Educational computing fails the future test

 

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By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 14 Jun 2007 at 14:38

Educators must help develop technology to suit students rather than just following industry's lead, according to a Futurelab report.

The study (PDF) envisages how ubiquitous computing might affect education in 2020. As our sister-site IT PRO reported, one take on the school of the future is currently on display in Watford.

Educators must start looking now at how wearable computers, blanket wireless, intelligent environments and increasing processing power can be developed with students in mind, rather than just mimicking industry's innovations, the study asserts.

'The education sector has always received hand-me-downs from other industries,' said Keri Facer, research director at Future Lab, in a statement. 'For example, PDAs were developed initially for business use and they are now being used more and more in schools.'

She said education needs to stop following and start leading. 'If we want to shape technology and not simply react to it, the education sector needs to be involved at the development stage of new digital technologies making them appropriate for learners,' Facer said.

The study said that while the government's Building Schools for the Future programme has set aside £45 billion to build new schools, none has been set aside specifically for investment in research to guide the development of innovations in new institutions.

'The government must invest more in educational research and development in order to systematically model and build a new education system ready for the real possibilities of the future,' Facer said.