New Generation Learners

I wanted to venture in the manufacture and retail of school supplies, so when I heard about the seminar entitled Tech Tutor 4: The Next Generation of Learners, I knew I had to be there. Why? Because I am currently studying some classic business principles and current trends that may be applicable to a school supplies business. (Read my previous article about timeless business principles and current trends here: How I Merge Classic Business Principles and New Trends.)

School supplies may be considered as basic commodities because students use them regularly during school days, however, with the current economy and latest technological developments, a very important question now comes to my mind. If printed textbooks may eventually give way to e-textbooks, what would become of regular notebooks and pad papers? So I went to the seminar to get a glimpse on what could be expected in the future world of education, at least in the eyes of the learners.

In Tech Tutor 4, it was pointed out that PowerPoint presentations and videos are but ordinary productions that students and teachers now do in their classes. Thus, the seminar included some sessions on photography, videography, and PowerPoint. Nonetheless, there were also a few product presentations from representatives from Microsoft Office and other software and hardware companies about their latest products which students and teachers alike can use in their classes. It was the first time I heard about SkyDrive  which is an app that enables the user to save and update files automatically in sync between his/her computers (PC or Mac) and SkyDrive.com.

Of course the main man of the seminar, Mr. Jerry Liao, presented the most interesting topics that include the characteristics of new learners and how their learning is heavily influenced by new technologies. One concrete example he gave was that with the use of smartphones or laptops (considering of course that students and teachers in the future already normally use these gadgets in their classes), students can easily validate real-time if what their hearing from their teacher is correct.  Vice versa, through the help of expert teachers, students can check if what they are reading on their phones is indeed factual. Learning then becomes more interactive wherein both students and teachers can share knowledge. Then Mr. Jerry Liao showed a very exciting clip about augmented reality.

Mr. Liao further presented how students could use future smartphones in their learning. Future smartphones could scan and detect objects, places, and people’s faces then give their names and other information about them. So, when students go on a field trip, they could simply use their phones and focus it on, say, a flower, and their phones would give out the flower’s name and other details like its scientific name and medicinal properties. Or students could be on a trip in a historical site and again, their smartphones could give accounts about the places they visit.

Going back now to how I will use what I have learned in this seminar to my prospective business. I daresay that although it is good to take things one step at a time, I should also be forward-looking so I don’t get left behind. Who knows perhaps in the latter phases of my business, I could develop a school supplies augmented reality? But hey, that’s just future me talking. For now, I would simply remember that my target market is very dynamic, visual,  present in the world wide web, and eager to learn as long as they are having fun. School supplies can be fun. : -)