The Horizon Report 2009 K-12 Edition Technologies on the Horizon

The Horizon Report Sponsored by the New Media Consortium

The Horizon Report 2009 K-12 Edition Seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching and learning.

Emerging Technologies Technologies that are likely to be accepted in the mainstream of K-12 teaching and learning: In the next year2-3 years out4-5 years out Collaborative Environments Cloud ComputingSmart Objects Online Communication Tools MobilesThe Personal Web

Collaborative Environments Examples:

Collaborative Environments Features Multiple people can work within them synchronous / asynchronous Users can leave evidence of their thoughts and reflections of the thinking of others Users can support each other anytime/anywhere

Collaborative Environments Relevance to Teaching and Learning Foster teamwork and collaboration Practice critical thinking in a more or less public forum (benefit from seeing peers work and the critique of their own). Assessing constructivist learning goals made easier because the ability to archive conversations and versions of work.

Online Communication Tools Examples:

Online Communication Tools Features Widely used by professionals Synchronous / Asynchronous Text, Audio, Video One-to-One, One-to Many, Many to Many Allows dialog that is not bound by place or time

Online Communication Tools Relevance to Teaching and Learning Allows students to… Experience learning in multiple modes Make connections with others around the world Share ideas with others Access information and learn about something at the most teachable of moments… when they are curious about it.

Cloud Computing Examples:

Cloud Computing Features: Distributing computing power, applications and large systems among many machines Inexpensive Data Storage Applications can be ran on a low powered browser ready device. Shifting how we think about applications and data storage.

Cloud Computing Relevance to Teaching and Learning Provides students and teachers access to low cost alternative to desktop applications. Accessible anywhere

Mobiles Examples: iPhone Windows Mobile Google Android

Mobiles Features: Ability to record audio, video and images SMS Gamining GPS Not just a phone, most applications available have nothing to do with making a phone call.

Mobiles Features: Internet Access “By 2020 most people in the world will be using a mobile device as their primary means of connecting to the Internet.” -Pew Internet & American Life Project

Mobiles Relevance to Teaching and Learning: Always Available: Possibly what our vision of 1-to-1 computing will become. 3rd party applications create nearly infinite possibilities for education, networking and personal productivity.

Poll Link to poll here

Critical Challenges Growing need for instruction in information/technology/visual literacy. Our students are different, but our underlying practices and materials are changing slowly. Little opportunities for students to engage in learning environments that incorporate real-life experiences.

Critical Challenges Slow adoption of technologies in K-12 that have already been integrated in other segments. KEY CHALLENGE: Learners have increasing options for learning, and most of those options are made available outside of the traditional K-12 system.

Links Horizon Report Delicious Links