Taking a peek into the future

It is impossible to predict exactly how technology will evolve in the future but we are already seeing how technology may be integrated into all classrooms in the years to come, by looking at laptop schools and the developing use of Web 2.0 in classrooms today.

Although it may take time for the use of computers to become as normal as the use of a pen and paper is today I think this is a change that will be vital for teachers and students to benefit from a more social form of teaching and learning where we all make use of and contribute to a collective intelligence.

The issues of digital safety and information overload will continue to exist and teachers need to equip their students with skills and strategies to use new technologies safely and effectively. To do this successfully teachers need to stay upto date with changing technologies, and their potential risks.

I think m-learning may become particularly relevent in areas of the world that do not have access to computers and laptops. Mobile phones are a relatively cheap way to gain access to the internet, social sites and a huge store of collective knowledge. They may provide a way to bring education and information to the millions of people who cannot afford computers.