Week 2 Readings - Horizon Report

WEEK 2 TASK:  

The Horizon Report is an annual initiative co-published by the New Media Consortium and Educause since 2004.The most recent report was released in Feb 2008 and describes 6 emerging technologies or practices that are expected to influence learning environments over the next 1 to 5 years.Visit the project wiki:
http://horizon.nmc.org/wiki/Main_PageOf key interest is not only the findings from the report - but also the development process using a wiki!

Focus questions:
Of the 6 key emerging technologies identified in the 2008 report - which are you familiar with? Review the significant trends (p.6) - how do these relate to your experiences of technology in learning contexts?

RESPONSE 

1. Grassroots Video User generated clips including mashups to create video content has become a popular medium for online personal communication. Cost-effective editing/freeware and distribution has made it easy for a new generation of amateur creatives find an audience for their work.  

Egs: You Tube, Google Video, Viddler or Blip.tv

Personally I have been familiar with You Tube and have shared You Tube clips with friends.  Through my recent exposure to Edublogs I have found the video clips an important learning tool.

Uses in the learning context:

- Collective field work can be captured on devices such as phones and cameras

- Video papers and projects can be legitimate forms of assignments

 - Sharing of video clips on collaborative learning sites such as Ning help reinforce learning

- Opinions and messages can be broadcast beyond the traditional walls of the classroom to wider audiences

 2. Collaboration Webs

Using the web as a collaborative workspace that supports a range of activities from virtual conferencing, collaborative learning/networking, assignment and assessment tasks.

Eg: Ning, Wikis, Facebook

I have been aware of Facebook and My Space but until did this course did not think of them as legitimate opportunities for collaboration or learning.  

Uses in the learning context:

- Collective sharing, monitoring and support of learner 0r work grouped around common interests and ideas

- Geographics no longer impact on collaboration as interaction can occur online anywhere in the world at any time

- Uses include student work, research, collaborative teaching, writing and authoring, funding grant proposals

- Cost of entry is low due to availability of freeware. Also tech support is low due to use of web and no installs.

- Multitude of enhancement options are available online to support learning and share info such as RSS feeds and Widgets

- Personal portfolio of work can be available in online in one location for assessment. This portfolio and online social contacts made during the collaboration process can be kept for perpetuity if the student wishes.

3. Mobile Broadband

Hand held mobile devices such as mobile phones, PDAs which have full web browsers, video players and document editors.  I am familiar with these devices however at present have a mobile phone with limited functionality due to where I live having no mobile phone reception (yes this is Australia in 2008!).

Uses in the learning context:

- Mobile phones can be used to take notes and photos during fieldwork and during lectures. Also for interviews when doing research.

- Access to collaborative networks when a student is away from his/her computer- Storage of data including podcasts/videos/photo/PDF files for sharing and personal use

 4. Data Mashups

“A mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source via a single, unified tool” http://horizon.nmc.org/wiki/Page 20

I have never heard of this term until I read this report.  Useful in the learning context in highlighting and overlaying different data sets to provide more meaningful insights or reveal new relationships.

 5. Collective Intelligence

Collective Intelligence is knowledge that is entrenched within societies or larger groups of individuals. Knowledge can be explicit (eg Wikipedia) implicit or tacit, generated by the activities of people over a period of time.  The Horizon Report is also a good example of Collective Intelligence.  I have used Wikipedia but did not associate it with the term “collective intelligence”. I have also used Amazon.com and was always amazed by how they recommended books to me based on my previous buying and searching patterns. 

Uses in the learning context:

 -  Gives students a chance to participate in the construction of knowledge. For example creating a wiki based on our experience of using Edublogs.

 - Data mining, search patterns and hyperlink trails are useful in research and for analyzing trends  

6.0 Social Operating Systems  

Think Web 2.0 and all the online social networks that influence the way we search for, work with and understand information by our reliance on the people who are part of our network.  

For example, My Space, Face Book , LinkedIn 

Again I was aware of these online social networks and am a member of LinkedIn for expanding my work and networking contacts.  

Uses in the learning context: 

- Similar to collaborative webs, I believe Social Operating Systems play an integral role in providing opportunities for collaboration, research and a way to profile education and work related portfolios online.

WEEK 2 TASK (con’t):   Now Read:
The Horizon Report from 2007.
Review your familiarity and current practices against the key emerging technologies highlighted in this report. 

RESPONSE 

User-Created Content  

Web 2.0, blogs and the shift to anyone becoming a contributor and creator of information in the online space.  I am familiar with the concept and more of a lurker than contributor.  This is my first blog and am loving the experience.  

Social Networking  

This is something I am new to and my first experience is with our online social community which was set up for this course. I feel the dialogue and debate supports the learning process plus the sharing of information/contacts and links has sped up my ability to digest large amounts of information in  a relative short time.  

Mobile Phones

As above my experience to this is limited due to having limited phone reception in my area.  

Virtual Worlds  

I am familiar with the online world Second Life but have had no direct experience with it.  

The New Scholarship and Emerging Forms of Publication 

Having limited exposure to Universities since 1993 I am unfamiliar with this.

Massively Multiplying Educational Gaming

MMO games bring many players together online to play educational or work related games in either a 3 D or 1 D environment. Games can be based on goal oriented outcomes with competitive and collaborative options.  

At present I have not had any exposure to MMO but can see the potential of MMO especially as the current generation of children learn their computer skills in the gaming world.  An extension of gaming with a learning focus would be a potentially engaging form of education for this generation.

The following slide show profiles social learning and a fun look at the evolution of technology in the learning context. 

 [slideshare id=229373&doc=social-learning-120044011996719-3&w=425]

Ramblings |