In November this year, Microsoft will launch Kinect, the new add-on for the Xbox. Kinect combines voice recognition technology and nifty integrated cameras to provide enriched, controller free gaming for consumers, just in time for Christmas.
The marketing team at Microsoft is quick to highlight this technology as ‘revolutionary’ and we think they might just be right. If Kinect becomes de rigueur for all self respecting teenagers, the implications go far beyond the gaming world. New technology sets new expectations for us all, not least our education system. While concerns about the price point have perhaps translated into fewer Kinect pre-orders than you might expect, it is easy to see how home entertainment technology could one day translate for the classroom. Traditional work experience placements could be radically enhanced as might experiential learning in the further, higher and adult education sectors. The potential might take some time to realise, but it is essentially already there, albeit in embryonic form.
The case for greater involvement in digital technology is made all the more compelling by research published in May this year. The National Literacy Trust undertook a study of 17,000 children aged between 7 and 16 and found that almost 9 out of 10 have their own mobile phone. Growing up during a digital revolution means many of our children are experiencing a very different world to the one we might be familiar with. This has many implications, not least a radical change in terms of how we define learning.
Early innovators are already testing the water. Last week, Kapil Sibal, India’s Minister for Human Resource Development held a press conference to demonstrate a new prototype which shares the same good looks as the iPad, but at a fraction of the cost.
A little closer to home, many academic institutions are recognising the need to improve their own digital footprint. Greater choice, the importance of Ofsted reports to reputation, and the changing role schools play in the local community is prompting many to rethink their positioning and start communicating in a very different way. Already, many are integrating digital technology into the experience on offer to students and the trend looks set to continue. So when the purse strings baulk at the sight of a Kinect on the Christmas list later this year, remember it’s not just a gadget you're buying, it’s a part of a revolution.
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