Brain-Computer Interfaces

Brain-Computer Interfaces:

Enhances: the processing and comprehension capabilities of acquiring knowledge, understanding, and communication	Obsoletes: The traditional methods of learning Regret and caution (memory manipulation) Travel and Tourism
Rekindles/Reinvigorates : brain research	Reverses: telekinesis telepathic communication

Enhance: Brain-Computer interfaces would completely revamp a number of elements of our daily lives. How one learns and processes information could be faster and not as difficult if it were able to downloaded into the brain. Images could be projected into our brain thus making us think and feel as if we are doing something else, memories could be erased or emotions could be altered. As unbelievable as this sounds, there is already research being done which is making strides towards these concepts being a reality. Memory manipulation, gadgets which allow the user to interact with their smartphone by thought, and give the suer the ability to on/off switches are already being developed (“Computer-Brain Interfaces Making Big Leaps, n.d.). 

Obsoletes: These interfaces could make a number of thins essential in today’s world obsolete. For example, imagine how it would alter the learning process and our idea of education. Classrooms and divisions of the educational day and year would no longer be necessary if one can simply “download” information to their brain to acquire certain types of knowledges or skills. If memories and emotions can be altered then no one would have to worry about making the wrong decision or being hurt since that can simply be removed. Also, if one is able to have images projected into their mind, then vacations and trips can be implanted into the brain of the user thus making tourism as we know it nearly unnecessary. 

Rekindles/Reinvigorates: Though brain research has continued on, this type of development in technology would reinvigorate that research and open new doors relating to the possibility of the human brain. 

Reverses: This technology could pave the way for further evolution brain interaction which might eventually lead to telekinesis and/or telepathic communication. The ability to move objects with one’s minds or to communicate with people through thought instead of voice might be more capable with interfaces that allow the brain to connect with and act like a computer.

References:

Computer-Brain Interfaces Making Big Leaps. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/disruptions-rather-than-time-computers-might-become-panacea-to-hurt/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Emerging Technology: An Introduction

A current technology that has emerged within the last few years that is currently shaping the learning and the productive in my school district is Google Apps for Education (i.e. Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc.). As my school district has moved into a 1:1 technology environment with (ipads and Dell tablets) the benefits of Google’s cloud computing and their collaborative features in their products has truly begun to elevate the learning experience in our classes. Google Drive allows teachers and student to not only store files within the cloud thus taking away the purchasing of jump drives (Google Drive is free) but those files and folders can also be shared with one another, decreasing the paper trail often found in traditional classrooms. Another way this technology has elevated the learning experience is the seamless capability of fostering collaboration. Almost every Google App/Tool has the ability to not only share that product with one another, but to also work together in that platform at the same time on different devices. So students are able to write on the same document, work on the same presentation, make calculations from the same spreadsheet, but from their own devices. This has made numerous elements of our classes more collaborative and helps the teacher promote and support group structures and 21st Century Skills.  

Since the technology does require internet access, the lack of that access or schools with low available bandwidth could be a challenge with this technology. Also, the technology has stiff competition from Microsoft Office programs therefore resistance from teachers may arise trying to understand the applications of the program. Though Google Docs can be used as a word processor it has stronger applications as a collaborative learning tool. 

In a world where 21st Century Skills are more and more becoming a focus, the effective use of technology within the learning experience helps support those skills. This technology can also help improve the learning opportunities in the classroom by fostering collaborative work. This technology can also help teachers by allowing them innovative tools for collecting student progress data more easily. With tools like Google Sheets and Google Forms, teachers are able to quickly collect student data by completing these forms and that data can then be used to tailor the learning to the needs of the students at those vital moments. 

Much of the possible pitfalls this technology could face lies in the digital divide. Since much of the programming and features built into Google drive requires an internet connection, those without one will not be able to truly benefit from the features of the technology. Google has already begun to address this issue by creating the ability to work offline on drive documents and have them update when it reconnects.

Link to website with more information on Google Edu: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/