Horizon report 2011 - by Alec Keith

The annual Horizon report for 2011 is now available and this year’s publication has highlighted the following six key learning and technology trends to watch, each of which is already the focus of attention at a number of innovative organisations around the world:

1. Electronic books continue to generate strong interest. Modern electronic readers support note taking and research activities, and are beginning to augment these basic functions with new capabilities — from immersive experiences to support for social media interaction.

2. Mobiles enable ubiquitous access to information, social networks, tools for learning and productivity, and much more. Mobile devices continue to evolve, but it is the increased access to affordable and reliable networks that is driving this technology now. Mobiles are capable computing devices in their own right, and they are increasingly a user’s first choice for Internet access.

3. Augmented reality refers to the layering of information over a view or representation of the normal world, offering users the ability to access place-based information in ways that are compellingly intuitive. Augmented reality brings a significant potential to supplement information delivered via e-learning, mobile devices, video, and even the printed book. It is much simpler to create and use now than in the past. To find out more about augmented reality, and what it can offer to the learner, click here for a review by Epic.

4. Game-based learning has grown in recent years as research continues to demonstrate its effectiveness as a learning tool for learners of all ages. The greatest potential of games for learning lies in their ability to foster collaboration, problem-solving and procedural thinking. At Epic we have done quite a bit of research on gaming and simulation in e-learning. To download the ‘Simulations and e-learning’ whitepaper click here.

5. Gesture-based computing moves the control of computers from a mouse and keyboard to the motions of the body, via new input devices. Depicted in science fiction movies for years, gesture-based computing is now more grounded in reality thanks to the recent arrival of interface technologies such as Kinect, Sixth Sense and Tamper, which make interactions far more intuitive and embodied, creating new instructional design approaches.

6. Learning analytics, although still some way off, will loosely join a variety of data gathering tools and analytic techniques to study learner engagement, performance and progress in practice, with the goal of using what is learned to revise content and assessment. Building on the kinds of information generated by Google Analytics and other similar tools, learning analytics aims to mobilise the power of data-mining tools in the service of learning, generating targeted, user specific learning options in real time.

To view the entire report click here