Monday, February 18, 2008

Technology in Three Time Horizons

The Horizon Report: 2008 Edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium & the Educause Learning Initiative, 2008. At: http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2008-Horizon-Report.pdf

The Horizon Project brings together a group of knowledgeable individuals (36 for this year, including Cliff Lynch of CNI) to discuss, research, and decide on which technologies will become important in "learning-focused organizations" in three time horizons: 1) a year or less, 2) two to three years, and 3) four to five years. The process for coming up with this list of technologies seems thorough and thoughtful, and is highlighted both in prefatory comments as well as in a section of the report devoted to describing the methodology. There are two technologies identified in each time horizon: 1) One year or less: grassroots video and collaboration webs, 2) Two to three years:mobile broadband and data mashups, and 3) Four to five years: collective intelligence and social operating systems. Each technology is highlighted with an overview, its relevance for the educational enterprise, examples of the technology in use in learning environments, and further reading. Although weighing in at only 33 printed pages, one could spend days reading about and exploring these technologies. The report also discusses "megatrends" that have become evident after five years of producing these reports. Highly recommended.

--Reprinted by permission from Current Cites 19(1) (January 2008)

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