Shock of the New: The Challenge and Promise of Emerging Technology

Find the Leading Edge in a Disrupted World.

Planning our response to disruption seems impossible. Most new and emerging technologies have been in development for decades, but as soon as they land on our doorstep, they inspire “the shock of the new.” How do you, as a learning professional, prepare for what you don't know is coming? How do you judge what is important and what is just a fad?

In Shock of the New: The Challenge and Promise of Emerging Learning Technologies, Chad Udell and Gary Woodill create a new framework for anticipating emerging learning technologies, outlining six key perspectives you should consider with any new technology. They examine some of the day's most commonly discussed emerging technologies and pose the questions that will point the way to your own strategy. These insights aren't limited to specific applications; they give you an approach you can apply to any new tech coming your way, so you're always braced for the shock of the new.

Udell and Woodill optimistically point out that emerging technologies will help us make sense of our increasingly complex world; many more changes will occur over the next decade, so buckle up! What was once science fiction has just become real―and now is your opportunity to be on the leading edge.

About the Authors

As managing director of Float, Chad Udell designs, develops, and manages interactive web and mobile projects. Chad has worked with industry-leading Fortune 500 companies and government agencies to design and develop award-winning experiences. Chad is recognized as an expert in mobile design and development, and he speaks regularly at national and international events and conferences on related topics. Chad is author of Learning Everywhere: How Mobile Content Strategies Are Transforming Training and co-editor, with Gary Woodill, of Mastering Mobile Learning: Tips and Techniques for Success.

Gary Woodill is a senior analyst with Float Mobile Learning and CEO of i5 Research. He has been involved with computers in education since 1974, when he was introduced to the PLATO system for computer-assisted instruction in his master's studies. Gary has a doctorate in applied psychology from the University of Toronto. In the early 1990s, he co-founded an educational multimedia company that developed educational CD-ROMs for children and later designed an adaptable LMS. Gary has developed more than 60 online courses for various corporate clients. He is co-author of Training and Collaboration with Virtual Worlds: How to Create Cost-Saving, Efficient and Engaging Programs, author of The Mobile Learning Edge: Tools and Technologies for Developing Your Teams, as well as author of numerous articles, research reports, and white papers on emerging learning technologies. He and Chad Udell co-edited Mastering Mobile Learning: Tips and Techniques for Success.