University Distance Learning

I decided it would be fun to review some online videos about various aspects of distance learning.

I’m a fan of documentary films, and so to narrow my initial selection for the first of three video reviews in this three part series, I simply typed in the words “distance learning” + documentary to see what I would pull up on YouTube.

The first video I chose wound up being a total parody, though it took me a good few minutes of watching before I even realized it.  The next video I landed on was the one you will see below.

I’m really somewhat hesitant to post it though.  To be honest it’s fairly boring.  (My apologies to the producers.)  I’m supposed to be providing some engaging content here, and I’m a afraid I may lose some of you within the first 60 seconds of watching this.  But please, if you can spare 60 – 90 seconds, I would like you to view at least part of this video with the following thought in mind:

Notice that the instructors are giving the lessons remotely whilst being projected onto a flat projector screen at the head of the class.  The projections are large, the audio level is voluminous and overall it does create an impression that might make you feel as though the teacher is there in the classroom, but, how much more amazingly realistic would this experience be if the actual projections of those teachers were  …

Holograms!

Just try to picture a 3D Hologram of your favorite Prof. moving in and around you in real time as he/she paces around his/her apartment or office, or wherever they happen to be while giving lecture.  I really don’t think we’re too far off from the kind of technology that will allow this.

I’ll wager that we’ll begin to see something like this in prototype development within about five years time and within about 10 years we’ll begin to see it in widespread use.  Imagine telling your kids ten years from now, “Listen Junior, we didn’t have Holographic Learning when I was in online school!”