Virtualisation and the late age of schools

The widespread adoption and use of networked computers in the twenty-first century is also likely to lead to challenges to existing institutions. The particular aspect of this challenge, which we discuss in this article, is the use of networked computers in school education. While we do not argue that schools will disappear, it is likely that some of teachers' existing skills will become redundant with computer technology, and that new skills will be required. In addition, for at least some students, face to face teaching will be replaced by 'virtualisation', a scenario in which computerbased work is undertaken outside the conventional classroom context. This may be the Late Age of Schools, a period spanning several decades in which school education as we have known it changes beyond recognition.