New Technologies In Education and Training

By John Fleischman

More powerful computing devices, fast networks and new digital imaging devices are in your future. But you really don't need to be a futurist or seer to reach that conclusion.

So, what can you expect the future to look like for new computing devices? How will information pass in and out of these new devices? Will there be some radical new ways to display digital images? Several of these new technologies are closer than you realize.

THE NEW PROJECTORS

Scotch tape is to cellophane tape as Microsoft's PowerPoint is to presentation software. The PowerPoint product has become synonymous with any type of computer-based presentation. But the world of new digital media will require projectors that can display Internet sites, video and other multimedia as well. Where is this rapidly changing technology going, and what do you need to know before making a decision to purchase your next liquid crystal display (LCD) projector?

Multimedia projectors are getting smaller, lighter and much brighter. The projector manufacturers have grouped new projectors into the categories of "ultraportable" -- units between 6 and 12 pounds, "microportable" -- units that are under 6 pounds, and "mini-projectors" -- units that weigh less than 4 pounds.

One of the latest microportable class LCD projectors is the Epson PowerLite 730c www.epson.com. The weight is 4.3 pounds, it offers XGA resolution, but what is most amazing is a light output rated at 2000 ANSI lumens. Other features include a 10-second cool-down time, auto keystone correction, and a credit-card size remote control with a storage slot on-board the projector. The unit is HDTV compatible and supports any computer resolution up to UXGA.

In the mini-projector class, In-Focus www.infocus.com and Optoma www.optoma.com have been leaders with creating the latest and greatest. The In-Focus LP130 is touted by users, weighs-in at 3 pounds, and has lumens rating of 1100 ANSI lumens. The Optoma EzPro 735 is also highly rated by users. This Optoma mini-projector weighs 3 pounds, offers 1100 ANSI lumens, and can throw an image size up to 300 inches wide.

In this fast-changing world of new LCD projector technology, what are your decision points when selecting a new unit? There are really just four major factors you need to think about: How much am I willing to spend? What level of brightness is desirable? Does weight matter? What resolution should it be? For more information, including a searchable product database, see Projector Central,  Presentations magazine or Presenters University.

OK, so where can we expect LCD projector technology to go next? The next few generations will definitely offer units that are brighter and lighter. By 2003, we'll see units breaking the 2-pound barrier and average lumen ratings will be around 2000. I fully expect to see laptops with built-in projection capability, certainly a logical extension of our desire to converge technologies into usable combinations.

FLATTER IS BETTER

Many of the new computers being purchased for education are being equipped with LCD displays. Recently, LCD panels have finally cracked the 30-inch barrier and are moving toward 40 inches and above. At the same time, Japanese and Korean manufacturers are ramping up production of flat-screen plasma displays in sizes ranging from 32 to 61 inches.

Manufacturers such as Hitachi, NEC, Philips, Sharp and Zenith are all launching major marketing campaigns to bring plasma and LCD TVs to both homes and schools. With these new campaigns, I fully expect prices to fall, helping plasma displays become affordable alternatives to LCD projectors.

But wait, there's something new on the horizon! Lurking in the wings is a low-power, super-slim technology that could really turn the direct view monitor business on its head. The technology is known as organic light-emitting diode (OLED). OLED technology requires very little power to operate, and color and screen responsiveness is excellent. The image quality is amazing and every bit as good as a premium-grade CRT monitor. Only one problem: OLEDs are still expensive to manufacture and are now only practical in small sizes for products such as PDAs, cell phones and small TVs.

Down the road, maybe five years from now, we'll see the emergence of plastic substrates for flat-panel displays. This thin flexible plastic will be transparent, more compact and rugged, and a far more lightweight alternative to glass. Current research by Lawrence Livermore National Lab scientists in Livermore, Calif. is continuing to refine the development process and recent breakthroughs may well make possible ultralight and inexpensive displays for future generations of electronic devices.

PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICES

Laptops and handheld computers will likely be the mainstay of computer use in education. According to a recent report from market researcher IDC www.idc.com, public school districts in the United States will spend $9.5 billion on information technology by the academic year 2005/2006 -- up almost 16 percent from this year. The study found that computer hardware would account for just over a quarter (26 percent) of district technology budgets. According to the prime researcher, Stephen Webber, school systems will increasingly move from desktop to laptop computers. He indicates the reason notebook computers and other portable devices are popular is because they allow districts to give each child his or her own device. Schools don't want to have specific technology rooms, they'd rather the technology stays or goes with the student.

The current trend with laptop computer manufacturing is somewhat contradictory. Many manufacturers, including Apple, IBM, Gateway, Dell and Sony are creating large-screen laptop computers, in essence desktop computer replacements. Sixteen-inch screens, 40-gigabyte hard drives and fast processors are becoming commonplace on the desks of many educational administrators. At the same time, manufacturers are creating laptops that weigh no more than 3 pounds and are less than 1 inch thick. Gateway has recently released an ultralight laptop that weighs a little over 3 pounds, includes Intel® Pentium Processor 4-M running at 1.4 GHz. Toshiba's Portégé® 2000 is super light and is just .75 inches in height www.toshiba.com. And Apple's latest iBook, although a little bit heavier, includes a fast processor and a great array of features www.apple.com/ibook.

It seems clear that, eventually, all students will have some type of personal computing device. The device will likely be somewhere between today's ultralight laptop computer and the personal digital assistant (PDA). Faster PDA processors, new display and input technologies, and high-speed wireless connectivity will give rise to the new generation of school computing devices. Some of this emerging technology can be seen in the latest generation of PDAs. Handspring's Treo 90 offers a thumb keyboard along with a digital card slot and a color screen. Sony's PEG-NR70V, another emerging hybrid product, includes a keypad, built-in digital camera, and a host of multimedia functions.

Schools will probably accelerate this revolution by providing electronic versions of textbooks on their Web sites. With a couple of taps on their screens, students will use fast wireless networks to download content to their portable computing devices.

WIRELESS TO THE BACKBONE

At the regional and local level, wireless technology use is exploding. One exciting new development is the emergence of equipment for the 802.11a wireless standard. The 802.11a standard for data transmission makes wireless networks better, stronger and faster -- up to five times as fast as 802.11b-based systems. This increase in throughput will make wireless LANs an acceptable conduit for applications such as video and streaming media.

For the really heavy lifting of data transportation, high performance computer networks will continue to expand. More than 23 states have embarked on some type of K-20 network infrastructure. These networks will form the future of educational networking and will bring fast connections to regional hubs and nodes.

To meet the needs of these new high-performance networks, Internet2 will serve an expanding number of institutions that will include primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, libraries and museums. For a look into the future of high-performance networking and applications, explore the Internet2 Web site at www.internet2.org.

TELE-IMMERSION AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING

Imagine crawling inside of a strand of DNA, inspecting a newly synthesized crystal, or walking through the Mayan City of Chichén Itzá. Not possible, you think. Guess again. It's being done today via virtual destinations using massive data applications moving around on Internet2.

While most of us move around on the "commodity" Internet watching jerky video and listening to stuttering audio, Internet2 users enjoy true tele-immersion: the ability to be immersed in a very realistic environment with crystal-clear video and digital stereo sound. Tele-immersion enables users at different geographical locations to collaborate in real time in a shared, simulated, hybrid environment as if they were in the same physical space. These tele-immersion environments are created with new types of displays, such as whole rooms that immerse the viewer in three-dimensional virtual environments.

One interesting tele-immersion project is being conducted as part of the National Tele-immersion Initiative (NTII) www.advanced.org/teleimmersion.html. Led by virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier, the goal of NTII is to develop plans to build a national tele-immersive research infrastructure and participate in the creation of key technologies.

IN YOUR FUTURE

By the year 2010, it's quite possible that students will carry around a very thin computing device that can access data quickly and efficiently from multiple sources. Just imagine the possibilities: video, voice and data on demand, interactive communication with peers and teachers, and no more heavy books to tote around!

A famous present-day philosopher and retired baseball player by the name of Yogi Berra www.yogi-berra.com once said, "Prediction is difficult, especially about the future." However, in the case of portable computing devices, fast networks, and new display devices, I think it's safe to predict that each of them has a bright future in education.

John Fleischman The Director of Instructional Technology and Learning Resources at The Sacramento County Office of Education(Calif.). Reprinted from Converge Magazine.