Wearable technology

How could it shape education?

Wearable technology is an advanced electronic device that is small enough to be worn naturally in the form of clothing, accessories, or portable lightweight containers. While this is not a new product genre (we can look back at things like the calculator watch and Sony Walkman), the items and their functionality are progressing rapidly. What is changing involves the rise of Internet-anywhere mobile device use, user interfaces with interactivity between reality and digital information, and a recent push to make devices available for the ordinary consumer.

A great deal of excitement has revolved around the launch of Google Glass this year, which opened up conversation about what the future of wearable technology should, or could, look like. If we think about Google Glass and other wearables in the context of education, the potential for innovative application is amazing.

A FEW EXAMPLES

A student walks into class and is automatically presented with an outline of what will be covered in the lesson, homework instructions, and a stream of other student’s questions and ideas.

A student arrives at anatomy lab and is presented with step-by-step dissection instructions that can be accessed hands-free along with pictorial cues and labels overlaid on the corpse in augmented space.

An instructor is able to associate information, such as names and grades, with student faces. Students can text their questions to his display during lecture, giving a voice to students who are reluctant to speak up.

Instructors record hands-on demonstrations for students from a first-person viewpoint.

An instructor visits a museum or attends an event and connects with students remotely via Google+ Hangout. Students can hear the instructor speak, see and hear what the instructor sees in real-time, and have a discussion while the instructor is fully immersed in the event.