The internet is constantly innovating and changing with technological advancements. The internet makes it fairly easy to bring an idea to life and share it with others. With a couple of dollars and a free website builder subscription, an idea can become a visual reality. In the future, all of these minimal changes will develop into a new kind of internet. We are seeing more and more new technology being combined with the power of the internet to enhance user experience.
The technology that we use to interact with the internet is changing. With the quick spread of information, trends are becoming more easy to understand, making people more subject to change. One advancement that should be considered is that the computer mouse is reaching the end of an era. Working off of the same technology as Face ID, computers can be able to enhance their experience through eye detection software. Meaning that you will be able to have higher interaction rates because it puts thoughts into action. Through the rate of media consumption, the spread of knowledge will increase and the time spent wasted on repetitive tasks will be reduced. We shifted from using a mouse to digitally interact with media to touching media itself with touchscreens. The technology is made, but the communication and interface aspects behind the concept need more time to develop. The majority of smart phones now include this Face ID technology and the more exposure to its capabilities, will only help this jump in the digital space. The next step is to make the technology an experience where you are not physically touching, but living in a realm within the internet. There is a risk of people spending too much time interacting with lighted screens, but hopefully through the increased speed of the eye detection software, tasks can be completed at a quicker rate, reducing total screen time. With tasks completed faster, a balance between internet consumption and real life activities might be more achievable.
Computers with new experiences will enhance the use of internet usage and allow developers to become more creative to fit new demands from the consumer. Industries are going to change. Skills that were used to create webpages and graphics are now being produced with Artificial Intelligence. The use of AI not only streamlines the time needed to create something, but it gives one person the power to work like a team of individuals.
The rate at which we consume media has increased a great amount in the past ten years and recently grew due to the time spent learning at home during the pandemic. The way we look for information or solutions to problems can be answered with the start of a question. This could be a YouTube video trying to learn how to play an instrument to an article about how to solve for a missing side of a triangle. We are not only taking in a high level of information through the use of the internet, but are also sharing content and ideas just as fast. Information is easier than ever to locate and learn a specific topic. This has taught our brains to become self-sufficient learners. In the future, knowledge will be valued as a currency and the internet opens a range of opportunities to develop and learn. Moving forward, this will have a major impact on higher education and engagement rates in schools. If a course is not teaching at a rate that can compete with this abundance of knowledge, will the younger generations even seek out traditional educational efforts? Industry professionals are even making their own online courses to teach like-minded individuals, which can be a great way to develop lifelong learners. However, it might take some time for older generations to interact and participate in this new norm through their set of values, but can be a powerful resource.
These developments fit into the circuit of culture specifically through the use of consumption. The circuit of culture creates a flow of innovation between consumer needs and pushing boundaries of connectivity. This combination creates a culture that resonates with media and the process of how we interact with technology. Consumption allows the internet to create meaning and the development of self-sufficient learners, while driving content and developing passion throughout its users. The eye detection software mentioned earlier, allows uniqueness and differentiation to occur within the product, allowing everyone to have their own experience of the content they choose to consume. If this becomes a reality, it will bring the tools and resources needed for fast and efficient learning of media.
As we develop technology into becoming an experience, individuals will be able to learn when and what they want to. This can break the norm as the internet is much more accessible than a college degree program. It allows people the opportunity for career and personal growth without having to leave their own home. With the combined use of an internet experience and using its features as a tool, the possibilities can become endless.
“Blog Picture Usage.” n.d. Digital Learning Strategy | MIT Digital Learning Course. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://executive.mit.edu/course/digital-learning-strategy/a056g00000URaaMAAT.html.