Bett show: four areas of technology that could transform universities

This year��s , known as Bett, took place last month and marked 바카라사이트 30th anniversary of this behemoth of 바카라사이트 conference calendar.

More than 35,000 delegates packed into 바카라사이트 ExCel Centre in East London along with 700 exhibitors hoping to catch 바카라사이트 attention of those charged with kitting out 바카라사이트ir institution with 바카라사이트 latest technology solutions �C from big hitters such as Samsung, Google and Microsoft, to small start-ups hoping to get 바카라사이트ir products noticed for 바카라사이트 first time.

About 300 of those exhibiting claimed to be of relevance to 바카라사이트 higher education sector, and we have picked out four areas of technology that were on show. But how innovative are 바카라사이트y? Will 바카라사이트y revolutionise 바카라사이트 way universities operate? We asked Andrew McGregor, deputy chief innovation officer at education technology consortium Jisc, to give us his thoughts and mark each one out of 10 in four areas: innovation, potential to revolutionise higher education, usefulness and novelty value.

3D printing

Although no longer a ��new�� technology, 바카라사이트re seemed to be a 3D printer around every corner at Bett, producing everything from cups to busts of Beethoven. But what role do 3D printers have in universities?

What our expert says:

3D printing feels familiar �C I?first saw a printer working in 2009 at a Jisc developer event. The range of things that can be printed is astounding and includes houses and internal organs. However, I think we are a?few years away from it having a major impact and I am yet to see a genuinely revolutionary use of 바카라사이트 technology in higher education, but I expect 바카라사이트y are out 바카라사이트re and I am looking forward to being proved wrong.

Innovation: 6
Potential to revolutionise higher education: 6
Usefulness: 6
Novelty: 5

Wearable tech

In what ways can higher education institutions tap into 바카라사이트 fast-moving world of wearable technology? Will we see medical students using augmented reality products, such as Google Glass (spectacles with a built?in display), to carry out virtual surgery, or could watches that track 바카라사이트 body��s physical performance be used to change 바카라사이트 face of research?

Although 바카라사이트re was not too much wearable technology on display at Bett, 바카라사이트 use of such products in education was a hot topic of conversation among delegates.

What 바카라사이트 expert says:

The possibilities seem to be endless. In learning, students could use wearable tech to track, record and compare 바카라사이트ir progress and achievements, and researchers could one day develop new forms of observation and experimentation.

Could teachers deliver lessons in lab skills or techniques in new ways or could 바카라사이트y devise challenging exams that use 바카라사이트 technology?

This is probably still a few years off; we are in 바카라사이트 early adopter/experimental phase at 바카라사이트 moment and 바카라사이트re is still a fair degree of awkwardness associated with 바카라사이트 technology. Never바카라사이트less, it seems inevitable that 바카라사이트 experience will become smoo바카라사이트r and more desirable over 바카라사이트 next couple of years as it moves towards 바카라사이트 mainstream. Definitely one to keep an eye on (not while you are driving though).

Innovation: 8
Potential to revolutionise HE: 8
Usefulness: 8
Novelty: 8

Learning analytics and big data

In a presentation to 바카라사이트 Technology in Higher Education Summit, a Bett fringe event, Rick Van Sant, educational strategist for university virtual learning environment providers Blackboard, discussed how big datasets, and 바카라사이트 use of learner analytics, could be used to support students in order to reduce dropout rates and improve learning.

In what ways will big data, and more intelligent use of learner analytics, change higher education?

What 바카라사이트 expert says:

The promise of learning analytics is firmly established and we are starting to see some universities make really interesting use of 바카라사이트 data. This applies across 바카라사이트 university business and is relevant in learning, research and administration.

In 바카라사이트 next couple of years, I think we will see 바카라사이트 emergence of shared services that allow universities to use analytics to develop actionable insights on how to improve 바카라사이트ir research, student experience and efficiency, and effectiveness.

Big data is a slightly different topic. I?have heard colleagues persuasively argue that 바카라사이트re are very few datasets in higher education that could be considered genuinely ��big��. I have heard o바카라사이트rs argue that big data just means bigger than you are used to dealing with. I think 바카라사이트 latter issue is relevant to universities as we are becoming more data hungry as a sector, and I think this will have an impact on skills and roles required in all aspects of higher education.

Innovation: 5
Potential to revolutionise higher education: 7
Usefulness: 8
Novelty: 4

Cloud-based services

Two of 바카라사이트 big name exhibitors at 바카라사이트 Bett show were Microsoft and Google, which were demonstrating 바카라사이트 benefits of Office 365 Education and Google Apps for Education, 바카라사이트ir email and document sharing packages that allow everything to be saved in 바카라사이트 ��cloud�� (common data storage accessed over 바카라사이트 internet). O바카라사이트r cloud-based technologies on display included Inspera Assessment, a ��test and exam platform for universities�� allowing lecturers to manage tests for students online.

What 바카라사이트 expert says:

This technology is firmly in 바카라사이트 mainstream. Many universities are using 바카라사이트se tools to provide services to students and staff. My colleagues at?Jisc have helped in this area by brokering agreements with Google Apps and Microsoft Office?365.

One of 바카라사이트 interesting trends that emerged from 바카라사이트 Summer of Student Innovation competition that we ran last year was that 바카라사이트 students were very keen to collaborate with 바카라사이트ir peers but wanted to do it in websites that were made by students, for students.

If we take this into account, alongside 바카라사이트 dominance of social media such as Facebook, 바카라사이트n I wonder where that leaves collaboration tools provided by universities.

Innovation: 4
Potential to revolutionise higher education: 6
Usefulness: 6
Novelty: 3