I reviewed the Horizon Report created by the New Media Consortium and EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. The Horizon report’s specified audience is “higher education” but their predictions could be applied to a range of scenarios. (For example, game-based learning is used in corporate learning, and learning analytics is used in projects like School of One for […]
Continue reading What’s on the Horizon? Posted in: Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
To the average educator, the pace at which new technologies appear may be overwhelming. The 2011 Horizons report has narrowed down the number of technologies judged most likely to impact teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in higher education over the next 4 years, from a list of 50 to a more manageable top 6. SUMMARY […]
Continue reading NMC 2011 Horizons Report: A critical analysis Posted in: Week 02: The Edtech Marketplace
Hi Karen,
I’d be interested to hear which of the technologies make the cut in your pro-d presentation, and if possible, bring these ideas to your North Van home for the teachers there. NMC’s Web version is amazing, isn’t it?!
Kyle
I too appreciate the breadth of the Horizon report (but like the Navigator even more now that I have explored the site) and we have used it in our department planning meetings when selecting what tools we would include in our blended learning projects. I will definitely look for the K-12 edition you are referring too. Thanks for pointing that out.
Karen Jones,
Interesting report. However, do you think the 6 selected technologies with be significant globally or just in a few locations? Even though it qualitatively done, I would really like to see some stats to get a better understanding of what actually took place and reasons for decision taken.
It is interesting that they focus on higher education versus K-12. Wondering if that is a more economically viable environment? or is that where many of the technological changes are seen?
Hi Deb, I was wondering the same thing. I posted a critique about ELI’s 7 Things you should know about… and I had the same sense….
Karen, About your ideas, I also read the NMC report and two things that kept my attention was that they specified who were behind this report and that its focus is global.
Angela
Before you publish your posting, please make sure that you select a category (eg. Introductions) as well as assign some meaningful tags (keywords).
schiong 10:57 am on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi ,
I find multimedia very useful in teaching concepts (computer, programming, math, science, etc).
When I was in college long long time ago, I had difficult time memorizing and understanding the OSI layers. Then our instructor decided to let us watch a movie … It was a 3D animation explaining how the OSI layer works. hahaha .. Then, I was able to get it.
andrea 7:34 pm on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Stephen, I definitely see the value of multimedia for teaching as well. I guess that embedding videos directly into a text not only helps illustrate new concepts but also provides for a cohesive learner experience. My thinking in this question was around whether or not that’s really a *new* thing for ed tech, or just a slightly different format of what web and lots of online courses already did. However, writing a book and including multimedia resources would be different than creating a course… so perhaps I’ve answered my own question here 🙂
verenanz 12:14 pm on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Andrea…
About e-books – They haven’t really appealed to me personally primarily because I have an Iphone and the text is so small….but also because when I tried to download the software, in order to have access to e-books through the public library…I could not distinguish between which software was needed for some, and other software for others…
Right now…e-books are too complicated for me…
Kids: Well my kids are in primary school.and they only like interactive, visually appealing e-books. Anything that looks like a book – is a book to them. E-book or not, they don’t distinguish.
So…until the software becomes easier…until I have access to an Ipad and until the books are more visually interactive….I will look at alternatives.
I agree that everything changes at such a rapid rate that I could be wrong….How exciting that would be!
Verena:)
kstooshnov 10:48 am on September 16, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Verena,
I found an interesting post on eBooks’ potential from British author Nick Hornby, written a few years ago (before iPads were on the market, hence his comment about Apple’s disinterest and why eBooks remain uncool) that are similar to your, and many other’s, concerns over this technology.
Kyle
andrea 10:46 pm on September 17, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the link, Kyle. I found his assertion that “Book-lovers are always late adaptors, and generally suspicious of new technology” interesting.
Everton Walker 12:40 pm on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Multimedia is definitely the way to go in the modern classroom at all levels. I do rate the ebook concept highly as it allows one to move around with virtual libraries and databases of information. Everything is going at a fast pace in the modern world and persons need information on the go. The patience doesn’t exist anymore to sit in a library for hours to acquire information from texts. The major drawback is that only a chosen few really have access to this technology. Developing and underdeveloped countries are always playing catch up to developed countries and may finally catch up with the ebook frenzy in the distant future.
andrea 7:29 pm on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Everton, good point about being able to access virtual libraries and databases as part of the ebook experience. I can definitely see the value that provides.
bcourey 4:05 pm on September 15, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I am an e-book converter..all it took was a surcharge on my luggage weight when I travelled with so many books on my vacations. All I take now is my wee little Sony ereader with my ebooks loaded and I am a happy beach-bum! I am finding our students are really taking to some of their e-text books too..one of our secondary departments is giving it a go and the students prefer their lighter book bags!
Doug Smith 9:13 pm on September 17, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Your experience parallels mine very closely. My main impetus for getting an ereader was for taking on trips. There is nothing like lugging around three large and bulky books and finishing them all before you get home again. I also bought a Sony reader, the PRS-300. I love the size and that I can carry it in many (not all) of my pockets.
I believe that eBooks are outselling regular books in the publishing business. Like it or not, the ebook is transforming education right now. Even in its most generic manifestation, such as a direct copy of a textbook, the ebook offers advantages in areas such as storage, depreciation and mobility. Access to the devices required to use ebooks will be the limiting factor in their use.
khenry 2:38 pm on September 18, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I am relatively new to using e-books but am already a fan like from the ease of portability as many of you already cited.
One of my desires, like Verenanz’s children is for a more interactive experience. This is an area I would like to see developed.
Kerry-Ann