Google Glass’ Role in Connected Classrooms [#Infographic]

Where do Google Glass and higher education intersect?

The wearable technology trend is still in its infancy, but massive growth is projected, according to The New York Times. Industry analysts have already identified some impacts the technology could have on education — particularly in how it could ease instructional video recording and consumption.

An infographic from online-phd-programs.org breaks down the basics of Google's wearable technology and outlines a variety of possible uses, as well as the challenges facing the device’s widespread adoption.

Google is known for its iterative design process, and Glass has been the poster child for experimentation with wearable tech. Google gave the technology to educators and students well ahead of its official release on May 15.

In an April 24 article for EdTech: Focus on Higher Education, Brian Rellinger writes about several experiences educators have had with the technology at the university level:

At the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, Professor Tiffany Gallicano is using Glass in the classroom to help improve student presentations. The school’s Office of the CIO hopes to use Glass’s geographical information system (GIS) applications, and staff are working to develop a grant proposal that incorporates wearables such as Glass into research on higher brain functions. Other applications of Glass are aimed at facilitating education. STEMbite, created by Andrew Vanden Heuvel, uses clips recorded with Glass to illustrate a particular topic. For example, he explains the polarization of light with a short video — and a bit of humor — to keep viewers interested.

The device has already undergone several changes since its prototype was introduced in 2011, and there are sure to be more in the future — some of which could affect the way we interact in educational environments.