Aggregated learning: The Second Digital Decade

Aggregated learning is predicted to see a rise during the ‘Second Digital Decade’, along with ambient sensing and nascent technology, according to Dr. Shawn DuBravac, chief economist of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).

At the 2016 Consumer Technology Show, Dr DuBravac presented the state of the consumer technology industry, highlighting the trends to watch.

He claimed that it is technology in the hands of society that is driving the consumerisation of learning, stating the future is all about digits and data, as we see learners accessing materials in increasingly digital ways. 

Dr DuBravac believes that the Second Digital Decade is driven by three key trends; aggregated learning, as well as ambient sensing and nascent technology.

Aggregated learning consists of predictive and customised experiences based upon personal actions, which occurs by allowing access to our environment. 

When users allow their devices to access to their surroundings, sensors are able to record time of day, biorhythms and moods, by constantly collecting and storing information.

A report by the CTA claims that we are starting to change the way we interact, with systems now sharing information across devices. For example, mobile phones share information with the entire systems, such as syncing meeting calendars across devices.

Some 51 per cent of technology buys are now either mobile phones, televisions or personal computers, which allow learners to access information on multiple platforms.

Dr DuBravac revealed that 88 per cent of US consumers have a computer in their home and there are 330 million mobile phone users in the US alone. 

He stated that ambient sensing is the conversion of analog data to digital data, allowing us to count steps and calories for example, and place them within context. Nascent technology, on the other hand, often come in the form of wearables, drones and 3D printers.