Hyper-Threading

I was talking with M and then later with my Da - and let's face it education is on the move. What used to be done via serial or even parallel communication is slowly coming to an end. No more of that one topic for an hour and then move on to the next but rather multi streaming different channels and topics in a learning whirlwind that many in the education world see as a hurricane worse than Katrina headed there way and no cover to speak of.

The mind is an amazing thing to be sure, but there has never been the technology to even consider keeping pace with the sheer rapidity that a brain cell can fire off a charge. Now that computers are toying even with this concept it seems that the up and coming generation is doing it's best to stay ahead by juggling multiple streams of input into the fire. This means that instructors will have to move faster than ever before just to keep interest let alone to juggle multiple streams of input at the same time in hopes of filling heads with the needed information to create an educational foundation for these new students.

This also raises the question of who is responsible for the learning? The student? The instructor? or is it ilrelevant, like just "How much wood would a wood chuck chuck?"

Many ideas are being thought as to how this might be done with the use of online Internet access and the creation of virtual worlds that might allow more students greater access to the knowledge that is available.

My curiosity though lies not with what will happen as education hits supersonic, but what will these poor souls do if the power ever goes out? Will the shift from high, fast, multi-channeled learning drive them crazy if cut down to one single stream of low speed input (ie reading by lantern light) or will they adapt and find new channels of information to open up?

Education has always been a source of power - and has proved the great equalizer in our day for many cultures, but like all power will come the responsibility to use it wisely.