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Cal State Dominguez Hills Approves First Large-Scale Test of Google Glass

It hasn't been determined how many professors in total will employ the devices -- eye-wear with a camera and microphone -- or how they'll be used.

Dozens of Cal State Dominguez Hills students and professors could be sporting head-mounted computers this spring after the university agreed to become the first in the nation to test Google Glass in a large-scale pilot program.

The campus has already purchased 20 pairs of the device, which will be used in the College of Business Administration and Public Policy come spring 2015.

It hasn't been determined how many professors in total will employ the devices -- eye-wear with a camera and microphone -- or how they'll be used.

Some intriguing ideas broached so far include:

  • Remote one-on-one teaching sessions
  • Retina scans to help identify exam-takers
  • Recording lectures in real-time
  • Online lectures streamed directly to Google Glass
  • Accessibility for students with visual, auditory and other disabilities
  • Virtual office hours for students taking online classes
"This wearable technology could become a very useful tool for supporting student learning," said College of Business Administration Dean Joseph Wen.

The faculty chairs' council, he said, "believes the technology may improve small group collaborations, enhance the quality of virtual office hours, collect real-time feedback on student learning and allow students to stay engaged in class."

The campus is working with Glassic, a company that creates platforms for using Google Glass.

When Google Glass was introduced last year, it promised to revolutionize the interactive experience -- surgeons are using the device to stream and record operations, for example -- but it was also criticized by some as intrusive and a threat to privacy.

Dominguez Hills officials had no information on whether use of the devices would be limited on campus.

©2014 the Los Angeles Times