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In about thirty-five years ago Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech entitled, “I have a dream.” He said, “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at a table of brotherhood.” King’s dream has come to pass, but some issues people have to face then include but not limited to lack of collaboration, multicultural issues, and valuing diversity.

Just like Rev. King, I have a dream that higher education will be affected by information revolution greatly in 2020. Computer technology and information superhighway will be the driver of higher education in 2020. Also, some issues people have to face will include but not limited to collaboration, multicultural issues, and valuing diversity.

Collaboration

It is common today to have students from difference cultural background in the same classroom working on a project, but because of computer technology and information superhighways there will be development of group work across the towns, states, and other countries. Substantial investment in education technology will enable schools to access hardware, software and Internet connectivity, and provide for better collaboration between the students and teachers.

Students can connect with scientists, engineers, architects, or professors and engage in research and surf all over the globe through organized real-time electronic field trips. They will be able to easily collaborate with other students around the world. They can take free classes offered by other institutions or training centers. As more on-line courses are being provided on the Internet, millions of students will participate in inexpensive educational experiences online. Also, there will be curriculum integration in general studies, vocational, occupational, and professional studies. If students have to collaborate very well, they have to embrace other culture.

Multicultural

Technology will enable students to work across their cultural boundaries. For instance, students in an African country will be able to network with students in Japan, Europe, or United States at a click of a mouse. In order for students to work well together, they need to understand each other. It is important to know the reasons behind their differences in thinking and behavior. Students will learn about other culture more than their own culture as we approach 2020. Technological investment in education will enable students to connect on-line resulting in the transformation of thousands of classrooms to the digital age; as a result, interact with different culture. Without this investment, most of the students that now benefit from educational technology would have been left behind. Instead, from inner-city districts to remote rural schools, students can now communicate with each other and share vast educational resources. As students deal with multicultural issues very well, they also need to face the issues of diversity.

Diversity of learners

The issue of diversity here means dealing with our differences. Our differences can be attributed to gender, age, culture, social class, and others. These issues will become less of focus to students in 2020. Information Communication Technology and information superhighways will enable students to work together no matter what their differences may be. They will value the differences and learn from each other.

In the 2020 and beyond, computer and information technologies will enhance teaching and learning, and create a dynamic learning environment in which the following benefits will be derived:

Students will develop lifelong learning

Integration of education technology into learning and teaching will help students to embrace collaboration, multiculturalism, and value diversity.

Students and teachers will have access to rich instruction and a vast knowledge base that includes other students and educators worldwide.

Teaching and learning will be individualized and customized, allowing students to explore their personal areas of study and interests any time they want to, anywhere they may be.

Challenges for the Future

There are many other issues to consider especially in using emerging technologies in education in the year 2020 and beyond. We need to deal with the changes that occur to the culture of the classroom when new technologies are introduced. Is there any cost implication of the new technologies? How can we ensure that new technologies are being used properly for instructional purposes? How can we make sure that new technologies go beyond merely providing access to information and assist in knowledge building? To answer these questions, we need to conduct further studies to address them.

Finally, just like Rev. King indicated, I have a dream that higher education will embrace teamwork, value multicultural and diversity issues in a greater extent in the year 2020. The driver of all these will be technology. If countries and ethnic groups are to achieve harmony and development, it is vital that they work continuously to build relationships of trust based on mutual understanding of one another’s histories, cultures, customs, and values. Technology has provided an avenue to accomplish these.