Smart Glasses the Education World Was Waiting for

Google has introduced a new set of eyewear- a mass-market ubiquitous computer known as Google Glass. And no, this isn’t just any pair of cool-looking sunglasses a cool-looking actor can wear and make millions in sales from. It’s real. A computer disguised as an ordinary-looking pair of glasses. Well, sort of ordinary.

Awesome! So What Are the Features?

Google Glass features a sophisticated display with the help of lights, LED, and all sorts of reflection techniques (and of course plenty of sophisticated science) to display a screen-like image in front of the user’s eye. It also includes a touch-pad on the side of the glasses for physical navigation. A voice command is another option if the user’s hands are too busy or wearing any sort of fabric which doesn’t allow touch-control (gloves, mittens, etc). One of the most useful and coolest features is that of the 720p HD camera. Sure enough, this gives all Glass users the ability to capture images and record videos of high quality.

“Ok, Glass, tell me how you can make me a better student?”

Glass won’t answer that for you, but I can. With the help of several applications, Google Glass can make education and studying in the classroom easier. Other than Google’s own free and inbuilt applications such as Google Hangouts, Google Now, Google Plus, and Google Maps, third party developers pitched in to innovate new apps for Google Glass that further enhances its capabilities. How?

• University Professors, with the help of video recording applications can capture videos during their lesson. Now, the students won’t only have PowerPoint material and textbooks as notes, they can view a video of the lesson from the teacher’s point of view. That way, they haven’t missed out a thing in the lecture!
• Professors can open a Google Hangout conversation during the lecture and ask students who are shy or unwilling to disturb the class to send their questions in the form of a message right away. The Prof. can answer when the time is right and the method will persuade students to be better participants without any reluctance.
• Locating the university if you are a new student in a completely foreign country won’t be problem anymore. Google Map through Glass while you’re riding your bicycle will help you reach your university campus on time.
• During class, sending a note to a friend or asking, “Dude, what’s he sayin’?” won’t be easy, but an IM through Glass will allow the communication without a peep.
• Forget about taking notes on your notepad now. The Evernote App will allow you to take notes easily during the lecture in your own words. Recording a video of the lecture will certainly help to remind you what you learned in the lecture you attended two months ago.
• Word Lens is the latest translator app introduced in Nov, 2013. Foreign students, this is certainly good news for you! Translate your instructor’s foreign language to better understand the lectures pronto!
• Extra classroom content can be viewed during the lecture.
• A recent application developed by a student called Speech Helper allows you to send text documents and PowerPoint presentations to Glass. This will enable professors as well as students while presenting to read notes and help delivering their speech, presentation, debate, etc.
• Teachers who are checking and marking assignment, exams, or reports can, after checking and grading the work, record a video of their feedback. They can provide detailed explanations of why their questions were wrong and how to improve them in future.
• News alerts from CNN or The New York Times will keep students updated with current affairs and be able to participate better in class with the latest information.

The article is written by:

Anais John. She is a career consultant who loves to share her expertise on leadership program, career path. Presently, she’s working for an online service that helps learners who come their way asking, “can you help me do my essay?”