By: Camille Francis
Anthony Rotolo, Assistant Professor of Practice at the School of Information Studies (iSchool), is known for integrating new technologies into the classroom. This fall Rotolo plans to use Google’s new wearable display technology, Google Glass, in one of his classes to see what this unique product has to offer in an educational setting.
Rotolo plans to use Glass to display Tweets that he encourages students to share during his lectures. “Twitter is often hard to filter, so I am working with engineers in the NEXIS lab to create software to filter what comes across my Glass display,” explained Rotolo.
NEXIS is the iSchool’s center for New Explorations in Information and Science.
In regards to his use of this technology in an educational setting, Rotolo acknowledges that many are intimidated by using new technology in the classroom, but that it is important to use as a tool while teaching today’s students. “Many educators are still not comfortable with the use of Twitter or YouTube as a learning tool, for example,” said Rotolo, “while my curriculum thrives on it.”
When asked about the future of technology, Rotolo thinks that “humans will not be opposed to technology,” when a product makes sense in our day-to-day lives. He offered that Google Glass could act as a jumping off point for the future products that he predicted could even be contact lenses.
“Wearable technology, whether it be a watch or contact lenses, seems to be where we’re headed,” said Rotolo. “It emphasizes a shift from mobile devices – phones are distracting and you have to look down from what you’re doing to use the interface.”
iSchool student Bob O’Brien has been working with Rotolo and the NEXIS lab on developing applications for Google Glass. O’Brien has organized an event he calls #iSchoolGlass Hack Day on Friday, October 25, where interested students can get together to for a few hours of designing, coding, and playing with the Google Glass technology. The event will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 PM in the ICE Box on the second floor of Hinds Hall. More information on the event.