2009 Horizon Report

From Brock University's Digital Humanities Compendium

The 2009 Horizon Report was published by The New Media Consortium. This summary is based on the Executive Summary found on pages 3 to 7 in the report.

Contents 1 Technologies to Watch 1.1 Mobiles 1.2 Cloud Computing 1.3 Geo-Everything 1.4 The Personal Web 1.5 Semantic-Aware Applications 1.6 Smart Objects 2 Key Trends 3 Critical Challenges 4 Interesting points to note

[edit] Technologies to Watch

[edit] Mobiles

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly present in the world and have begun to take over tasks from portable computers. Time frame: less than 1 year.

[edit] Cloud Computing

A network of computers rather than a single physical machine provides processing, storage, and hosting. This allows many users access to huge amounts of processing power and storage. Time frame: less than 1 year.

[edit] Geo-Everything

This is the concept that devices will continue to incorporate GPS technology, allowing the geo-spatial location of media, people, and the movements thereof. Time frame: 2-3 years.

[edit] The Personal Web

Customising the internet and its content to suit the needs and desires of individual users will allow quicker and more efficient access to information and production of materials or work. This will also provide extensive support for the user’s personal, professional, and educational life. Time frame: 2-3 years.

[edit] Semantic-Aware Applications

This is the use of tags and identifiers that can accurately judge the context of an element and thus provide more effective search results and connecting threads. Time frame: 3-5 years.

[edit] Smart Objects

This involves the use of radio frequency identifier tags (RFIDs), smartcards, and quick response (QR) codes to allow an object to be aware of its position, function, and uses. Used in conjunction with computers, these devices would maximise the usefulness and adaptability of objects. Time frame: 3-5 years.

[edit] Key Trends

• Globalisation is changing the way we collaborate, work, and communicate.

• Collective intelligence is changing the way we perceive ambiguity and imprecision.

• Experience with games is a characteristic of those entering higher education and the workforce.

• Visualisation tools are increasingly useful for creating meaning and providing information.

• Mobile phones are more innovative with each passing day.

[edit] Critical Challenges

• We need formal instruction in: information literacy, visual literacy, and technological literacy.

• Students have changed, but school systems have not.

• Innovation and leadership are necessary to guide the change in scholarship and research.

• The education systems are under pressure to measure and indicate that students are learning.

• Higher education is under pressure from administration and students to provide content that makes use of mobile technology.

[edit] Interesting points to note

1. Regarding Cloud Computing: “Because they live on the network, applications in the cloud make it easy to share documents, collaboratively edit, and effectively manage versions.” (12)

1. Regarding Mobiles: “Mobile learners can receive context-aware information about nearby resources, points of interest, historical sites, and peers seamlessly, connecting all this with online information for just-in-time learning.” (16)

1. Regarding The Personal Web: “In some courses, students and faculty create the textbook collaboratively in an online format as the course progresses, increasing students’ engagement with and understanding of the course material as they become authorities.” (21)