Current and Future Trends of Media and Information

Technological advancements, digitization, and the Internet are swiftly changing the nature of
information production, consumption, and sharing. With this, even the economic, societal, political, and
educational landscapes of society have been aligning its mechanisms and policies to the realities in the
Information Age. In a fast-paced era of information and technology, society is left with only two choices:
adapt to change or get left behind. As such, MIL encourages us to learn the current trends in Media and
Information as well as anticipate what may come so that we may understand, as consumers, in what ways
we can adapt to and maximize the innovations of these changing times.

In this lesson, you will identify the latest advancements in media and information needs.

What is It
Discussion

Media and information, much like almost anything in the world, is a dynamic and developing entity. It is
ever-changing in nature – a product of continuous improvement.
1. Massive Open Online Courses
EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit organization composed of IT leaders and professionals, defines MOOC as “a model
for delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a course, with no limit on attendance.”
Furthermore, MOOCs can be characterized by the following:

1. A revolutionary approach to education that transitions from physical setting to a virtual set-up
2. A kind of learning that is facilitated online, breaking the norm of having to physically go to traditional
schools or universities for higher education
3. Utilizes information technologies like analytics to help instructors evaluate their students’ learning
4. Emphasizes connectedness (Gonzales, 2016)

MOOCS are asynchronous, open-access, Web-based courses geared toward enrolling hundreds or
thousands of students at a time. MOOCs deliver content via recorded video lectures, online readings, and
online assessments, as well as various degrees of student-student and student-instructor interaction (Kurt,
2018). People enroll in MOOCs for a range of purposes, including Career development, college
preparations, supplemental learning, lifelong learning, corporate training, and more.

There is a distinction though as to whether an online learning material or program is considered as a MOOC.
Here are a number of features that are typically required for a course to be considered a MOOC:

1. Massive - It should allow access to a very large number of students, much larger than a face-to-face
class, or a traditional online course. It can even reach up to 500,000 learners or more!
2. Open – It does not have an admission process nor qualifications to be able to register or enroll. MOOCs
being open also means free and open access to educational resources hosted in varied online
places.
3. Online – The course is done remotely via the Internet and does not require physical attendance at a
classroom, which also means that anyone from anywhere around the world with an Internet
connection can avail of these courses.
4. Courses - It should have learning objectives to be achieved by students after certain activities within a
given period of time.

MOOCs are made and hosted by universities and companies through open enrollment or open
registration. However, most of these institutions do not host MOOCs under their organization per se but rely
on course providers such as Coursera, edX, Udacity, and many others. They range in length from 1 to 16
weeks (Bowden, 2019). While others run on a schedule, MOOCs remain flexible, letting you progress
through them at your own pace, which means you are able to study and go through the lessons and
activities according to your time, schedule, and pacing. Like in a traditional classroom, students will also be
graded through quizzes, assignments, or activity. However, these may come as peer review, which is
graded by other students according to a rubric or automatically-marked tests which are graded directly
upon submission.
MOOCs offer a strong starting point for a number of reasons, including:
1. Lack of entry requirements – a MOOC can be taken by anyone who is interested in the subject matter
and able to access the course, regardless of age, background, or location
2. Repetition – a MOOC will often run two or three times a year, ensuring that students won’t miss their
chance
3. High quality – MOOCs are led by subject matter experts (SMEs) and supported by teaching assistants
so that students have access to first-rate educational resources
4. Feasibility – a MOOC usually necessitates around 1-2 hours of study a week for about five weeks,
making learning doable for students with busy lives
5. Self-paced but supported learning – a MOOC enables students to work through the course materials
and assessments at their own rates while also interacting with a global learning community (Kurt, 2018).

2. Wearable Technology
Also known as wearables or fashion technology, wearable technology is a general term that
encompasses a field of smart devices that are worn on the body. This technology is also considered as a
trend in media and information as with it, people and access information through media in a much faster
manner.
Earlier versions of wearables were devices clipped to the body or on pieces of clothing. Today,
however, advancements in technology allowed powerful sensors to have direct contact with the skin.
Thus, the tech gravitated to other body parts: the wrists, fingers, chest, forearms, ears, eyes, forehead,
temple, and anywhere else you can think of (yes, even those parts).

According to Wearable Devices magazine (Liquigan, 2016), the characteristics of wearable include
the following:
• Performing computer-related tasks such as laptops and mobile phones
• Provide sensory and scanning features
• Have some form of communication capability and will allow the wearer access to information in real-time
• Data-input capabilities
• Local storage capabilities

Wearable technology is growing to be one of the fastest-rising innovation in the ICT industry. The new age of
wearables is loaded with smart sensors that track our movements and biometrics, often using Bluetooth to sync
wirelessly to a smartphone. Others also rely on Wi-Fi connectivity and standalone mobile 4G LTE data connections.
Wearables also use sensors to connect to you as a person, helping you to achieve goals such as staying fit and active,
losing weight, being more organized, or tracking your overall mental and physical health. In the case of VR and AR
heads-up displays, they’re providing a wealth of new entertainment and educational opportunities, as well as
enhancing the world around us (Smith, 2019).
Different fields, such as in gaming, music, entertainment, health and medicine, fitness and wellness,
education, transportation, and many others, have slowly started to adapt to the use of this technology. Let’s look at
these examples of wearable tech:
1. Smartwatch

Smartwatches are wrist-worn devices that connect to your mobile phone. As they are synced to your
smartphone, it allows you to see notifications on your wrist at a glance. This technology eases the burden
of having to constantly open and check your smartphone text messages, e-mails, or other notifications. It
can even track your physical activity!
Most smartwatches rely on a smartphone to function, which also means the model you choose will depend
on your phone. For example, the Apple Watch can only be synced with an iPhone, while Android Wear
devices—such as the Moto 360 and Samsung Gear—can only be connected to Android phones.

2. Fitness trackers and sports watches

Whether for formal training or just trying to be active and fit, fitness trackers and sports watch help
you get a better understanding of your fitness activities. According to GCF Global, they can track the
number of steps you take, your average heart rate, how long you sleep, and more. This data can then
be synced with another device, which allows you to see trends and patterns in your activity. For example,
you could find out how far you’ve walked over the past week or estimate how many calories you’ve burned
in a day.
 Today, many industries and fields are using and developing more innovations of these wearable techs,
especially in the health care industry, where they’re looking into devices that could be used to monitor things like
blood pressure, vital signs, or blood sugar levels for diabetics. From the basic fitness trackers and highly-advanced
sports and smartwatches to virtual and augmented reality headsets, wearables are definitely establishing their
names. As such, wearable technology will most likely continue to have an impact on modern society, especially given
its efficient use and aesthetic quality.

3. 3D Environment
3D or three-dimensional, in its literal sense, refers to anything that has a width, height, and depth
(Gonzales, 2016). The physical world, the realm we live in, including us humans, are examples of 3D
environments. This technological concept of a 3D environment is explored to imitate and simulate the
physical world through media. The most common examples of this are computer animations in video
games and TV shows. Films have also been among the most common media modalities that employ 3D.
3D films make objects in their material appear solid to the audience through the illusion of perception
(Gonzales, 2016). If you have been to one of these 3D films, you are made to wear special 3D glasses,
which directs each of your eyes to see a slightly different picture. According to American Paper Optics, a
manufacturer of 3D eyewear, “this is done in the real world by your eyes being spaced apart, so each eye
has its own slightly different view. The brain then puts the two pictures together to form one 3D image that
has depth to it.
Another 3D technology, which has existed for actually quite a while now, is 3D printing. This
innovation brings digital data and design to the physical world – literally. Simply put, it brings your design to
life! According to The University of Tennessee Knoxville, 3D printing “creates objects by bonding the print
material one layer at a time. They work by making use of 3D design files, such as those created in
AutoCAD or similar applications. These files are processed by specialized software that slices the data into
cross-sections. The printer uses this data to build the desired object from the bottom up one layer at a
time.” Unlike laser printers that utilize inks, 3D printers “prints” in layers of material like plastic, metal, and
concrete.
Overall, the 3D environment has already been widely used because it gives the audience or the
users a more engaging and enjoyable media experience because the images and videos are in three-
dimensional rendering – meaning it’s as if we’re looking at something real!

4. Ubiquitous Learning
Ubiquitous learning or u-learning is a kind of e-learning experience that “implies a vision of learning
which is connected across all the stages on which we play out our lives. Learning occurs not just in
classrooms, but in the home, the workplace, the playground, the library, museum, and nature center, and in
our daily interactions with others (Bruce, 2009).” Compared to mobile learning and e-learning, it is a more
context-based approach and more adaptive to the needs and pacing of the learner.

U-learning is a kind of wireless modality where learning takes place at any time, anywhere, and with
anyone. It benefits from the use of technologies to implement learning activities and achieve learning
objectives. These technologies incorporate learning materials such as videos, audios, PowerPoint
presentations, or notes with embedded source data in them (Liquigan, 2016). It is a very personalized and
dynamic mechanism that uses devices integrated into the students’ environment. Furthermore, u-learning
maximizes the use of any form of media like mobile phones and computers for efficient use.

However, in the Philippine setting, especially in the public education system, most u- learning tools
fail to endure because of the lack of resources and, thus, not effectively sustaining the actual needs of the
students. It is, nevertheless, still a promising endeavor that both private and public education institutions
hope to embark on.

5. Paperless Society
A call for faster transactions and greener mechanisms brought paperless transactions as a viable
and useful practice in society. A paperless society is a society where communication and transactions are
done electronically or digitally, and all forms of printed communication have become obsolete. It is
characterized by the shift from letters to e-mails, newspapers to news web pages, books to e-books, and so
on (Gonzales, 2016). Paperless transactions also include cashless dealing, which is often done through
credit or debit cards or through virtual wallets like PayMaya and GCash.

Going paperless offers several benefits, like acquiring savings on costs on materials, printing, labor,
and storage. In addition, paperless transactions minimize the risk of losing or misplacing a digital document
and allow employees to access and edit a digital document, whether remotely or in the office, then
electronically manage or send it. These documents can also be accessed simultaneously, eliminating the
need for multiple copies and thus saving time and adding to work efficiency.
However, for a country like the Philippines where many places are still without electricity, even more
so Internet, going entirely paperless, is still a far-fetched aim. Bureaucracy in several companies and
organizations, both public and private, also hamper the actual realization of a paperless society. Despite
such, societies are positively gearing towards going paperless as places, and people who are capable of
carrying it out have already adapted such procedures.
MOOCs, Wearables, 3D, U-Learning – these are only a few of the many technological advances
that we can only expect to shape our daily life now and in the future
– the way we communicate, conduct business and even have fun. From virtual worlds, wireless devices,
artificial intelligence, holographic images and videos, and so much more. All these trends will continue to
advance, empower, and transform every aspect of our lives.
Activity: Question and Answer
Instructions: Answer the questions briefly in your own words. Write your
answers in a separate sheet of paper.

1. What is the impact of MOOC in information access?

Course title
Course provider
Registration link
Other details about the course
Course description
Course objectives
What have you learned so far?
Host institution