Changing landscapes, content, technologies: What is the optimal pathway ahead for Technology Education in professionally focused university programs?

Abstract

Technology has infiltrated every university program, which has created significant implications for educators, students and industry. The role of a university is to provide a platform for thought and progressive direction for industry and design students, to ensure their needs are realised to meet today's workplace challenges. Our graduates need to effectively communicate their ideas and concepts to clients or colleagues so that they are heard above the cacophony of images and messages out in the market place. The use of leading-edge visualisation and special effects technology can significantly enhance communication capabilities. Regardless of the technology used, the ultimate success of any effective teaching and learning environment is to provide a rich learning experience where content is delivered in an exciting way and students are fully engaged. This paper will explore the scope of cutting-edge technology education. It will discuss the interactive technologies that give us rich sensory experiences, the recent developments in the creative industries, and their utilisation, affordability and effectiveness in the university environment. Practical examples of flythrough animation, virtual reality scenes, 3D web interactivity and visualisation will be presented. The presentation will also highlight future trends in the development of these technologies and discuss the implications for universities.