The future? I hope that the very best educational materials will be widely available and that individual medical schools will piece together curricula from these resources. The trend toward problem-based learning requires a broader base of resources that individuals can use for self-directed study. Opportunities for lifelong learning will increase and more of us will spend time in "edutainment" activities. I expect a computer companion in the nursing home - some device programmed to read to me, play the music I like, etc., so that I will continue to be engaged and not feel isolated.
From: Gale Hannigan's Survey Response
Gale has a wonderful vision, doesn't she? (And a sense of humor, too ...) EMTS members have a tradition of being visionaries, of taking an active role in making the future come to us, and through us to our libraries and the communities we serve. Gale's vision describes a comprehensive intimate information environment. Other EMTS members have focused on the specific technologies and testing their utility in educational applications. Jim Duncan, EMTS Chair-Elect, has volunteered a few examples of the latter. In the first one, he and his staff explore the technology and the educational potential of Object Virtual Reality with an interactive 3D jaw. Leave time for the files to load! VR files are still a bit ahead of the current infrastructure of the Net. In the second example, Jim and his staff explore Panoramic Virtual Reality and apply it to bibliographic instruction with an interactive tour of the Information Commons at the University of Iowa, the educational multimedia facility which Jim heads up. Talk about taking the technology home with you! Those of you with a particular interest in what Jim has done may want to also look at these few additional links to sources exploring the current fringes of educational technology on the Internet.
Abstract | History | Timelines | Memories | Future | Gallery | Credits