Horizon Report Analysis

Horizon Report for 2012 K-12 Educational Technology Trends

– My Thoughts/Experiences

What are the new technologies to watch for?

     1)    Mobile Devices and Apps

     2)    Tablet Computing

     3)    Game-Based Learning

     4)    Personal Learning Environments (PLE’s)

     5)    Augmented Reality

     6)    Natural User Interfaces

What is my experience with these technologies?

Game-Based Learning

I've seen and tried to implement Game-Based learning for years, however it usually appears on review days or days with an altered plan (such as after testing or at the end of the year).  Games incorporate competition though, which in turn can motivate students even more to try and figure out what they need to know to win the game.  This helps them to fully understand concepts in a more engaging way!  Last year my geometry students created games covering different units of the curriculum and really enjoyed it!  The hard part is finding time to play them L. 

Mobile Devices and Apps

I also have a little experience with mobile devices ad apps since my school has incorporated the bring your own device (BYOD) plan this year.  It is a great learning tool with tons of potential, but I don’t have any classes where all the students have these devices.  I originally planned on having the students work in groups where at least one person had a smartphone or mobile device, but then I felt like that would be showing off which students had these expensive devices.  I worry that students will feel pressure to buy a smartphone or feel insecure without a high-tech device of their own.  I don’t want to highlight economic status differences in class.

Are Trends Affecting my Teaching and Learning?

Yes!  It is impossible not to let the current trends affect your teaching and learning approaches if you want to continue to reach your students in the best way possible.  I have found that the fourth trend in the article, “People expect to be able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want”, as impacted my teaching the most.  I myself expect to be able to access any document I need, refer to calendar dates at any time, and re-access information when I need it.  For this reason I have implemented the flipped classroom this year in one of my classes.  I create videos of my lessons for students to watch at home.  This way they can learn on their own time and at their own pace.  They may also go back and review the lessons at any time.  The more difficult homework problems are done in class where they have the opportunity to collaborate with peers and I am there to offer guidance and support.

I also find the sixth trend on challenge and active learning making an impact on my teaching.  This can be difficult to meet because I find that facilitating an environment where students can learn through real experiences and exploration is difficult.  When I have tried strategies that are truly exploration/active learning strategies I tend to want to assume all students will actively engage and seek to learn the material.  This is not always the case though, and so learning how to manage this type of classroom is critical.

What Challenges are Most Relevant for a High School Math Teacher?

Nearly all of the challenges stated in the article are relevant to my current teaching. 

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      -  Digital media literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession, especially teaching.

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      -  K-12 must address the increased blending of formal and informal learning.

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      -  The demand for personalized learning is not adequately supported by current technology or practices.

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      -  Institutional barriers present formidable challenges to moving forward in a constructive way with emerging technologies.

We must adapt to remain relevant with student learning styles and cultural trends.  Every other aspect of society does!  It is difficult to change and learn the new technology.  It is also very difficult to figure out what the new standards of knowledge should be at each level and how to assess them appropriately with the new technology.  Students do not all learn the same way and technology is a great way to differentiate, but how do we still teach and set the standards for everyone?  These questions will not be answered until we teachers meet them face-to-face and try different things.

What Challenges are Least Relevant for a High School Math Teacher?

All of the challenges are relevant, but if I had to choose one that was least relevant for my teaching it would be the outside learning. 

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      -  Many activities related to learning and education take place outside the walls of the classroom and thus are not part of traditional learning metrics.

Students learn a great deal outside of the classroom, and each student learns different things.  I think it is great to encourage that and link students’ outside knowledge to inside curriculum, but ultimately we need to teach students how to think and process information in a way that they can individually take and link to their outside knowledge.