about it, we need teams whether we’re talking about online learning, hybrid learning or face-to-face learning. In fact, I just came back from an excellent Next Generation Learning Space Conference and it was never so evident to me that you need a team of specialists to design the Next Generation Learning Space and to design/implement pedagogies that take advantage of the new affordances being offered by active learning environments.
On 02/20/2015,
in 3D, biology, business, data related items, emerging technologies, geography / geology, human-computer interaction (HCI), machine-to-machine communications, Near Field Communication (NFC), technology (general),
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt:
Not all breakthroughs are created equal. Some arrive more or less as usable things; others mainly set the stage for innovations that emerge later, and we have to estimate when that will be. But we’d bet that every one of the milestones on this list will be worth following in the coming years.
On 02/16/2015,
in Augmented Reality (AR), education technology, emerging technologies, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, interactivity, user experience (UX), user interface design, virtual field trips, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring,
by Daniel Christian
Designing the Future of Augmented Reality: slides from PechaKucha
Excerpted slides:
Also see:
Excerpt from 40ideas.com
How will Augmented Reality extend human capacity and human imagination? The 40 Ideas That Will Change Reality documents the inventions, concepts, and opportunities that will forever change the way we experience reality. Eight of the 40 Ideas from the upcoming book are highlighted above.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: what’s the difference? — from augmentedstories.com by Helen Papagiannis
Excerpt:
AR and VR are often confused with each other, and used interchangeably in the media, but they are significantly different. Let’s break it down:
Augmented Reality (AR): real, physical world
Virtual Reality (VR): computer generated environment, artificial world
Reality Has Changed. Microsoft’s HoloLens and what you need to know about the next wave of Augmented Reality — from augmentedstories.com by Helen Papagiannis
Excerpt:
HoloLens appears to use a Virtual Retinal Display (VRD).
So, what’s VRD, you ask?
VRD mirrors how the human eye works. The back of the eye receives light and converts it into signals for your brain. Images are projected directly onto the retina with the back of the eye used as a screen effectively.
The result is a more true-to-life image than the ‘ghostly transparent superimposed representation’ (as Gizmodo reporter Sean Hollister describes) we’ve seen with AR eyewear before. Hollister details his experience of Microsoft’s prototype as “standing in a room filled with objects. Posters covering the walls. And yet somehow—without blocking my vision—the HoloLens was making those objects almost totally invisible.” He states, “Some of the very shiniest things in the room—the silver handle of a pitcher, if I recall correctly—managed to reflect enough light into my eyes to penetrate the illusion.”
Also see:
An addendum on 2/17/15 — with thanks to Mr. Steven Chevalia for this resource which deals with immersive experiences:
On 02/16/2015,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, business, collaboration, communications, communities of practice, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, distance education, education technology, elearning, emerging technologies, future, game-changing environment, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, ideas, innovation, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning spaces, mirroring and/or multiple devices, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, participation, platforms, productivity / tips and tricks, project-based learning, second screen apps, smart classrooms, streams of content, teaching online, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, training / L&D, TVs, web-based collaboration, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Check out some of the functionality in these solutions. Then imagine if these solutions were in the size of an entire wall in a classroom or in a corporate L&D facility. Whew!
- Some serious opportunities for collaboration would arise for remote learners –as well as those located in the face-to-face setting
- What new affordances would be present for those teaching in K-12, higher ed, or trainers working within the training/learning and development fields? Conversations/discussions would be recorded — to be picked up at the next session. In the meantime, learners could review the discussions at their own pace.
- What if all of this were possible in your future Smart/Connected TV?
- I’m also talking here about a vendor that could offer solutions that K-12 systems and institutions of higher ed could afford; some of the solutions below have much of what I’m envisioning here, but are out of the price range. Or the product is multitouch and fairly large, but it doesn’t offer the collaborative features of some of the other products here.
Ideum’s touch walls come close to what I’m talking about in this posting. If they could add some functionality for seeing/bringing in/collaborating with remote learners — as found in Mezzanine — then that would be great!
Also see:
Also see bluescape — but these excellent, innovative solutions are out of the price range for most K-12 and higher ed institutions:
On 02/13/2015,
in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, human-computer interaction (HCI), IBM, teachers, teaching & learning,
by Daniel Christian
IBM wants to put Watson in hands of every teacher — from crainsnewyork.com by Thornton McEnery
IBM’s Watson team is in the early stages of developing a mobile app that will help educators use artificial intelligence to create lesson plans.
Excerpt:
Are you a public-school teacher in need of a lesson plan but faced with the crushing ennui of having to find something fresh in your dreary curriculum?
There’s an app for that! Well, almost.
IBM’s Watson team is in the early stages of developing a mobile app that will leverage “thinking computer” technology to put a digital teacher’s assistant in the palms of educators everywhere. Watson’s artificial intelligence is designed to synthesize volumes of data when asked a question like “Watson, can you help me with a lesson plan on the Civil War?” IBM is working with educators to collect and collate vetted content.
Addendum on 2/16/15:
On 02/09/2015,
in design, digital photography, digital video, graphics, human-computer interaction (HCI), photography, user experience (UX), user interface design, web design and production,
by Daniel Christian
The Big Web Design Trends for 2015 — from sitepoint.com by Joanna Krenz Kurowska; with thanks to Mr. Tim Pixley for this resource
Excerpt:
When thinking about web design, you must consider the full spectrum of possibilities that the internet presents. Done boldly, designers can push the current limits of human interaction and imagination on a global scale – as is often seen with edgier industries, such as creative agency websites.
In this article, we’ll boil down some of the most prominent web design trends emerging in 2015. It is here that we can find true innovation and new opportunities – a few of which may completely change our understanding of a “modern website”.
8 design trends for 2015 — from istockphoto.com by Rebecca Swift
Web design trends that will rule 2015 — from designmodo.com by Tomas Laurinavicius
Excerpt:
Web design is a vibrant and diverse industry that is changing and evolving quickly. Website design is, however, not an end product; it’s an asset in the presentation of a product, connecting people with other people, providing a tool or service.
After reviewing over 500 websites in weekly series of “Inspiring Sites of the Week” on Despreneur I’ve got a sense of where web design is and where it is going for the next year. In this post I will try to review the current status of web design and predict some trends for 2015.
These are my assumptions and guesses based on my research and experience designing in 2014. Some of these may be right some may be not. If you think there should be something more in this article I’d love to have a discussion with you.
The trends in web design for 2015 [infographic] — from techinfographics.com by by Josipa Štrok
Excerpt:
The way we use the web is changing in line with the growth of technology. Smartphones and tablets have become a major factor which influencing the design of the web. What are the trends in web design for 2015?
If content is king, then the design is the crown. Home page should be more comprehensive. Visitors must get a sense of intuitive and dynamic interaction. Responsive design of website remains still imperative. Every owner who cares for his visitors should have designed a website that includes technology to automatically adjust the content to the devices where they are read. In the future responsive design will adapt to smart TVs and smart watches, not only monitors, smart phones or tablets. Moving page should be vertical because it contributes to an interactive style stories. After all this way scrolling through content is much easier to use on smartphones / tablets than clicking on the navigation from page to page. Forget the shadows, patterns and textures. Style with simple lines and white space is recommended for the coming year.
On 02/02/2015,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Daniel S. Christian, education technology, elearning, experimentation, face-to-face, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs & pods & microschooling, learning spaces, more voice more choice more control, online learning, pedagogy, smart classrooms, strategy, teaching & learning, teaching online, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
Is this the online learning model of the future? — from ecampusnews.com by Rony Zarom
Flex class options are seeing spikes in enrollment among Gen C students; here’s how to get started.
Excerpt:
“Flex-classes,” a preferred learning style among Gen Cs that offers “flex-attendance“ options to join classes “in-person” or “online” throughout the duration of a course, allowing students to more efficiently, and affordably, learn anytime, anywhere.
In fact, if the current enrollment growth rate continues, nearly half of all college students will be enrolled in a flexible online learning course by 2020.
Based on a cross-generational commonality to stay digitally connected and plugged into mobile devices, these two generations expect more accessible, technology-forward learning environments that give them the flexibility, mobility and freedom to learn when and where they want.
…
One of the biggest weather deterrents that disrupts student attendance and educators’ lesson plans is snow days, and thanks to virtual flex-class options, snow day disruptions may be coming to an end for good.
Schools around the country have been implementing flex-classes to allow students the option to join classes online on days they can’t make it to school, instead of making up the lost days at another time and often dipping deep into summer vacations. Students can tune in to their classrooms via mobile device or tablet to complete their learning initiatives for the day. The snow day approach is a realistic option for institutions looking to test the effectiveness of flex-class implementation.
From DSC:
This is an interesting approach. What I like about it is that it provides more choice and more control for the student.
What I wonder about is how would this type of learning environment impact the pedagogies that a professor would need to employ…? Or are we not that far along here yet? That is, how does one simultaneously offer a productive online learning experience as well as an effective face-to-face learning experience?
Also, on a slight tangent here from this model…
I’ve been wondering about whether remote students could effectively/simultaneously come into a face-to-face classroom setting — and I think the answer is yes. As with the corporate world, teams are scattered throughout a nation or from various places throughout the globe — and yet work gets done. Projects get done. Collaboration happens. Learning happens.
Some institutions, including the college where I work at, are experimenting with using telepresence robots to bring in those remote students. The version 2.0’s and above of these robots may be an option. However, I’m wondering if a better option might be available if a vendor could morph something like Cisco’s StadiumVision into an educational setting…? That is, provide 3-4 camera angles/perspectives per classroom and let the remote learners switch between viewing angles on their end of things…? Such as setup would be very interesting to experiment with.
Also, in regards to learning spaces, should one wall be dedicated to bringing in remote students? That is, one of the walls could display who all is coming into a classroom remotely so that they could be a part of the discussions and so that the F2F students could see and interact w/ those remote students.
Finally, might these ideas dovetail into the idea of providing learning hubs — where Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) could be synchronously or asynchronously presenting information (in a digital/virtual manner) and leading a discussion for those who are seated and learning together in a physical setting?
On 01/21/2015,
in emerging technologies, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, vendors, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning,
by Daniel Christian
Exclusive: Facebook hiring spree hints at ambitions in virtual reality and beyond — from reuters.com by Alexei Oreskovic & Bill Riby
Excerpt:
(Reuters) – Virtual reality goggles, drones and data centers are all driving a hiring spree at Facebook Inc (FB.O) that is set to swell its ranks as much as 14 percent in the near term, according to a review of job listings on the company’s website.
The Internet social networking company aims to add nearly 1,200 new employees, the outgrowth of aggressive investments that executives have said will define the coming year.
Oculus Rift, the maker of virtual reality headsets that Facebook acquired in a $2 billion deal last year, is among the key areas slated for growth, with 54 jobs listed on its website, according to a review by Reuters of listings.
Also see:
- Facebook – Hiring Spree for Virtual Reality and Next-Generation Tech — from hacked.com
Addendums on 1/22/15 and 1/23/15:
- New from Microsoft:
- Project HoloLens is Microsoft’s answer to virtual reality — from technobuffalo.com
- Microsoft Surface Hub: An 84-inch 4K do-it-all display; also see — http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-surface-hub/en-us
- Microsoft Surface Hub is a huge Windows 10 shared screen — from cnet.com
- New from HP:
- HP showcases vision for Blended Reality at Bett 2015 — from pcpro.co.uk
On 01/12/2015,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Apple, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, education technology, emerging technologies, game-changing environment, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, instructional design, interactivity, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, mobile learning, Near Field Communication (NFC), smart classrooms, technology (general), UK, user experience (UX), vendors, wearables,
by Daniel Christian
On 01/07/2015,
in 21st century, Apple, art, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, blended learning, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, education technology, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, machine-to-machine communications, mobile learning, mobile technologies, Near Field Communication (NFC), personalized/customized learning, productivity / tips and tricks, programming, smart classrooms, tablets, training / L&D, trends, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
We continue to see more articles and innovations that involve the Internet of Things (IoT) or the Internet of Everything (IoE). This trend has made me reflect upon what I think will be a future, required subset of needed expertise within the fields of Instructional Design, User Experience Design, User Interface Design, Product Development, Programming, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), and likely other fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality(VR) as well.
And that is, we will need people who can craft learning experiences from the presence of beacons/sensors and that integrate such concepts as found in “If This Then That” (ifttt.com) whereby one is putting the Internet and cloud/mobile-based applications to work for you. Certainly, those involved in retail are already busy working on these types of projects. But those of us involved with learning, human computer interaction (HCI), and interface design need to get involved as well.
For example, this potential scenario of a K-12 field trip might be fodder for such a learning experience.
So for those individuals who are involved with the aforementioned disciplines…we need to pulse check what new affordances are coming from the rollout and further development of the IoT/IoE.
On 01/07/2015,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Daniel S. Christian, education, education technology, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, lifelong learning, machine-to-machine communications, mobile learning, mobile technologies, Near Field Communication (NFC), real-world assignments, second screen apps, user experience (UX),
by Daniel Christian
A potential scenario
A teacher takes a group of students on a field trip to their city’s recycling center.
The city has installed sensors/beacons next to their bins. They’ve also made Wi-Fi available (but only during normal hours of operation).
Upon arriving, the city’s beacons sense that mobile devices are in its proximity — including one that’s been pre-registered as a K-12 teacher — and thus take the following steps:
- A request for permission to display content is received by each mobile device
- If approved, a video of the city’s mayor is sent to each of the students’ mobile devices, explaining what the city is trying to achieve with their recycling operations
- This video is followed up with a graphic that relays how many tons of recycling are processed each week/month/year — as well as other relevant information
- After that, a brief quiz hits the students’ devices, asking them a series of questions about what was hopefully learned from the trip
- Upon submission of the quiz, the National Audubon Society has arranged with the city to transmit gift certificates worth $5.00 to each device — with an option to accept the certificate or not — and sends an interesting item to the devices from one of their sites
Meanwhile, upon returning to school:
- Another quiz is sent to each student’s device, using the concept of spaced practice/repetition to again assess whether the learning objectives were reached re: that days’ field trip
- Once the student clicks on the submit button for the quiz:
- their score is registered in the system and an answer key appears
- simultaneously, a notification is sent to the child’s parent/guardian that says that Billy has completed the field trip to XYZ recycling center, and encouraging the parent/guardian to ask Billy some open ended questions (in fact, 2-3 are provided to help with the conversation later on). That email could also let the parents know when the center is open and if they have any special programs going on (like Christmas tree disposal and recycling for Christmas tree lights)
On 12/10/2014,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, human-computer interaction (HCI), internet, technology (general), usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, wearables,
by Daniel Christian
How do we create an advanced experience ecosystem? — from uxmag.com by Dallas Sargent
Excerpt:
“The Internet of Things is interesting because it forces us to rethink the interaction paradigms we have with objects—that is, something is different about our engagement with a smart object versus a ‘dumb’ one,” writes Thomas Wendt in his recent UX Magazine article, “Internet of Things and the Work of the Hands.”
Whatever you choose to call the grayish area sitting at the intersection of wearable technology, customizable sensors, and enhanced connectivity, it seems likely that this is where the next major breakthroughs in experience design will take place. Cisco estimates that by 2020, there will be 50 billion things connected to the Internet, so whether we settle on the “Internet of Things,” “The Internet of Everything,” or an “Experience Ecosystem,” the space is primed for explosive growth.
As Wendt notes, there is something different about interacting with smart objects and, “It’s our job to understand what that something is.” That something has been illusive in recent years, with users adopting to wearable tech slowly and a noticeable lack of sophisticated communication between objects. After all, an object sharing information with your smartphone or tablet only constitutes a relationship, it takes many more overlapping relationships to create an ecosystem.
Also see:
Apple pioneer Bill Fernandez on Google Glass, Oculus Rift and the look of the future — from cnet.com by Jason Hiner
In his time at Apple, Bill Fernandez helped develop technologies that have shaped modern computing. He also has a keen perspective on what’s next.
Excerpt:
“The true user interface is the gestalt of many things: industrial design, ergonomics, internal hardware, performance, error handling, visual design, interaction, latency, reliability, predictability, and more. For this reason I’m glad to see my profession moving from the concept of user “interface” (where the user interacts with the screen) to user ‘experience’ (where more the above factors are considered),” said Fernandez.
“I can design the best user interface in the world on paper, but if it’s not implemented well by the hardware and software engineers (e.g. the product is slow or buggy) then the product will fail. If you do a really good job of designing a product then everyone who sees it thinks it’s so obvious that they could have done it themselves.”
…
“So there will be a seamless, multimodal UI experience using sight, sound, voice, head motion, arm movement, gestures, typing on virtual keyboards, etc. There have been pieces of this in research for decades. Only now are we beginning to see some of these things emerge into the consumer market: with Google Glass, Siri, etc. We have further to go, but we’re on the road.”
From DSC:
I’m intrigued with the overlay (or should I say integration?) of services/concepts similar to IFTTT over the infrastructure of machine-to-machine communications and sensors such as iBeacons. I think we’re moving into entirely new end user experiences and affordances enabled by these technologies. I’m looking for opportunities that might benefit students, teachers, faculty members, and trainers.
On 12/04/2014,
in 21st century, human-computer interaction (HCI), internet, machine-to-machine communications, Near Field Communication (NFC),
by Daniel Christian
The Internet of Things is far bigger than anyone realizes (Part 1) — from wired.com by Daniel Burrus
Excerpt:
The Internet of Things really comes together with the connection of sensors and machines. That is to say, the real value that the Internet of Things creates is at the intersection of gathering data and leveraging it. All the information gathered by all the sensors in the world isn’t worth very much if there isn’t an infrastructure in place to analyze it in real time.
Cloud-based applications are the key to using leveraged data. The Internet of Things doesn’t function without cloud-based applications to interpret and transmit the data coming from all these sensors. The cloud is what enables the apps to go to work for you anytime, anywhere.
The Internet of Things is far bigger than anyone realizes (Part 2) — from wired.com by Daniel Burrus
Excerpt:
When we truly consider the ramifications of connecting a vast array of data-gathering sensors, devices, and machines together, what’s important to realize is that information will be translated into action at a rate that we have never seen before. We are closing in on a world with infinitesimal reaction times, immediate responses to changing conditions, and unparalleled control in managing assets and resources.
The key is not to think small. Like I said, the Internet of Things (IoT) is not merely about creating savings within current industry models. It’s about upending old models entirely, creating new services and new products. There is no one sector where the Internet of Things is making the biggest impact; it will disrupt every industry imaginable, including agriculture, energy, security, disaster management, and healthcare, just to name a few.