The Horizon Report

                                           

                                                  The Magic Has Unfolded

                    Like sand through the hour glass so are the days of our lives;

                   Exploring, teaching, and interacting with technology.

                  Technology has opened the eyes, as we guide our young minds;

                 Guiding them, in this 21st global connecting world.

                  We have a vision and also a mission;

                Providing comprehensive, technologically, enhanced learning

                                            experience, for our students.

                                              On your marks, get set, GO!

                 The Magic has unfolded as we keep technology current in our noble

                                                                 CLASSROOMS.

                                    

What is the Horizon Report?

As I read the Horizon Reports, I “magically” saw technology unfolded. I closely paid attention to the years 2008, 2009, 2010.  I was eager to discover what the Horizon Report is. This report describes the continuing work of the New Media Consortium’s Horizon Project, a qualitative research project established in 2002 that identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative inquiry on college and university campuses within the next five years. http://wp.nmc.org. Each year the Horizon Advisory Board studies, discovers and positions the most outstanding trends that affect the teaching- learning environment, and the inventive communications. They get their reviews from the media, articles, and globally, to discover developing or ongoing trends. These trends are rank according to their popularity and what might influence education through the use of technology in the next five (5) years.

What are the noticable Trends?

I mainly focused on thenumber one trends for years 2008, 2009, and 2010.

For the year 2008 the number one (1) trend – “The growing use of Web2.0 and social networking- combined with collective intelligence and mass amateurization.”

For the year 2009 the number one (1) trend –“Increasing globalization continues to affect the way we work, collaborate and communicate.”

                                                                    

For the year 2010 the number one (1) trend- “The abundance of resources and relationships made accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators in sense-making, coaching and credentialing”

                                      

The Advisory board seemed to do very thorough research each year. I notice that for these three consecutive years there has  always been an expansion to  technology and how it affects or will affect education.

How accurate are their near projection?

On a scale of one to ten, I have given the projection eight (8). I do see accuracy in their projection. Clearly I see the growing use of Web 2.0 and social networking. Web 2.0 and social networking are here to stay. Nowadays, our students come to our classroom with a presence on Facebook, the latest concert as a podcast on their MP3 player, and experience playing games in virtual worlds. In some respects, students are more tech-savvy than their Information Systems professors. Research showing the benefits of collaborative learning is being conducted across disciplines. Definitely globalization continues to increase and affect the way we work, collaborate and communicate.” Bearing in mind that we are exposed to different cultures, therefore the onus is on us as educators to integrate and use technology in the classrooms so that our students will not be isolated but connected to this global society.  Truly we have been introduced to an abundance of resources and relationships made accessible via the Internet which has been increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators in sense-making, coaching and recording.  Endless technology workshops and courses keep us up to date with the internet and causing us to have an interactive teaching- learning environment rather than a controlled teacher- centered environment. Within any planning or project you have some setbacks and concerns.  Will there be a significant impact on education with the use of technology in the next five years? Are schools and school districts working toward that goal? Are teachers well trained and equip to move with the change?

Where do we go from here – Are we ready for the task that lies ahead?   

These trends can be used as guidelines in creating a technology plan. Note that the trends are created based on current and substantial discoveries through the voices of the people or society. Therefore technology plans should support the views of the society so that the goals set will be accomplished. Schools and school districts must endeavor to provide the BEST possible tools and the most upshot training for teachers and administrators. I think it would be feasible to incorporate both the trends and classroom web 2.0, keeping technology current in schools. Using the Horizon Report will actually give us an important feedback of use of the internet or the World Wide Web. A strong, safe understanding of technology and its application are essential to develop a well-educated student.