The Internet holds endless possibilities for economic reforms, capitalized learning environments and current, more accessible information than we could possibly hope to attain within the confines of traditional education. The combining of cultures and societies from around the globe, due to communication via the Internet, offers exciting possibilities for greater problem solving and reinventing the way that we teach and learn.
With these thoughts in mind, we shall explore some of the trends in technological education further. In the twenty-first century, students and teachers will prefer "on-demand," virtual learning to traditional school programs. This trend will influence the way information is transferred, as well as, how information is retained. More interactive lessons and greater learner input will personalize and internalize the knowledge better, through kinesthetic, audio and visual involvement. Currently, textbooks generally take from three to five years to print and publish before the schools receive them. In the future, textbooks will be online, on compact disks or digital video disks, allowing information to be more current and more easily updated with greater cost efficiency.
Virtual education will accelerate learning through interactive multimedia resources, networking via the Internet, interactive television, satellites, and other technologies. These mediums will dominate the preferences of the masses. The Internet will enable the students to take a greater interest in developing the way they learn best. Students will become directors and producers, shaping their lessons to accommodate their learning style and needs.
Home schooling in the Information Age, will be defined differently by the utilization of teacher guidance via the Internet, versus the traditional parental guidance. Students that do not have a computer at home, or parents present during school hours, will attend a computer lab at school where their instruction will match that of the students who are studying from their homes.
Private sector groups will take a proactive position in developing educational programs specific to their private corporations. Students will be able to choose specialized training from some of the largest companies in the world, and at the same time, secure their position as an employee after graduation. "These private sector groups will create virtual learning networks that can be accredited and take the place of slower moving public initiatives. AT&T supports a "Classroom of the Future" in New Jersey. Cyber High is currently under development in the State of California. Students are actively participating in transforming a 50 subject curriculum into an electronic delivery system." (Canton, J. 1999, p. 143)
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