Increased interaction will be a core component of the future classroom. Children in blended and online learning programs already benefit from top-rate educational materials that students in more traditional schools may not be able to access. As technology moves beyond being merely a vehicle for content distribution, however, something amazing is happening: we’re creating an extended learning community where students can benefit from the curiosity and ingenuity of their peers—no matter how far apart they may be from one another.

Imagine a student at a big-city school collaborating on a history project with another child who is located in a more remote setting. Or the 4th-grader who aspires to be an astronaut getting feedback on her science fair entry from a NASA engineer. And the integration of state-of-the-art technologies such as VR and AR into the classroom will take learning to an even higher level. What if an elementary school art class no longer had to settle for reading about the rich cultural treasures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? What if they could virtually tour the ancient city of Petra, and afterwards discuss it with students based in Jordan? Technologies such as these will allow those children to access immersive educational experiences from thousands of miles away—experiences that were the stuff of science fiction just a few decades ago.

Read the full article about designing the classroom of the future by Caroline Vander Ark at Getting Smart.