Media and Information

Literacy
Quarter 2 – Module 2:
ii
 Lesson Current and Future
Trends in Media and
1 Information
Every time we browse the internet for leisure, we would most likely look
into one common item: trend. For sure, getting updated is the first thing we
will care to do as global citizens of the world wide web, because in this age
where information can be accessed in just a tap of a finger, we will never
want to be left behind.

What is trending right now as I write these words may not be the trend
anymore tomorrow. And so, more than just settling on what is “in” today,
we always try to look beyond and imagine what the future will hold. We
better get back to learning; the future may be just a click away.

Trends in Digital Technology

Many of the technological advances we are seeing today will shape our daily
lives in the future – the way we relax, interact, communicate and conduct
business. From virtual worlds, avatar emotions, artificial intelligence,
computer generated storytelling and narrative, interactive 360 holographic
images, mixed reality, stress disorder virtual therapies and so much more.
ICT will continue to advance, empower and transform every aspect of our
life. Here are some of these emerging technologies and trends.

Haptics technology
Is a feedback technology (using
computer applications) that takes
advantage of the user’s sense of
touch by applying force, vibrations
and/or motions to the User.
Simple haptics is used in game
controllers, joysticks and steering wheels and is becoming more common
in
Smartphones. Haptics is gaining widespread acceptance as a key part of
virtual reality systems (i.e. computer simulated environments)
- adding the sense of touch to
previously visual only solutions. It "Haptic and luminous screen 2" by jeanbaptisteparis is

licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 is also used in virtual arts, such as

sound synthesis, graphic design and animation. There are many
possibilities for Haptics to be applied to gaming, movies, manufacturing,
medical, and other industries. Imagine your doctor operating on your local
hospital from his computer in Australia.

Contextual awareness
By combining ‘hard sensor’ information such as where you are and the
conditions around you, combined with ‘soft sensors’ such as your calendar,
your social network and past preferences - future devices will constantly
learn about who you are and how you live, work and play. As your devices
learn about your life, they can begin to anticipate your needs. Imagine your
PC advising you to leave home 15 minutes early or take a different route to
avoid a traffic jam on your way to work. Consider a “context aware” remote
control that instantly determines who is holding it and automatically
selects the Smart TV preferences for that person.

Voice and tone recognition

Not only can voice and tone recognition be used to confirm a person’s
identity but tone recognition can be used to detect a person’s health or
emotional state. This technology will open new opportunities in security
and healthcare – with mobile applications.

Intelligent routing to devices

This future technology will be useful to, for example, local councils. While
on the move, staff will be able to provide the precise description and
location of a streetbased issue using Smartphones and mobile devices that
can take photos and have GPS (global positioning system) support.
Intelligent routing will then alert the responsible team to action.

Eye tracking technology

Eye tracking technology measures eye
positions and movements which are
analyzed through computer applications.
Future laptops, smartphones and tablets
could contain thousands of tiny imaging
sensors built into the display screen. Eye
tracking technology could have many
possible applications, including:
• Law enforcement – lie detection
 • Airport security – identifying suspicious behavior, e.g. to catch
terrorists before they strike
• Retail – recording, monitoring and analyzing consumer behavior to
‘tailor’ marketing to individuals
"Google Glass" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0
• Safety - alerting and awakening a
drowsy or distracted driver would save many lives
• Health care – assisting people with disabilities or paralysis to
communicate (laptop) and improve mobility (electric wheelchair)
• Human-computer interaction – using screen icons and a blink here
or a gaze there. Say goodbye to the mouse and keyboard.

Internet glasses
Technology that can display images directly onto our retinas while not
blocking our sight is being developed. This technology can be used in
eyeglasses and have uses ranging from e-Gaming to military defense. In the
next 10-20 years experts predict that Internet glasses will replace
Smartphones. Imagine these viewing experiences:
• Seeing building schematics and locations of others (especially useful
for security or fire fighters)
• Giving a speech while information is streamed to your eyeglasses in
real time
• Receiving turn by turn directions as you walk toward your
destination
• Viewing virtual recipes while cooking without losing your rhythm
• Walking down the street, seeing one of your friends show up "on
screen" 2 blocks and 1 cafe away

Wearable Technology

Wearable technologies today are smart watches. These watches are worn as
a typical wristwatch but do more than just tell time. Modern smart watches
perform the same functions as smartphones.

Smart watches as a wearable are developed for convenience, but its

inability to function as an independent gadget puts it at a distinct
disadvantage.

Another example is a Fitness

tracker. It is derived from smart
watches in form and physical
design but serves
health applications. Fitness
trackers aim to promote health
and wellness among its
enthusiasts, unfortunately,
issues in their accuracy have
been raised in several reviews.
Virtual Reality (VR) wearable technology is gradually growing in popularity
among enthusiasts.
Wearable technology takes users to computer generated worlds and let
them experience it as if they "Wearable Technology" by ForbesOste is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
were actually there.
However, concerns were raised about VR technology’s potential to
cause a total disconnection from the physical world.

What’s More

The Massive Open Online Course and its implications

The media and information are in a constant change, and its development
is a continuous process. This development is highly dependent on how
connected entities are. In fact, while some books would refer to this age as
the Age of Information, others would fittingly call this time as the
“Connected Age.” Oblinger (2013) provides explanation to the current ways
of the world:

The change started with the network. Moving digital information instantly
from one place to another has reshaped delivery systems, business models,
and economics and has
led to the
globalization of almost every
industry. However,
this "network effect" is about
more than the dissemination
of information. It is about
connections. We are no
longer in the information age
—we are in the connected
age. Everyone and
everything is interconnected.
Anyone who can access the web can
participate. The connections "Perception, Action and the Brain" by brewbooks is licensed under CC BY-SA
2.0 magnify the reach and value of not just information but also our
relationships, creating opportunities for learning, working, and
collaborating on an unprecedented scale.
Keep in mind the concept of the spider’s web. A web cannot hang on its
own with just a single strand. For it to spread out, each of its strand must
be interconnected, and a spider’s power to capture its prey depends on how
wide its web spreads and how many connections it has.

With that said the next matter to be considered is on how we as citizens of

this age keep ourselves connected to the worldwide network. It cannot be
argued that getting updated as often as possible is the key to our
connectedness. Hence, the educating aspect of the connected age becomes
a prime concern, and with this, MOOC comes in the frontline.

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is defined as a model for

delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a
course, with no limit on attendance. It can be characterized by the
following:

1. A revolutionary approach to education that moves away from the

physical to the virtual

2. A kind of learning that happens online, breaking the norm of

traditional schools or universities for higher education.

3. Utilizes information technologies like analytics to help

instructors gauge their student’s learning.

4. Emphasis on connectedness.

The Implications

1. By taking learning into virtual space, attendance is no longer a

determining factor in one’s education. This makes MOOC learning a
popular alternative for those whose life situations make them unable
to attend regular schools
2. Managing MOOC is relatively cheaper than running educational
institutions. By taking out the experiences of Universities – which
are passed down to students in exorbitant fees- MOOC addresses
the high cost of education.

3. Analytic provides information about the learning process of

students. Through the use of data collected through analytics,
MOOC provides a means to improve learning.

4. Since it focuses on connectedness as part of the learning process,

MOOC allows education to take place on a global scale, connecting
learners and instructors all over the world to one another to
maximize education.
 Assessment

Identify the correct word within the parentheses to complete the sentences.

____________ 1 (Ubiquitous, Online) learning means that education can

happen anytime, every time.
____________ 2 The grammar of the digital world is (hypertext, linear text).
____________ 3 Real time information dissemination promotes (reflective,
dynamic) interaction.
____________ 4 The communication process nowadays must be (audience,
user)- centered.
____________ 5 The influx of online learning opportunities that allows wide
networking is a clear proof that we are in the (digital,
connected) age.
____________ 6 When it comes to management, MOOCs are (cheaper, more
expensive) compared to traditional learning.
____________ 7 (Analytics, Haptics) provides relevant and reliable
information about the learning process of students.
____________ 8 (Group chats, printed modules) are tools for MOOCs
____________ 9 MOOCs are designed for (small, large) classes.
____________ 10 A MOOC program is (restricted, flexible) for the learner.