2011 Horizon Report

I recently read the 2011 Horizon Report which identifies and describes six emerging technologies likely to have a significant global impact over the next five years.  The technologies identified this year include electronic books, mobiles, augmented reality, game-based learning, gesture-based computing, and learning analytics.  Much to my surprise, I found the report both interesting and engaging in addition to containing an abundance of useful resources.  Since the Horizon Report focuses on the higher education environment, I am curious as to how these trends translate to K-12 public education which is my field.  If there is a similar report that addresses these trends in K-12 education, I would appreciate knowing about it.  Perhaps there is little difference between the trends/timing for higher ed and K-12.

I feel that the two near-term horizon technologies, eBooks and mobiles, are already making a significant impact in the classroom in my district.  Students use iPod Touch devices across all grade levels and content areas for research, direct instruction, projects, and many other activities. On p.14 of the Horizon Report, the 100 Most Educational iPhone Apps provides a list of educational apps that any teacher integrating mobiles will find useful.

eBooks have just started to gain momentum in our district with the use of online textbooks and a variety of eReader apps available for iPods and iPads.  Classroom Kindle sets have also been purchased at two district schools thus far.  I believe the use of eBooks will grow significantly in education in the near future as a result of more academic titles becoming available and the fact that publishers have begun to “uncouple print and electronic sales of textbooks.” (p.9)  I agree with the Horizon Report that the content and social interactivity available in eBooks are the keys to their popularity as opposed to the devices themselves.  There are numerous “Reader” devices available in the market today that perform similar functions.  I personally prefer the multifunction devices, like the Apple iPad.  The more things I can accomplish with one device, the better!  

There are a number of challenges with moblie devices in K-12 education from an IT standpoint.  One challenge is providing a one-to-one student-to-device ratio.  With today’s budget constraints, funding for the devices is not currently available and will likely not be available in the near future.  Grant opportunities are a possibility.  A second challenge is the use of personal mobile devices by students. The one-to-one ratio could be achieved if this were allowed, but at the present time the school district in which I work does not allow personal devices (teacher or student) to access the school network, and most schools have a no cell phone/mobile policy for students due to the fear of students using the devices for purposes other than education and disrupting or not paying attention to instruction.  On p.3 of the Horizon Report the point is made that, “...individual organizational constraints are likely the most important factor in any decision to adopt...any given technology.”  I see these organizational constraints first-hand.

In addition to organizational constraints, K-12 education must adhere to federal privacy laws regarding students and families (FERPA) and the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) among other laws.  CIPA requires that students have filtered and logged Internet access in K-12 public schools.  If students come to school with  personal mobile devices or eBooks equipped with wireless access from outside sources (3G, 4G), Internet access is unfiltered, and the school system has no means of filtering or logging student activity.  The only way that mobile devices can be configured to the district’s network to comply with federal law is for the devices to be purchased and managed by the school division.

The Horizon report lists Augmented Reality and Game-Based learning as mid-term horizon technologies with the time to adoption being two to three years.  Interestingly both of these technologies are widely used on mobile devices. The visual and interactive nature of AR along with the use of real world spaces creates a highly engaging learning experience for today’s digital natives. I have limited experience with AR, but on the two occasions where I have completed an AR activity and the one time I was able to work with AR software, I was fully engaged and motivated.  Being able to use AR when visiting historical locations tagged with information that allows learners to see pictures and information from the past seems like an excellent way to bring history to life and provide the real world connection that educators strive to make.

Game-Based learning can include anything from simple paper-and-pencil games to massively multiplayer online (MMO) games.  In my 22 years as an educator I have used both non-digital and digital games with students and find them to be highly motivating and engaging.  My students particularly enjoyed using Jeopardy-type games for content review in collaborative teams.  Many students also enjoy the competitiveness of games and put forth a great deal of effort to win. According to the 2011 Horizon Report, “...as game designers continue to explore new ways to integrate serious topics and content area in engaging formats, gaming will become more useful and prevalent in higher education.”  I concur that gaming will become more prevalent in the educational setting, and the trick will be to embed content and skills in such a way that learners don’t perceive the game as formal learning.  Simulation Games for Business Students is a clever use of an “off-the-shelf” game in education.

The far term horizon technologies of Gesture Based Computing and Learning Analytics are not areas that are currently on my radar with the exception of my use of iPod Touch and iPad devices, our family Wii, my son’s X-Box Kinect, and a UDraw Tablet used by an Art teacher at one of the schools I serve.  I look forward to the future of Gesture Based Computing and see great promise in its use for students with disabilities.  Learning Analytics is certainly a powerful tool, but I have concerns regarding the misuse/overuse of data in education.  Data doesn’t always tell the whole story, but when used in conjunction with personal student interaction, it can be very helpful in determining an appropriate learning path.  I typically find that getting to know a student and working with a student individually gives me the most useful data.