UK: Loughborough University to Introduce Hologram Lectures
The Facts
The UK's Loughborough University is set to use holographic technology to enable guests from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to lecture its fashion and management students, who reportedly prefer industry experts "beaming into a classroom to a 2D person on the wall."
Following a year of experimentation, the technology — which has so far been used to bring deceased and retired singers back to the stage — will be officially introduced into the curriculum in 2025.
The Spin
Narrative A
While the cost and technical advancement of holograms are not yet universally accessible, it's possible that they will become part of the future of learning. Conference panels and medical lab instructors have already found great success with holograms, and it's also been found to increase student engagement compared to video conferencing technology like Zoom. The in-person effect that everyone fears losing can be maintained — even if the lecturer is located thousands of miles away.
Technoskeptic narrative
Introducing hologram or augmented reality (AR) professors marks the beginning of an intangible future. While some people may like the idea of screen-projected human beings or products in their lives, it's important to understand that this comes with risks. The scary potential for this technology includes application to AR memorabilia, family photos, and other personal items. The world needs to be skeptical about this technology, and critical about when and when not to allow it into people's lives.
