The Horizon Report

The Horizon Report (THR) is a report where educational tools are examined and presented in three different categories, The near-term horizon (effects felt within the next 12 month), the mid-term horizon (effects felt within the next 2-3 years), and the far-term horizon (effects felt within the next 4-5 years).  Tools represented in the near term for 2013 are massively open online courses (MOOCs) and tablet computing. 

The report goes into great detail about each of these and how they are affecting the classroom.  As stated above, near-term tools are MOOCs and tablet computing.  An example of the mid-term horizon is games and gamification, and learning analytics.  The report defines, "Gamification aims to incorporate elements of games, such as levels and badges (but also via quests and other strategies)
into non-game activities" (The Horizon Report, 2013, pg 5).  The report also states, "Learning analytics is the field associated with deciphering trends and patterns from educational big data, or huge sets of student-related data, to further the advancement of a personalized, supportive system of higher education" (The Horizon Report, 2013, Pg. 5). 

The far-term horizon presents us with new technologies like 3D printing, A Tangable classroom, and wearable technology.  the report states that, "Over the next four to five years, 3D printers will be increasingly used in the arts, design, manufacturing, and the sciences to create 3D models that illustrate complex concepts or illuminate novel ideas, and even chemical and organic molecules" (THR, 2013, Pg. 5). 

You can view the report by clicking on the following link. 

http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2013-horizon-report-HE.pdf

Enjoy,

Aaron