The challenges for widespread incorporation of telenetworked classrooms remain the same with the top 3 being funding, bandwidth, and hardware.
The future of education is trending toward 3D virtual environments accessed via the Internet and such technology requires funding. However, it may be that the very technology we need reduces other hard costs that would no longer be needed and the net effect may be positive regardless.
Bandwidth is an infrastructure problem which may be resolved by upcoming innovations in Wide Area Networking. Wireless may become accessible like Radio is assessable today or even like XM Radio via Satellite broadcast. Such new innovation will save schools a good deal of structural investment and enable the bandwidth needed for streaming the virtual classroom.
The last major component is hardware and this is particularly challenging for schools with outdated equipment. Even if the bandwidth were adequate, older PCs don’t have the graphics cards needed to drive the visual rendering needed when streaming MUVEs (multi-user virtual environments).
The trend toward MUVEs began at the University level and already includes most major Ivy League schools and more (see http://simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Institutions_and_Organizations_in_SL#UNIVERSITIES.2C_COLLEGES_.26_SCHOOLS).
A great example of a complete virtual degree program is offered here: http://v.tstc.edu/ .
Over the past year, I’ve attended virtual classes, workshops, tradeshows, and more in MUVEs and find the experience exhilarating, constructivist, and avant garde. (posted 2/23/09)
