Multimedia Individual Learning Theory

This week Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a plan to eliminate textbooks in favor of digital books, his plan goes along with the buzz in education toward 21st century technologies. Everywhere kids turn they have something competing for their five second attention span, animated billboards, interactive video games, computer animated videos, Interactive Whiteboards. As the push by the California governor today to become more mobile, education, in most classrooms across the nation have followed suit. Classrooms have become increasingly active, and students are learning with the help of technology.

What does this mean? ... More individualization in education, with new technologies emerging it is becoming easier to individualize education for students based on their abilities, talents, and interests. I believe these advances in technology events are sure to drastically shape the future of education. I propose that in the next twenty years an instructional theory,called Multimedia Individual Learning Theory will emerge. According to this theory, technology will be used to read each user like a, and determine a course of learning based on prior knowledge, schema, and talents. Therefore, the educational plan will be fluid, each learner will work at their own pace, have their own experience, the amount of success with the lesson will automatically determine the next course. Also, material will be individualized based on each student, if they have a natural talent for science, lessons will give many enrichment exercises and simulated practice in this area of study. Enhancing the talents of students more rapidly than ever before, and possibly enlarge the learning capacity for students. When education is tailored to individuals, this would decrease cognitive load resulting in a higher capacity to learn and retain knowledge. We are embarking on a world where learning will be virtual, learners will be able to experience 'real world' learning with electronic simulations, become connected with experts in each field they are studying.

What does this news mean for educators? ...

They need to make sure their membership to CUE is active and current. Teachers will assume a different role in the future, current knowledge on new technologies, and their implementations in the classroom will become a necessary prerequisite. This new theory will be great for members of instructional design by definition in Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology instructional design is, "learner centered, iterative, measured, goal oriented, able to be measured, and a team effort" (p. 13). This new theory will play into instructional design as it is centered on each individual learner, their progress will be measured and set on goals that are individually defined.

While I can not predict the future, it seems technology will play a large role in reformatting the traditional education format that most adults are used to. However, the benefits of this revolution may increase knowledge and an individuals ability to learn based on their specific makeup.