# VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITY – THE 4TH WAVE

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality have been referred to as the ‘4th wave’ of technological innovation and change in the world of computing. The first three, namely PCs, the Internet, and mobile, have seen monumental shifts in the way that we interact, engage and communicate, with fundamental and life changing effects for us all. Think back to the end of the 20th century. We were not checking our friend’s status every few minutes, sending instant pictures and videos to our family, or checking our bank balances on our phones. These are now every day (every minute?) activities, and a natural and somewhat expected pattern of behaviour in modern society. What impact then will this 4th wave have on society in 10 or 20 years, and how will that affect the development of our children now? Where does learning with this new technology fit?
