When researching future educational technologies, I came across the article, 8 Technologies That Will Shape Future Classrooms by Michael Poh. In he article, Poh highlights current and future technologies that will impact the way students learn both at home and in the classroom, including Augmented Reality, 3D printing, cloud computing, online social networking, flexible displays, the use of biometric data tracking, multitouch displays, and online game-based learning. With the exception of flexible displays, multitouch displays, biometric data tracking, and augmented reality, I have had some experience using technologies including Virtual Reality, 3D printing, cloud computing, online social networking and game-based learning in classrooms. Much of this technology comes from our District Resource Centre’s technology lab, a place that students can visit to engage in neat activities that make use of multiple technologies. Two years ago, I brought my class to our district’s technology lab to participate in a lesson about bees. Students had opportunities to zoom-in to bee habitats through the use of Virtual Reality and were able to look at a 3D image featuring the anatomy of a bee. Afterwards, students were able to use tablets with interactive blueprints to build a mechanical construction out of LEGO that simulated how a bee pollinates a flower. Near the end of the lesson, students were able to use their tablets to play interactive, bee-themed games and were able to watch as a 3D printer created cute little plastic bookmarks in the shape of a honeybee. During these activities, I would take pictures of student work and upload them to our class website, which was hosted by our district school network. When I think about how all of these different technologies came together to create an integrated learning experience for my students, I feel there is a lot of potential for technology to motivate student learning and increase engagement. While our district does not have the money to equip every school with things like virtual reality headsets and 3D printers, we are still able to introduce students to technology in ways that show them the potential of how these tools may be used to promote learning. It is in this light that I offer my perspective on the potential of using technology to support equity and multiple perspectives:

Virtual Reality / Virtual Field Trips: VR can be used to give students different perspectives of the world, including being able to take them on virtual field trips to museums, global heritage sites, and even to other classrooms. The use of virtual reality headsets offer students opportunities to be able to experience new perspectives, such as being able to experience what life is like through another’s eyes.

3D Printing: 3D printing allows students to design 3D objects through the use of programs or by scanning something they have already made and share it with others. In turn, students can download schematics, plans, and blueprints from others and print out objects using a 3D printer in their classroom or computer lab. Since many 3D printing schematics are open-source, they are considered as Open Educational Resources.

Social Networking: Right now our district uses MS Teams to connect students with their classrooms and interact with peers through a closed network, however social media integration through the use of student blogs and forums allows students to study together, share resources, and participate in peer interactions that can help to benefit their learning.

Online Game-Based Learning: Online game-based learning is becoming more common in today’s classrooms, as many students use Minecraft Education Edition, Math Prodigy, and online typing games to motivate students and increase their engagement. The future looks very bright for online game-based learning, as more games have integrated social aspects into their games to allow students to play alongside their peers to overcome challenging tasks.

Cloud Computing: As the article states, the days of losing homework or missing school due to a snow day are over thanks to cloud computing. Using cloud computing, students can upload and store their work online, which allows teachers to give feedback on their portfolio entries and track their progress for assessment purposes. Teachers can also use cloud computing to access learning materials from multiple locations and from multiple devices as long as they are on the cloud.

As newer technologies are released to the public, it is important to educators to reflect upon the ways in which these technologies can be used to support equity and engagement in face-to-face, distributed, and open learning contexts. In this way, we are taking steps to future-proof our teaching practices.