6 Technologies That Will Shape Higher Ed

In collaboration with the Educause Learning Initiative, the New Media Consortium has released the NMC Horizon Report: 2012 Higher Education Edition. This annual report identifies technologies that are likely to have a major impact on education within the next five years. The researchers and analysts working on this report focused on technologies that have the potential to “break down linguistic and cultural barriers, make education more affordable and efficient, open up new modes of learning, improve students’ chances of success and satisfaction in school, and connect us with the everyday objects in our lives.” This report not only identifies technologies to watch, it offers examples of how they are being used and recommended readings. In addition, the report identifies technology-oriented challenges facing higher education.

Technologies to Watch

Each of the following technologies aligns with three adoption horizons. The near-term horizon assumes that the technology will enter mainstream education within the next 12 months; the mid-term horizon within 2-3 years; and the far-term within 4-5 years.

Near-term Horizon

Mobile apps – small and simple pieces of software that do one thing, or a few things really well.

Tablet computing – due to their portability, large display and touchscreens, tablets are ideal for sharing content, videos, images and presentations.

Mid-term Horizon

Game-based learning – open ended, challenge-based, and collaborative games engage students in problem solving, communication, critical thinking, and digital literacy.

Learning analytics – combining a wide range of data produced by students and gathered on behalf of students to assess academics and tailor educational opportunities.

Far-term Horizon

Gesture-based computing – allows users to engage in virtual activities that do not rely on specific languages but  with motions and movements, common to all cultures, that are similar to what they use in the real world.

The Internet of Things – the evolution of smart objects that connect the physical world with the world of information.

Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States, 2011

It's that time of year again when The Sloan Online Survey results are released. This annual report focuses on online learning in higher education. Since the initial report in 2002, the series was named in recognition of the support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This year, in addition to the Sloan Consortium; Kaplan University, Inside Higher Ed, and Pearson have offered to support the continuation of these reports.

The current report, Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States, 2011 found that:

*65% of higher educational institutions now report that online learning is critical part of their long-term strategy

*Over 6.1 million students were taking at least one online course

*The number of higher ed students taking online courses increased by 10% from the year before

*67% of academic leaders believe that learning outcomes in online education are the same or superior to those in face-to-face

*The percentage of faculty members who accept online education as a viable form of learning is less than one-third

*Most training for online teaching in higher ed takes place internally

Infographic for the Report

How Exactly are Students Using Technology?

It’s clear that today’s students rely heavily on electronic devices even when they’re not incorporated in the classroom. In one survey of college students, 38% said they couldn’t even go 10 minutes without switching on some sort of electronic device.

But how students are using their devices, how technology is affecting their educational experience, and what effect it has on their well-being are questions that are harder to answer. In the infographic below, online higher education database Onlineeducation.net has summed up some of the existing research on these points.


Via: OnlineEducation.net

2010 Horizon Report

2010 Horizon Report
The annual Horizon Report describes the continuing work of the New Media Consortium (NMC)’s Horizon Project , a long-running qualitative research project that seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, research, or creative expression within learning-focused organizations. The 2010 Horizon Report is the seventh annual report in the series.
In reading the 2010 Horizon Report, you will explore the four key trends selected for 2010 which are key in driving technology:

• The abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators in sense-making, coaching, and credentialing

• People expect to be able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want to

• The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based, and our notions of IT support are decentralized.

• The work of students is increasingly seen as collaborative by nature, and there is more cross-campus collaboration between departments.