Teaching, Learning
and the
Future of the Internet
Nov, 1999
Dr. Terence W. Rogers
Director, Abilene Project
Internet2 Project Goals
Enable new generation of applications
Re-create leading edge R&E network
capability
Transfer capability to the global
production Internet
UCAID Member Universities
150+ Members
University of Puerto Rico not shown
Driver behind these changes
BANDWIDTH - BANDWIDTH
BANDWIDTH
UNIT costs will fall dramatically and
then move to a Moore’s Law track
We will have a PC model of getting
more for your money
Compared to today we may as well
think of bandwidth as Free
Qwest Network in 2000
“The network could simultaneously carry
the traffic generated by 300,000
broadcast channels -- more than 100
times the number of channels available
worldwide today - and still have capacity
to spare.”
Three Major Themes
1. It will look different ...
HDTV quality
Entertainment Level impact
Interactive
Large Screens, Wall projections ...
1A. It will become even more
so ...
TeleImmersion
Realistic virtual presence
Realistic virtual objects
Introducing touch …
Educational Opportunities
Specific Lessons
Educational Channels (by the 100’s)
Tele-Classrooms
Visualization - modeling …
The creation of central Resource
Labs
What is the role of the Commercial
world?
Educational Impact?
Teachers
• Information overload
• Vocational Training becomes distributed?
The teacher as guide not giver of
info
The teacher as ethical, behavioral, or
dare I say it moral guide
2. We will be Totally Wired
Your House
Your Car
Your Body, (health signs etc.)
Your Work place (wherever that is!)
&
Your SCHOOL
Remote Teaching Environments
Electron Microscope example U. Mich.
Centralized specialized Resources
Is this too VIRTUAL? -- Training for
how the “real world” will be
Imagine how it will be with
TeleImmersion!!
Classroom Kits
The Wired Classroom -- Hands on
physical objects
Models shipped from and managed
by remote site
3. Collaboration
The other BIG change
Beyond videoconferencing, and Chat
Rooms etc
Tools for shared writing, thinking,
designing
Shared environments & models
Collaborative Education
Kids helping Kids
• conversational French!
Teachers helping Teachers
Distributed Classroom
• Special Ed needs
• More specialization possible
Some PERSONAL observations
We can not afford the current
distance from the Commercial World
Kids will increasingly learn more
from the world about them than from
“school”
A Dominant trend is Diversification
My Guess as to the Future
Schools as we know them will disappear
Educational Material will be created &
supplied completely remotely
By a mix of Educators, Entertainers,
Commercial Org’s …..
It will not be delivered but Selected
Dramatic need for Values and Standards -
the role of the Teachers
Testing will be the responsibility of the
Individual and the Receiving Org
AND SO ….
If that scares you half as much as it
scares me, I hope you will participate
in making it come out well
The only thing I am sure of is that I
am UNDERESTIMATING the change!
Remote Scanning
Electron Microscope
University of Michigan
Philips XL30
Teleimmersion
University of Illinois-Chicago
University of Illinois-NCSA
Old Dominion University
Immersadesk
Source: University of Illinois-Chicago
More Info ...
www.internet2.edu
apps.internet2.edu/talks/
abilene@internet2.edu