E-education 3.0: Challenges and opportunities for the future of iCampuses

In our exciting world of pervasive computing and always-available mobile internet, meeting the educational needs of students has seen a growing trend toward collaborative electronic and mobile learning systems that build on the vision of Web 2.0. However, other trends relevant to modern students must not be ignored, including data freedom, brokerage and interconnectivity. Such factors are associated with the Internet of Things and the vision for Web 3.0, and so include the needs for greater consideration of data context and educational personalization so important to the future of campus-based, distance and vocational study. Therefore, future education can be expected to require a deeper technological connection between students and learning environments, in a manner requiring significant use of sensors, mobile devices, cloud computing and rich-media visualization. This paper considers the challenges associated with adopting such a futuristic concept as a means of enriching learning materials and environments within a university context. It will be concluded that much of the technology required to embrace the vision of Web 3.0 in education already exists, but that further research in key areas is required for the concept to achieve its full potential.