5/5 (2)

Is there anything that a smartphone cannot do? In the last several years, smartphones revolutionised the world. Nowadays, people use their smartphones to handle almost everything they need, from groceries to work tasks, to games and leisure activities. A variety of computing visionaries have started to speak about the possibility of smartphones replacing the PCs. 

Sceptics argue that this is still a “fantasy” mainly because mobile processors are not fast enough to meet the performance expectations of the users. An example to support this hypothesis is the quick fall of netbooks: the tiny computers were way too slow. 

Another argument is that the battery life of a smartphone cannot match the one of a laptop. Current batteries are still challenged by the regular use of a smartphone, as an entertainment and communication device. Without a big leap forward in battery technology smartphones batteries won’t be able to sustain the PC-grade performance. 

From the consumer point of view, it has yet been proven that people actually care about portability. Some researchers argue that “most people are, and will remain, uninterested in computing, and just want their device to be intuitive and useful.”(Smith, 2013)

In spite of these arguments, the numbers and statistics on smartphone market are still growing and showing that people are more and more interested in managing their lives using smartphones, rather than laptops. 

First of all, phones are much more convenient. As everything is starting to be stocked in the cloud, files can be accessed easily from mobile devices, anytime and everywhere. Furthermore, with Windows developing more and more PC-features for phones, the desktop experience is replicated on the smartphones. Therefore, in the future, why switch to another platform, if you already have it all?

Thirdly, with the emergence on bluetooth devises, mouses and keyboards, the lack-of-physical-keyboard problem is resolved. 

As the laptops become smaller, smartphone displays become bigger, thus creating an optimal-size screen.

Lastly, the phone is always connected to the internet. 

All in all, with the smartphone prices starting to be more and more equivalent with laptop prices, the idea of mobile-devises replacing PCs is becoming more plausible. 

References:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/why-your-smartphone-wont-be-your-next-pc/

http://www.greenbot.com/article/3006339/smartphones/10-ways-your-smartphone-has-already-replaced-your-laptop.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-drake/5-reasons-why-i-went-laptop-less-with-my-smartphone_b_7574990.html

5/5 (3)

Change is the definition of today’s society. With emerging new technologies people mentality is changing. The new generation of students, “the Millennials” require a change in the education system as well. Traditional methods of teaching are starting to be less efficient than in the past. Some institutions are already adapting their space to a less formal learning environment that combines structured learning with preferred group-based practical learning. In this context, is gamification the future of education?

What is gamification?

According to Wikipedia, gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts. Applied to education, gamified learning is a teaching methodology that creates a game-like scenario around the course curriculum and the objectives of the course.

Gamified learning: benefits and weaknesses

Gamified learning has multiple benefits. Firstly, it provides a better learning experience and a better learning environment. Interactive and visual elements build an engaging learning experience and make the whole learning process easier. Also, gamification provides learners with a sense of achievement by giving them immediate, personalized feedback in form of rewards or, the absence of rewards, for that matter. By receiving a prize for their efforts, students remain motivated and determined to retain information. Lastly, gamification can be applied to most learning needs, thus encouraging independent learning and creativity.

However, as every other technology, learning games have their faults. Equipment costs, software costs, and training costs for instructors are quite high.

Every course has its specific learning goals that cannot be covered by only one game. Furthermore, gamified learning can cause a decrease in the attention span of the students. Learners might begin to expect the same kind of immediate responses from all parts of their education and become frustrated if they do not receive them.

In conclusion, it is clear that education system, learning and teaching methods need to evolve in order to satisfy the needs of the new generation of student. Gamified learning might be the next step to a better education. What is your opinion? Should schools integrate gamification in education?