Here’s a quick overview of what we could be embracing over the next few years. The use of gesture-based computing could be quite interesting, as well as the use of learning analytics. Both bring up questions on ethics in education and how we use our digital information storage. There doesn’t seem to be a black or white response and therefore will require some careful thought and consideration during implementation and use.
Upcoming Year:
- Mobile Technologies (i.e. apps and tablets)
Two – Three Years Out:
- Game-based technologies (with collaboration and focus on user engagement)
- Learning Analytics (focus on real-time curriculum revisions)
Four to Five Years Out:
- Human gesture-based technologies (i.e. use of body movement and voice tracking instead of a mouse)
- “The Internet of Things” (i.e. connecting devices to interact with each other to communicate information to the user. Near Field Communication devices, Smart Objects are examples of this.)
Want to read the Higher Education New Horizon Report? Get it here: http://www.nmc.org/publications/horizon-report-2012-higher-ed-edition