2010 Horizon Report: Key Emerging Technologies
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It is amazing how far we have come in terms of technological developments and to think the Jetsons had it all J. In my review of the Horizon Report, I was surprised to see the many new educational technologies that are out there and are being used; to be honest, as an educator I felt unprepared and overwhelmed. The 2010 Horizon report is the latest in a series of influential yearly publications identifying technologies that are likely to have an impact on teaching, learning, research or creative expression in education around the globe within the next five years. The report in each of its edition identifies six budding technologies or practices that are likely to enter mainstream use in schools within three adoption horizons spread. Each report also express critical trends and challenges that will affect teaching and learning over the same time frame. The Report addresses four trends as key drivers of learning technology from now until 2015. These trends include: A transition from shortage to abundance in both learning content and the ability to connect people and materials via the Web, the expectations of anytime/anywhere learning opportunities, the move away from a centrally managed and controlled information technology infrastructure to cloud based learning and collaboration tools and the emergence of a social learning model that emphasizes collaboration and inter-disciplinary work. In addition to these key drivers, the report goes on to identify four critical challenges to higher education. These challenges include: the need to insure that higher education prepares students for systematic and creative work and the need to instill digital media literacy as a core competency across disciplines for all students. From these trends and challenges a set of six technologies to observe emerge….. Mobile computing, Open contents, augmented reality, Electronic books, Gesture based computing, Visual Data Analysis.
The Horizon Report provides very valuable insight into emerging trends for educational technologies and in helping educational planners. Based on the report I believe proactive educational leaders can benefit significantly from the Horizon Report methodologies, creating a structured opportunity for colleagues to discuss the most important trends and learning technologies.
It is evident that the use of computer technology and the growing access to educational resources through the Internet are requiring educators to rethink how they teach and help students to prepare for life and to work in the coming decades. What was even more evident is that as teachers we’re really not ready. We are logging behind in the use of these technologies that are available and the thought is scary, especially when I think of schools like mine. The reality is we are preparing these children for technology we don’t yet know about, for jobs that don’t even exist as yet.
In examining the Report I had a lot of questions….Mobile computing, Open contents, Augmented reality, Electronic books, Gesture based computing, Visual Data Analysis…..are we prepared as educators? Are we familiarizing ourselves with these technological advances or are we hanging on to old habits? Educators have been under increasing pressure to learn how to teach about and teach with new technological tools. Over the past 15 years, the typical workplace has been transformed by computer technology, are our kids ready?
The guiding mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is that every public school student will graduate from high school, globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the 21st century. But how are we doing this? Currently all software installation is done by the county office. How are we entrusted to prepare students for 21st century we aren’t even allowed to install simple computer software. I looked at one of their main objectives “Every student will be enrolled in a course of study designed to prepare them to stay ahead of international competition”. http://www.ncptsc.org/boardrecsandgoals.pdf and thought of countries like China and India, who are far ahead of the game compared to America in terms of preparing their kids for the future. In assessing the current system I believe we spend so much time focusing on the wrong things. To really be serious we need to be moving with the technology rather than playing catch up. This report was an eye opener.
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More than agree with your point, in the States, teachers spend more time in things that can be important but no preparing them for the real world, which is contradictory to many of the districts' missions and visions, and if it is not now when? I like your post.
ReplyDeletePersonally I know I am unprepared for these new advances....I am still trying to learn the old ones, but I certainly embrace any technology that will help me as a person and as a teacher develop and as such I am looking forward to learning more about the technologies identified in the report.
ReplyDeleteIn assessing the current system I believe we spend so much time focusing on the wrong things. To really be serious we need to be moving with the technology rather than playing catch up. This report was an eye opener.
ReplyDeleteAn eye opener indeed! As you mentioned the report was indeed overwhelming but it gave us much to think about - a window into the future. This is what we will be faced with as educators and administrators. There's bno waiting around anymore we must be prepared for this, it is inevitable.
Michelle - you are asking some powerful questions...questions that in many ways moved Jon and I to design this course. I have used the Shift Happens video many times in the past couple of years. It was developed by two people whose blogs I read and who I Twitter with - Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. In a small way, this course is moving the next generation of school leaders to think differently (I hope).
ReplyDeleteAnd I chuckled to myself as I read your post. The train in the background reminded me of the old joke that sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is really an oncoming train!
Good job!
ReplyDeleteYou found the same information I did and you got inspiration in a very different and enriching way. It is very complex to show all details needed until 2015 technology apprehension in somehow fulfilled. Nevertheless the learning opportunities are awaiting!