E-Learning is the name of the service which delivers learning solutions through any possible electronic platform in the most convenient and effective way for learners. The ever evolving technology offers delivery platforms for learning designers to opt and provide most suitable learning solution products.If technology meets the imagination, smart watches are going to be new trend in the market. As content developers, we must be aware and prepare for new delivering platforms. Thinking of delivering content on smart watches should not be taken as jumping on every new technology to deliver learning. Still learners can learn sitting under the tree; the most ancient way we know of group learning. The point is to address learners in best possible way. In few days the learners will become users of new technologies and change their living style in accordance to it. We can’t developcontent for older ways/platforms of which learners are not users. The new paradigm is of learner centered, we need to mold our strategies or approaches as per the learner.
Launch of Apple watch is not the first smart watch, already similar products are in the market from other technology giants. This trend will move further with new features and specifications to offer more and more applications of daily life, so the learning. The learning companies should prepare themselves and develop ways to deliver effective learning solutions for these wearable technology platforms.
Transition from Desktop to mobile is still in process, there is a large portion of the industry which still struggling to develop content for mobile devices. Now a new challenge emerged to develop content for micro screens. The companies which are already in developing content for mobile devices may not face it as difficult as those who don’t. Still it is a great challenge to deliver content developed in different styles of content presentation such as animations, diagrams, images etc.
Above all challenges, it has great potential to reach more learners anywhere for more time of the day with wide range of subjects. We can expect applications to come-up in the smart watches market to deliver learning content. Considering its small screen size, developing content again in traditional style of slides couldn’t be a good idea. Content designer should invent new creative ideas suitable for wearable technologies. The one option could be like Branching Scenarios (or Skip Survey) where learner makes decisions based on the situations posed on him/her. The challenge in smart watches is to develop content for small interaction area or small screen to present content like slides (for big screens like desktops, laptops, tabs or large screen smartphones). It is now clear that we can’t go with slide wise presentation of content with wearable technologies; there must be some other way to make learners learn.
An another wearable devices which is much different compare to smart watch is ‘Google Glass’. On similar line, more devices come in future with different challenges and opportunities; as content/learning designers we must be creative enough to deliver content effectively.
