Part+2+Predictions+for+the+future

The table below describes our predictions for the possible future for the role of new technologies in school education along with the positive and negative outcomes for each prediction. We developed these predictions based on our research of the current and possible future uses of technology in teaching and learning. Some of our predictions were developed after reading the Federal Government's proposal for the future of Education and Technology. The Victorian Government Department of Education provided a lot of information about the development of "Ultranet" and the use of this new learning environment, which is set to be implemented by the end of 2010.


 * = **__Prediction__** ||= **__Positive Outcomes__** ||= **__Negative Outcomes__** ||
 * Teaching will become more technology orientated for example use of interactive whiteboards, virtual classrooms and interactive software etc. || Students and teachers will be able to keep up with advances in technology. May assist students with future career prospects. || Cost - Schools may not have sufficient funding to purchase new resources therefore may be left behind. ||
 * All planning and teacher programs will be implented in computer programs and applications. || May save time for teachers. May be easier to access materials and files. || Schools will need to provide extensive ongoing training and professional development for teachers and staff. May be quite costly. ||
 * Students will do more learning through the use of ICT and interactive learning objects, for example interactive sites and podcasts. || Students will have access to a broader range of information and will easily be able to access information and a later point in time. || Students may be spending an excessive amount of time sitting at the computer ||
 * Parent-School communication will become more online through the use of the internet, for example parents will be recieving reports through "ultranet" (please see below) || Students progress can be easily accessed and monitored by parents. Will be easier for busy parents to communicate with the school and teachers directly. || Parents, students and teachers need to have a thorough understanding of how to use and access the "ultranet". Some may feel overwhelmed by the use of the new technologies. Less teacher, student parent personal contact (face to face). ||
 * Students may be required to have internet, computers and software at home to support the learning that is occuring in class || Students will learn to use the new technologies to reinforce what they have learnt and to study || May not be affordable for all families. Too much time spent on the computer ||

__**ULTRANET**__ The following information about ultranet has been taken from the Victorian Government - Department of Education website

"The Ultranet is an intuitive student-centred electronic learning environment that supports high quality learning and teaching, connects students, teachers and parents and enables efficient knowledge transfer. The Ultranet will help to improve student learning, support the work of teachers, enable DoE to better support Victorian government schools, and enhance active partnerships with parents. The Ultranet will provide a complete online learning environment in which parents, students and teachers can create, access and share curriculum content, collaborate in learning activities and record progress against individual learning plans/goals. The Ultranet will complement the classroom environment allowing access anytime, anywhere and support both distance and multi-site learning. The Ultranet will be the school’s knowledge management framework that will allow educators and parents to make informed and intelligent decisions that more effectively support the learning and growth of Victorian students. The //Ultranet// is the first of its kind in Australia and will revolutionise the school community by providing a central point for all school information. The //Ultranet// will be a centrally hosted, web-based system that will be accessed via the Internet. Functions such as attendance, assessment, assignments, educational resources and feedback can be accessed by students, teachers and parents. Parents will be able to play a greater role in their child’s education and receive continuous feedback on their child’s progress. They will be able to access attendance records, report cards, test results, curriculum and classroom activities. The //Ultranet// will also enable greater communication between teachers and parents and be available at home, or at work, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The //Ultranet// will provide teachers with their own space that allows them to better plan and manage their classes over the entire school year. Teachers can share lesson plans, content material and tasks with other teachers across the state. Exciting online learning tools will be at their fingertips and they will be able to better tailor learning programs to suit individual student needs. Students will be able to access the entire curriculum for every subject and classroom activity and be able to receive greater feedback from teachers and collaborate with other students. The //Ultranet// will make a real difference to students in rural and remote areas, providing them with a broader range of educational resources. They will be able to access specialised curriculum and podcast classes from schools which excel in various subject areas. Only authorised users, such as teachers and classroom coordinators, will have access to student information. Stringent security safeguards will be in place to protect student privacy, such as access via username and password, firewall services and encrypted protocols for all network communications." ([|http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/ultranet/default.htm)]

Picture sourced from: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/ultranet/about.htm

The positive and negative outcomes of all of our predictions seem to be similar and are all interrelated and overlapping. Summed up, the positive outcomes of our predictions are that accessing information in relation to almost all aspects of school will be much easier for students, teachers and parents. Communication between home and school will become easier for busy parents who may not have time to visit the school due to their hectic work schedule. Students will learn to use new technologies to reinforce what they have learnt in school and they will be more prepared for future career prospects within a technology rich world. The negative outcomes of our predictions are the cost of implementing and updating resources for use in education - some schools may not have sufficient funding to keep up with the demands and advances in technology. Students, parents and teachers need to have a fairly good understanding of all the new technologies to be able to access and keep up with the new developments and applications being used, and lastly, students are already spending a lot of time sitting in front of the computer and we predict that this time will only increase leading to a number of possible health and social issues.