After writing a few articles on more general issues of the use of computers for education, I’ve decided it time to get back to what we are here for—the Mac we all know and love. There is no question that the Mac is a great computer for education through its multimedia capabilities, simple interface and ease of configuration. Just five years ago we could not have imagined the current state of Mac technology. So what does the future hold for Macademia?
In looking toward the Macintosh of the year 2000, there are three distinct areas that will combine to provide the next level of teaching technology.
 
With the general direction in the computer industry, we will continue to see more for less. Bigger, higher resolution monitors, greater color depth, faster CD-ROMs, more hard drive space and more memory will dramatically add to what students can create, presentation quality, and what educators can implement. They will also facilitate access to information, providing a phenomenally large resource for students to draw from. And though all this is great news, it will only help facilitate the implementation of more exciting innovations.
 
The move to PCI buses, PC Cards, infrared networking and the new PowerPC Platform has changed the way we interact with Macs and networks. An example of technological progress that will have a great impact on education is the rapid hardware developments in the area of CD-ROM recorders (CDR). Not a year ago, CDRs were slow, scarce and $2500. Today you can buy one for under a $1000—with recordable CDs costing only $7 each. Thus it is now possible for educators to produce their own multimedia presentations and distribute them to each of their students to view at home.
In the future, this media will only become more conducive to producing "learning experiences." There is already a move to the next format of CDs—the Super Density CD-ROM (SD-ROM)—which is expected to store 8-15 times more information per SD. Another area of great interest is the use of digital cameras for video conferencing, long a dream of many in the Macintosh community. Over networks or the internet, this will aid in research collaboration, make it easier to tutor students, and give no one an excuse not to attend class!
In addition, Apple has recently introduced a number of software technology innovations that will add a new dimension to the graphical user interface—literally. QuickDraw 3D, a new file format standard for three dimensional objects, will make it easier to create molecules, display architectural designs and actively explore topographical maps. QuickTime VR—timing and processing software for representing photographs as a 360° panorama—will allow inspection of rock formations, viewing of historical landmarks and appreciation of the world’s art, all from the same classroom.
OpenDoc, Apple's just released open file architecture, will make it easier for students to incorporate text, graphics, music and movies into a single document. Indeed, the whole view of a "document" will change, as it will no longer have to be a static entity. To an open document you will be able to add a rainfall monitoring component, a stock market updater, or even a dynamic link to a live video shot.
 
The final piece of the puzzle is imagining what educators would like the Mac to be able to do to aid in the learning process. What this really boils down to is making the Mac a better tool for creative expression, visualization, information gathering and communication. So, below are few ideas that I would suggest if Apple wanted to build a Mac specifically for education.
How about replacing the keyboard and mouse with a better physical interface? The input device of tomorrow might be an infrared linked equivalent of today's graphic tablet. It would be big enough to be a regular size touch keyboard but would also function as a mouse, graphic tablet, music keyboard, and game pad (for educational games of course!). This could be achieved through taking Apple trackpad technology and upsizing it. Add to this the Newton handwriting recognition software, upgraded for a desktop Mac, and you would have the ultimate creativity tool.
The Newton itself would also be a big part of the future educational technology from Apple. What about a hybrid Newton/PowerBook that would really bring portable computing into the classroom? Make the Newton US letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) and give it a PC Card (or future equivalent) hard drive. Upgrade the resolution of the touchscreen and make it true a portable note pad, that can read and save reasonable sized files. Then design it to fit into a desktop Mac using a dock, just like the PowerBook Duos. On "hot connection," information from the "NewtonPad" would automatically be synchronized and the handwriting recognition would be done. Taking this idea one step further, it might be possible to add a modem to the pad, which could link to the desktop Mac and allow interaction with files or even remote application launching.
Finally, how about easier networking? Build a Mac so that it can handle multiple types of network connections without having to be switched back and forth between different types. For Macs at home, incorporate software equivalent to Apple Remote Access, that would allow a student to be able to connect to AppleTalk services at school/college (printing, file sharing) using a SLIP or PPP connection. In computer labs, use the infrared technology from the new PowerBooks for networking on desktop Macs. This would make it easier to set up the computers and make them more flexible in network layouts, providing easier incorporation into classroom activities. Combine with this integration of networking software into the Mac OS, and add internet software for FTP, web browsing, and access to newsgroups, email and gopher. This seems a natural extension of the GUI interface (especially with integration with AppleScript and active assistants) that would allow easier and more powerful use of net resources.
These ideas come out of my experiences with computer labs at universities, as well as being a student for a number of years. I would be interested in receiving any ideas that readers have regarding where the Mac might go as an educational tool. If I get enough responses, I will compile them and include them in a future column.
 
There are many pieces in the puzzle that will shape the Macs of the future. It will be interesting to do a retrospective on this in 10 years, and compare what we’ve really accomplished with all this technology.
 
Stuart Chalk is a research associate in the Chemistry Department at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He would be delighted to hear from anyone who is having fun with Macintoshes in education. He can be contacted at chalk@nexus.chemistry. duq.edu.
