Attachment

One day soon, he or she might be able to look at data collected from a smartwatch--with your permission--to see how you're sleeping and how your active heart rate differs from your resting heart rate. Instead of going into an office to get blood drawn, you could get your blood tested instead at a convenient place in your neighborhood--maybe at your local pharmacy--that sends the results directly to your doctor. And if you move to another state, you could still see the same primary care physician you've trusted for years. These are all real possibilities in the future. There will always be health care specialties that require in-person visits--I can't imagine a future where a robot removes your appendix in your living room--but most routine care will eventually be something you can do from the comfort of your own home. *** I don't, however, think that virtual alternatives will replace existing structures in K-12 education the way they are likely to in office work and health care. But change is coming to education all the same. Although the COVID pandemic made it clear that young people learn best when they can work face-to-face with their teachers, digitization will lead to new tools that supplement what happens in the classroom. If you were the parent of a school-age child during the pandemic, chances are you became very familiar with the concepts of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning attempts to mimic the normal experience of going to school: A teacher uses a videoconferencing service to teach a class live, and students can jump in to ask questions, just like in a real classroom. This will remain a good option for many postsecondary students, especially those who require more flexibility. But I don't see synchronous K-12 learning