Current Issues in Education (Jun 2020)
Spatial Computing: Creating the Future of Learning
Abstract
Spatial computing is the fourth paradigm of the digital revolution and could profoundly transform learning. It is the convergence of several technological developments, including Augmented and Virtual Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence, haptic feedback, motion-capture, and situational awareness engines. This article explores how the shift from 2D screens to virtual worlds will impact learning and raise new ethical and digital literacy challenges. Spatial computing goes far beyond the simple use of a VR headset for virtual experiences. Microsoft’s experimental Dreamwalker project has already demonstrated how a user can remain entirely immersed in a virtual environment while successfully navigating the real world around them. These developments offer far-reaching implications for learning and our social interactions. Students may prefer virtual embodied avatars who are adaptive, personalized, and available anytime over real faculty - or they may gain a new-found appreciation for human connection. In a world where the virtual and real converge, learning will no longer be limited to education organizations but will be embedded throughout human experience. When we are no longer confined by physical reality but by the worlds we can imagine, the ability to ask the right questions will be more critical than having the correct answers. With spatial computing, technology will no longer be an educational tool, but a platform for human experience.
