The new Horizon Report 2010 has some interesting projected trends…
At the EDUCAUSE ELI 2010 conference in Austin, TX this week, the folks at New Media Consortium shared some interesting trends from their recently released 2010 Horizon Report. As noted in their projected trends, notice some of the following across anticipated years until adoption:
One year of less: Mobile computing and Open Content. For many of us this is no surprise. Mobiles are everywhere and these authors confirm that these include cellphones, netbooks, smartbooks and other devices that offer the “form and function” of many laptops/desktops. So, we are on the go and we have access everywhere. Sounds like this will be fueled by the continued growth of wifi access and multiple applications that run on these tools. Access to Open Content is also be an encouraging trend that supports what many educators have been doing by exploiting the power of widely available tools on the web. As these authors contend, “the notion of open content is to take advantage of the Internet as a global dissemination platform for collective knowledge and wisdom, and to design learning experiences that maximize the use of it”.
Two – Three Years: Electronic Books and Simple Augmented Reality. This is another exciting trend. The growth of e-books has been amazing and, as such, often seems to include new functions and tools. Several upcoming announcements from major technology players indicates that we may finally see more functions in these tools such as color highlighting and background screens, enhanced multimedia functions, faster processing and even the ability to create material. Wider access to digital books will also be available. The second trend here, simple augmented reality, offers (in my opinion) a promising opportunity for educators. As these authors note, this has been popular in many game based websites. But the opportunity here to maximize a virtual environment to teach a task, share an experience, or extend an opportunity are amazing. This will be important for those with disabilities that are confined by limits in their mobility.
Three – Four Years: Gesture-Based Computing and Visual Data Analysis. For those of us who use data in our work, the latter of these will be quite helpful…offering opportunities to explore and share information through visual means. However, the trend in gesture-based computing supports so many opportunities for the future. Here we see the continued expansion of all those “cool” functions that make computing quick and “to the touch”. Think about how convenient access is on your iTouch with the touch of your finger. This close responsiveness to the computer by human touch or gesture interaction will continue to evolve in many applications. Again these authors note, “The distance between the user and the machine decreases and the sense of power and control increases when the machine responds to movements that feel natural.” I see these developments as extremely empowering for many individuals who have lost their physical capabilities or range of motion.
These are exciting times for realizing the power of technology in teaching and learning.