On the whole, think that education will continue to evolve, adapting more digital technologies to change the way knowledge is transmitted. The goals of education will change as well to reflect the changing world. If education serves to prepare the next generation to be productive members of society then it will continue to shift and change to prepare students for the changing job market.
I agree with Alexander that blended learning will become the norm as “blended life” becomes widespread (2014). As more and more of mainstream society adapts to changing technologies, wearable technologies, adaptive technologies, etc, education will adopt this. Literacies will change and adapt to include digital stories as their proliferation in the future seems highly likely.
I do not think that fully online education will become the norm at any level. There is something about being in the classroom and having that accountability and human interaction that will not change. For myself, having taking many online classes, it is a very unnatural thing. I find the richness of the classroom preferable and if I lived in an urban area I would not be taking online classes. Online learning will continue but I think for its accessibility and adaptability. It will be a choice for some who prefer it, and others for whom it is the only option.
As far as MOOCs and free education, at the tertiary level education is big business and as with any business I think the stakeholders would fight to maintain its viability. Look at the music industry and their war to protect copyright as an example. I think think that big universities would fight free education in the same way. I think the only reason they support MOOCs is because they know that they aren’t a threat to the system.
Education is also branded (though more so in the USA). Having a degree from a recognizable university means something both for employers and for the prestige of simply having it. Universities are a class symbol and people from all over the world vie for entry into the top schools.
These are just a few of the reasons I feel that education’s change and adaption of technology will be slow and will follow shifting trends in the world. I don’t think that the nature of education will change despite the technologies introduced. As a teacher, who is comfortable with technology and uses it often in her daily life, I will continue bring my knowledge into my practice. I will continue listening to the suggestions of my students to create an environment that is more reflective of their world and the way they learn. I will continue to talk about my successes with the faculty at my school in hope of inspiring others to adapt their classrooms as well.
Alexander, B. (2014). Higher education in 2014: Glimpsing the future. Educause Review, 4(5) Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/higher-education-2024-glimpsing-future?