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Running head: ASSIGN_3 RESEARCH PAPER ON EMERGING TREND of 11

JOHNR_EDID6506- Assign3_ Research Paper on an Emerging Trend

by

Ruth Natasha John

ID #: 05054518

A Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements of

EDID 6506 Issues, Trends, Innovations and Research in ID, IT & DE

Semester 1, 2015/2016

Email: [email protected]

University: University of the West Indies Open Campus

Course Coordinator Dr. Camille Dickson-Deane

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 12th November, 2015

mailto:[email protected]

ASSIGN_3 EMERGING TREND of 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………....3

Introduction………………....…………………………………………………………..…………4

Initiator of trend…………………………………....……………………………………………...5

Documented Artefacts…………………………...………………………...……………………...6

Relevance to the field………….…………………………………………….…………..………..8

Example of potential use………………………………………………………………………….9

Reflection…………………………………………………………………..……………...………9

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….10

References………………………………………………………………………………………..11


Abstract

This research paper looks at an emerging trend in the field of Instruction Design. The emerging

trend is in the category of a wearable technology, a smart glass known as Shima. Initially Shima

was referred to as Icis. The CEO and founder of Shima, Corey Mack, postulates that Shima is

more than just another smart glass, blurring the line between virtual life and real life. Users who

wear prescription lenses have the added ability to have their prescriptions embedded into Shima.

This paper also looks at the relevance of this technology to the instructional design field and

offers suggestions as to its possible uses in the field.


Research Paper on an Emerging Trend in Instructional Design

Introduction

Wearable technology includes exciting new technologies, like fitness trackers, wearable

cameras, smart watches, and more recently smart glasses including the Shima. The Shima from

LAFORGE Optical essentially is a stylish eyewear that allows one to see updates from a

smartphone in one’s field of vision. You can even have your current prescription lenses

embedded into Shima. The interface is designed in such a way that it doesn’t clutter your field-

of-view with unnecessary information. Shima works with iOS, Android and Windows Phone

and connects to your phone using Bluetooth.

Using Shima’s smartphones app ‘socialFlo’ you are able to configure which notification

you receive. It can display email, social networking notifications, and navigational information,

and also includes weather updates, calendar alerts, and information from apps such as Nike and

FitBit. Shima has a set of touch panels on its arms, along with a volume up and down key for

controlling a media player. Some versions of Shima also come with a camera integrated into the

eyewear.

The Shima has three modes drive, normal and active. The drive mode allows you to get

turn-by-turn directions and other traffic information while muting social app updates. Normal

mode includes the ability to view notifications, answer calls and take a picture while Active

modes allows you to interact with certain apps like fitness apps in real time.

The Shima original called Icis has not yet been released and in still in the stage where

early adopters and developers would be asked to share in the experience and improve upon it. It

was projected that Shima Develop Kits (SDK) would ship in mid to late summer 2015.


Initiator of Trend

The idea for creating Shima according to Corey Mack, CEO and Head of Design of

LAFORGE Optical was to blur the line between people’s virtual lives and their real lives. The

company was founded in March of 2013. In an interview with The Entrepreneurs Grill, Corey

reiterated that people weren’t connecting as they wanted to.

Mack has a background in mechanical engineer and initially wanted to develop a smart

home technology but found that a lot of interaction was needed with a smartphone. He then

considered developing a product that you could just wear and that’s how Shima was born. He

further stated that example people were always checking their phone when nothing was showing

up, however, with Shima this repetitiveness is stripped away and becomes less distracting.


Documented Artefacts

1. The phone app used is called socialFlo which connects the smartphone via bluetooth to

the eyewear.

2. The design of the eyewear is like normal prescription eyewear

.


3. How the interface looks when looking through the eyewear

4. Video updates about the product

LAFORGE product update 2

https://youtu.be/K4ZXGN6U-c8

LAFORGE product update 3

https://youtu.be/5L2EFYrLp3c

5. Shima trademark details

https://trademarks.justia.com/865/11/shima-86511945.html

https://trademarks.justia.com/865/11/shima-86511945.html




Relevance to the Field

The Shima is indeed an emerging technology that is relevant to Instructional Design

because of it’s capability for augmented reality learning. Augmented reality is an emerging

technology that utilizes moblie, context-aware devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) that enable

participants to interact with digital information embedded within the physical environment.

(Dunleavy, 2014, p.28). Thus the Shima has the capability of creating immersive experiences for

teaching and learning.

The ubiquitous nature of Shima makes it as effective tool for micro-learning. Micro-

learning is a way of teaching and delivering content to learners in small, very specific bursts. The

learners are in control of what and when they’re learning. (Elearning Industry, 2014). The idea

behind micro-learning is the volume of information students have to learn and the limited

timespan in which to do so. “Brief interactions allow users to chip away at a larger learning goal

and may serve a priming role by repeatedly bringing the learning task to their attention;”

(Aitchanov, Satabaldiyev and Latuta, 2013, p.2). Additionally the attention span of individuals,

especially young learners is relatively short.

The developers of apps that can be used with Shima are critical at this point. With the

creation of apps the possibilities are endless.


Examples of Potential Use

An app can be created that divides up chunks of information into bite size pieces and

deliver it as an update to the Shima, thus during ‘idle’ time wearers can engage in meaningful

learning. Idle time can include commuting, waiting in line at supermarkets, banks, etc., walking

and so forth. The pieces of information can also include short video and audio lessons.

The Shima can also be used to video record a particular performance skill and replay for

mastery, or even for playing a how-to video while you attempt the task. Another use of the video

recording feature could be for doctors to video tape surgeries and then stream to students for

learning possibilities.

Reflection

It was very hard to try to find an emerging technology that was on stream for no more

than a year. Everytime I thought I found one and did some research, it turned out being older

than a year. It was not until the blackboard collaborate session that I realised that my method of

searching may not have turned up any leads as I was using the wrong forum to do my research.

Initially what I did was searched google for terms like ‘emerging technology’.

What I should have been doing was searching in forums such as ‘kickstarter.com.’ There

were a lot of devices and gadgets there but the difficult thing was finding something that was

relevant to the Instructional Design field. Eventually though I stumbled upon the Shima and as I

sit here and reflect, I am actually not quite sure how I found it. I did look at other smart glasses

but they has their debut over a year ago. The Shima even though its intial start up was in late

2013, an actual product has not yet officially been released as they are still waiting for funding.


This assignment has made me more aware of the many ideas in technological innovation

out there in the world. I must say I have seen things that I didn’t know could even exist. It

makes me realise that once you have an idea even though it may sound impossible, it just might

be doable. So this exercise has definitely resparked an interest in me to one day come up with my

own innovation.

Conclusion

The Instructional design field is one fraught with changes in different concepts pertaining

to the field. These changes come about because of new or redefined research on learning

theories, modalities , design methods and even emerging technologies. Subsequently, to be on

the leading edge when it comes to instructional design technology , one would have to constantly

keep abreast with the current technologies. This is useful as it affords different ways in which

instructional design can be executed.


References

Aitchanov, B.H., Satabaldiyev, A.B., & Latuta, K.N. (2013). Application of microlearning

technique and Twitter for educational purposes. Journal of Physics: Conference Series

423. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/423/1/012044

Dunleavy, M. (2014). Design principles for augmented reality learning. TechTrends: Linking

Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 58(1), 28-34. Retrieved from

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.library.open.uwi.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?

sid=399247c4-4a0f-4039-ac97-ba4e50fe5f39%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=125.

Elearning Industry (2014). Why Microlearning Is Huge And How To Be A Part Of It. Retrieved

from http://elearningindustry.com/why-microlearning-is-huge.

LAFORGE Optical (LAFORGE Optical) http://www.laforgeoptical.com/

LAFORGE Optical (Producer). (2014). LAFORGE project update 2 (Video). Available from


LAFORGE Optical (Producer). (2014). LAFORGE project update 3 (Video). Available from


The Entrepreneurs Grill. (2013). (Boston Globe) LAFORGE Optical makes its pitch. Retrieved

from http://www.boston.com/business/technology/2013/12/19/the-entrepreneurs-grill-

laforge-optical/DIqQ13jjgk85UWeo9orMIK/video.html.



http://www.laforgeoptical.com/

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