TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN HIGHER AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

Technology is part of almost every aspect of our lives. It has become an important tool for business, medicine and education. Mobile technology has made some amazing breakthroughs in the past 10 years, and more higher education institutions are incorporating mobile access in their programs. As more people access the internet through their mobile devices educators are recognizing the need for mobile applications. These devices include smart phones and laptops. Walk into almost any college classroom and you'll see students with laptops in use. Instructors and students are using these devices to keep up on their studies, engage in real time chat rooms, and share files. For the online student, mobile access means being more connected to their fellow students and instructors Online classes, distance learning and integration of online curriculum in the classroom setting is an important trend to be aware of. More colleges and universities are recognizing the opportunities online learning presents their students and their school. Today's students are more goal orientated and don't want to sit in a lecture hall. They want to be hands on and get their degrees quickly. Online learning lets students progress at their own pace and gives them valuable technology skills they can use in the real world (adulteducationtrends.com, 2012). This paper discusses the impact that technology has made in the realm of education. Literature will be viewed regarding mobile learning in higher and continuing education, samples will be given. the paper then will discuss the implications of the literature review and conclusion will be drawn and recommendation and suggestion will be provided