Wearable technology – does it have educational value?

January 5, 2016

The year 2015 is over now, so it is interesting to take a look at some of the predictions issued at the beginning of this year. A Hackeducation January 2015 article approached the subject of wearable technology in education and raised a few interesting questions on what would a (digitally) quantified student look like, how would school surveillance be impacted by technology and whether wearables are recommendable of not for the learning activities. The authors seemed rather concerned by the level of tracking and monitoring enabled by such technologies. Their privacy protection attitude took into consideration various 2015 predictions for wearables’ increased adoption in education.

Looking back, this awaited or, on the contrary, feared move has not happened yet. The educational system is vast and bound by decision factors, regulations, as well as by funding. The end-of-2015 classrooms still had their familiar aspect and have not become futuristic Sci-Fi spaces for learning. Yes, some new technologies have emerged or have gained popularity, but nevertheless we are on the same side of the threshold, and there is still time to debate some sensitive issues.

One such debate topic consists precisely of the wearables. Small-sized accessible pieces of technology that connect teachers, students and even pupils to the Internet, wearables can deliver knowledge or ignorance – when the users lose their focus. Are they saving our precious time or, on the contrary, taking us on unpredictable knowledge detours and waste our learning time?

As with all things powerful, it depends on how people decide to use these tools, and of how good they are at it.

New learning experiences via wearable technology

The presence of wearables in education provides access to some features and experiences that were not possible before or outside them. Virtual reality devices enable 3D visualizations that help the learning process. Various VR headsets such as Google Cardboard, Google Glass or Microsoft Hololens make their way into the classroom and allow students to explore and interact while doing so.

Although such technology in class may cause distraction to learning, its value is real and yet untapped. With a perspective of endless possibilities ahead, the education specialists are aware that technology needs associated content to bridge hardware and knowledge together.

The 2015 New Media Consortium Horizon Report estimated that within four to five years wearable technology would be a mainstream educational tool.

In what concerns the experiences that were not possible before this kind of technology reached the public, it is certain that educational experiences would be enriched in a way that has never been available before: from exploring geographical and physics topics in 3D vision to being connected with peers from the other side of the Globe, students today can reach and surpass previous learning limitations. For example, virtual trips could be taken anywhere in the world – via VR devices – as part of school programs. Higher education could also incorporate VR moments in its practical learning schedule.

Experiences that are improved via wearable technology

If some training and curriculum elements just were not possible to conceive before today’s technological advancements, other elements present in education were already present, only that wearables could considerably improve their functionality.

Connectivity would be one of these improvable elements. With the use of mobile devices, class or learning groups’ members can stay in touch, exchange opinions, reminders or feedback – regardless of their physical location.

Financial enhancements are also attainable with the help of wearables: once the initial investment is covered, a device provides access to associated applications and represents a handy mean of dissemination for various school-related materials. Wearables can act as ID providers, payment systems, access points to a virtual school library and monitoring devices or classroom response tools.

Means to improve perception and attention focalization: although the results of studies targeting devices’ longtime effects on the attention span are currently inconclusive, it is however true that many students are used to tech interactions and are less responsive in class, when solicited to take part in traditional-only interactions. Bringing the technology into class interactions might just represent adopting the new universal language, thus leading to improved levels of perception and attention.

There is an entire debate surrounding the idea of education gamification, and the first step towards this subject would be admitting it has several sides to be taken into consideration. Some have even tried to shake off the term itself and talk about “gaming in education” rather than gamification. On whatever side one might position itself, it is an incontestable truth that pupils and students do come into contact with technology outside the class experience, and have their thinking process remodeled to various degrees because of this type of experience. The same students come to classes and find it hard to concentrate or to engage into interactions tailored on thought processes that prequel the current technological progress.

Real-time research tools: by wearing mobile devices associated with the right applications, those who possess inquiring minds and are prone to research have noticed relations between apparently unrelated factors. For example, one of the Harvard professors noticed that the number of steps he took in class while explaining his subject matter and the class understanding of the core subjects presented.

Experiences getting lost via wearable technology

Wearables do not provide real sensorial experiences. They can reproduce such experiences or describe them, but the complete visual, tactile or other type of sensorial perception should pre-exist in the minds of the device users.

The primary stages of human development need real sensorial experiences, shaping our perceptions of the surrounding environment and our various basic human traits.

That is why the age of coming into contact with technology is another extremely critical topic. While some encourage early exposure to technology, others just acknowledge this phenomenon and also the digital divide that separates low and middle-income children when it comes to their tech skills. Others are much more drastic when it comes to this subject: handheld devices should be banned until the age of 12.

Educating patience is also not specific to wearables. On the contrary, a right-here-right-now lifestyle emerges from prolonged devices usage, and this triggers a certain similar real-life behavior. Of course, not all people are the same, and some regulate their lives and overcome the expectancy for real-life experiences to match the rapid, fast-paced tech environment experiences. Nevertheless, this represents a challenge, and it is unclear whether the educational system should expose or protect students from it.

Creativity would be another element on which the effects of technology are questionable. For those who need their moments of peace and quiet always connected devices might prove just too much. For the types who necessitate stimuli in order to think faster and better wearables might just be the right tools.

Owning your own time (or the necessity for boundaries): wearables are tempting and they create dependence. Before one realizes it, the devices might end up owning the person instead of being the other way round. The supreme commodity of having knowledge (and the risk of pointless information) right on our wrist or in front of our eyes comes with the challenge of being able to keep our own schedule, remain focused and not give into the various distractions that are also as close.

The bigger view on wearables in education

Considering the general subject of wearables in education, it is estimated that by connecting pupils, bringing virtual and augmented reality to class and improving sports training, this technology could highly benefit the educational process.

Having the above-mentioned concerns in mind, it results that wearables per se are not the problem. The real difficulty consists in integrating wearables into the learning process in a way that allows us to remain in control and reap only the benefits.

A balanced overall attitude and the valuable contributions from researchers in both technology and psychology should tune this tool to that degree of perfection needed in such a sensible field as the educational one is. Taking the most enthusiastic opinions apart, as well as the most negative ones, the truth on the wearables effects in education lies in the remaining middle area.

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