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The New Media CoNsorTiuM
The 2011 Horizon report is made possible via a grant from HP
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The New Media CoNsorTiuM
The 2011 Horizon Report is
a collaboration between
The New Media CoNsorTiuM
and the
eduCause Learning initiative
an eduCause Program
Since 2005, the annual Horizon Report has been the most visible aspect of a focused
collaboration between the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) and the New Media
Consortium in which the two organizations engage their memberships in both the
creation and outcomes of the research.
The New Media Consortium (NMC) is a globally focused not-for-profit consortium
dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies. Its hundreds
of member institutions constitute an elite list of the most highly regarded colleges,
universities, and museums in the worlds. For nearly 20 years, the consortium and its
members have dedicated themselves to exploring and developing applications of
emerging technologies for learning, research, and creative inquiry. For more information
on the NMC, visit www.nmc.org.
The ELI is a community of higher education institutions and organizations committed
to advancing learning through information technology (IT) innovation. ELI is a strategic
initiative of EDUCAUSE. While EDUCAUSE serves those interested in advancing higher
education through technology, ELI specifically explores innovative technologies and
practices that advance learning and promotes innovation in teaching and learning using
information technology. To learn more about the ELI, visit www.educause.edu/eli.
© 2011, The New Media Consortium.
ISBN 978-0-9828290-5-9
Permission is granted under a Creative Commons Attribution license to replicate, copy, distribute, transmit,
or adapt this report freely provided that attribution is provided as illustrated in the citation below.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to
Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Citation:
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report.
Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
Cover photograph, “Kauai’i Solstice,” © 2005, Larry Johnson.
TabLe of CoNTeNTs
executive summary .......................................................................................................................................2
Key Trends
Critical Challenges
Technologies to Watch
The Horizon Project
Time-to-adoption: one Year or Less
Electronic Books ........................................................................................................................................8
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Electronic Books in Practice
For Further Reading
Mobiles ....................................................................................................................................................12
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Mobiles in Practice
For Further Reading
Time-to-adoption: Two to Three Years
Augmented Reality ..................................................................................................................................16
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Augmented Reality in Practice
For Further Reading
Game-Based Learning ............................................................................................................................20
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Game-Based Learning in Practice
For Further Reading
Time-to-adoption: four to five Years
Gesture-Based Computing ......................................................................................................................24
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Gesture-Based Computing in Practice
For Further Reading
Learning Analytics ...................................................................................................................................28
Overview
Relevance for Teaching, Learning, Research, or Creative Inquiry
Learning Analytics in Practice
For Further Reading
Methodology .................................................................................................................................................31
2011 Horizon Project advisory board .........................................................................................................33
T H e H o r i Z o N r e P o r T – 2 0 1 1 1
eXeCuTiVe suMMarY
The internationally recognized series of Horizon section of this report.
Reports is part of the New Media Consortium’s
The report’s format is consistent from year to year
Horizon Project, a comprehensive research venture
and edition to edition, and opens with a discussion of
established in 2002 that identifies and describes
the trends and challenges identified by the Advisory
emerging technologies likely to have a large impact
Board as most important for the next five years. The
over the coming five years on a variety of sectors
format of the main section of this edition closely reflects
around the globe. This volume, the 2011 Horizon
the focus of the Horizon Project itself, centering on
Report, examines emerging technologies for their
the applications of emerging technologies in higher
potential impact on and use in teaching, learning,
education settings. Each section is introduced
and creative inquiry. It is the eighth in the annual
with an overview that describes what the topic is,
series of reports focused on emerging technology in
followed by a discussion of the particular relevance
the higher education environment.
of the topic to teaching, learning, and creative inquiry.
To create the report, the Horizon Project’s Advisory Several concrete examples of how the technology is
Board, an international body of experts in education, being used are given. Finally, each section closes
technology, business, and other fields, engaged in with an annotated list of suggested readings and
a discussion based on a set of research questions additional examples that expand on the discussion
intended to surface significant trends and challenges in the report, including a link to the tagged resources
and to identify a broad array of potential technologies collected during the research process by project
for the report. This dialog was enriched by a wide staff, the Advisory Board, and others in the global
range of resources, current research, and practice Horizon Project community.
that drew on the expertise of the NMC community
and the communities of the members of the board. Key Trends
These interactions among the Advisory Board are The technologies featured in every edition of the
the focus of the Horizon Report research, and this Horizon Report are embedded within a contemporary
report details the areas in which these experts were context that reflects the realities of the time, both in
in strong agreement. the sphere of education and in the world at large.
Each edition of the Horizon Report introduces six To ensure this context was well understood as the
emerging technologies or practices that are likely to current report was produced, the Advisory Board
enter mainstream use within three adoption horizons engaged in an extensive review of current articles,
over the next five years. Key trends and challenges interviews, papers, and new research to identify
that will affect current practice over the same time and rank trends that are currently affecting the
frame add context to these discussions. Over the practices of teaching, learning, and creative inquiry.
course of just a few weeks, the Advisory Board came Once detailed, the list of trends was then ranked
to a consensus about the six topics that appear according to how significant each was likely to be for
here in the 2011 Horizon Report. The examples and learning-focused institutions over the next five years.
readings under each topic area are meant to provide The highest ranked of those trends had significant
practical models as well as access to more detailed agreement among the Advisory Board members,
information. Wherever possible, an effort was made who considered them to be key drivers of educational
to highlight the innovative work going on among technology adoptions for the period 2011 through
learning-focused institutions. The precise research 2015. They are listed here in the order in which the
methodology employed is detailed in the closing Advisory Board ranked them.
The abundance of resources and relationships will perform their work from multiple locations by
made easily accessible via the Internet is 2013.
increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles
The technologies we use are increasingly
as educators in sense-making, coaching, and
cloud-based, and our notions of IT support
credentialing. This multi-year trend was again
are decentralized. This trend, too, was noted in
ranked very highly, indicating its continued
2010 and continues to influence decisions about
influence. With personal access to the Internet
emerging technology adoption at educational
from mobile devices on the rise, the growing set
institutions. As we turn to mobile applications for
of resources available as open content, and a
immediate access to many resources and tasks
variety of reference and textbooks available
that once were performed on desktop computers,
electronically, students’ easy and pervasive
it makes sense to move data and services into
access to information outside of formal campus
the cloud. The challenges of privacy and control
resources continues to encourage educators to
continue to affect adoption and deployment, but
take a careful look at the ways we can best serve
work continues on resolving the issues raised by
learners.
increasingly networked information.
People expect to be able to work, learn, and
study whenever and wherever they want. Critical Challenges
This highly-ranked trend, also noted last year, Any discussion of technology adoption must also
continues to permeate all aspects of daily life.
consider important constraints and challenges,
Mobiles contribute to this trend, where increased
and the Advisory Board drew deeply from a careful
availability of the Internet feeds the expectation
analysis of current events, papers, articles, and
of access. Feelings of frustration are common
similar sources, as well as from personal experience
when it is not available. Companies are starting
in detailing a long list of challenges institutions face
to respond to consumer demand for access
in adopting any new technology. Several important
anywhere; in 2010, programs like Google’s Fiber
challenges are detailed below, but it was clear that
for Communities sought to expand access to
behind them all was a pervasive sense that individual
underserved communities, and several airlines
organizational constraints are likely the most
began offering wireless network access in the air
important factor in any decision to adopt — or not to
during flights.
adopt — any given technology. While acknowledging
The world of work is increasingly collaborative, that local barriers to technology adoptions are
giving rise to reflection about the way student many and significant, the Advisory Board focused
projects are structured. This trend continues its discussions on challenges that are common to
from 2010 and is being driven by the increasingly institutions and the educational community as a
global and cooperative nature of business whole.
interactions facilitated by Internet technologies.
The highest ranked challenges they identified are
The days of isolated desk jobs are disappearing,
listed here, in the order of their rated importance.
giving way to models in which teams work actively
together to address issues too far-reaching or Digital media literacy continues its rise in im-
complex for a single worker to resolve alone. portance as a key skill in every discipline and
Market intelligence firm IDC notes that some profession. This challenge, first noted in 2008,
one billion people fit the definition of mobile reflects universal agreement among those on
workers already, and projects that fully one-third the Horizon Project Advisory Board. Although
of the global workforce — 1.2 billon workers — there is broad consensus that digital media liter-
T H e H o r i Z o N r e P o r T – 2 0 1 1 3
e X e C u T i V e s u M M a r Y
acy is vitally important for today’s students, what ticing, but it can be overwhelming to attempt to
skills constitute digital literacy are still not well- keep up with even a few of the many new tools
defined nor universally taught. Teacher prepara- that are released. User-created content is ex-
tion programs are beginning to include courses ploding, giving rise to information, ideas, and
related to digital media literacy, and universities opinions on all sorts of interesting topics, but fol-
are beginning to fold these literacy skills into lowing even some of the hundreds of available
coursework for students, but progress continues authorities means sifting through a mountain of
to be slow. The challenge is exacerbated by the information on a weekly or daily basis. There is
fact that digital technologies morph and change a greater need than ever for effective tools and
quickly at a rate that generally outpaces curricu- filters for finding, interpreting, organizing, and re-
lum development. trieving the data that is important to us.
Appropriate metrics of evaluation lag behind These trends and challenges are a reflection of the
the emergence of new scholarly forms of au- impact of technology that is occurring in almost
thoring, publishing, and researching. Noted first every aspect of our lives. They are indicative of the
in 2010, this challenge continues. Electronic changing nature of the way we communicate, access
books, blogs, multimedia pieces, networked information, connect with peers and colleagues,
presentations, and other kinds of scholarly work learn, and even socialize. Taken together, they
can be difficult to evaluate and classify accord- provided the Advisory Board a frame through
ing to traditional metrics, but faculty members which to consider the potential impacts of nearly 50
are increasingly experimenting with these al- emerging technologies and related practices that
ternate forms of expression. At the same time, were analyzed and discussed for possible inclusion
reconciling new forms of scholarly activity with in this edition of the Horizon Report. Six of those
old standards continues to be difficult, creating were chosen via successive rounds of ranking; they
tension and raising questions as to where fac- are summarized below and detailed in the main body
ulty energy is best directed. of the report.
Economic pressures and new models of edu-
Technologies to watch
cation are presenting unprecedented competi-
The six technologies featured in the 2011 Horizon
tion to traditional models of the university. The
Report are placed along three adoption horizons
twin challenges of providing high-quality ser-
that indicate likely time frames for their entrance into
vices and controlling costs continue to impel in-
mainstream use for teaching, learning, or creative
stitutions to seek creative solutions. As a result,
inquiry. The near-term horizon assumes the likelihood
innovative institutions are developing new mod-
of entry into the mainstream for institutions within the
els to serve students, such as streaming survey
next twelve months; the mid-term horizon, within two
courses over the network so students can at-
to three years; and the far-term, within four to five
tend from their dorm or other locations to free
years. It should be noted at the outset that the Horizon
up lecture space. As these pressures continue,
Report is not a predictive tool. It is meant, rather, to
other models will emerge as well.
highlight emerging technologies with considerable
Keeping pace with the rapid proliferation of in- potential for our focus areas of teaching, learning, and
formation, software tools, and devices is chal- creative inquiry. Each of the six is already the focus
lenging for students and teachers alike. New of attention at a number of innovative organizations
developments in technology are exciting and around the world, and the work we showcase here
their potential for improving quality of life is en- reveals the promise of a wider impact.
on the near-term horizon — that is, within the next secured the place of these innovations as the top
12 months — are electronic books and mobiles. technologies for the mid-term horizon.
Electronic books are moving closer to mainstream
Augmented reality refers to the layering of
adoption for educational institutions, having
information over a view or representation of
appeared on the mid-term horizon last year. Mobiles
the normal world, offering users the ability to
reappear as well, remaining on the near-term horizon
access place-based information in ways that are
as they become increasingly popular throughout the
compellingly intuitive. Augmented reality brings
world as a primary means of accessing Internet
a significant potential to supplement information
resources. Resistance to the use of mobiles in the
delivered via computers, mobile devices, video,
classroom continues to impede their adoption in
and even the printed book. Much simpler to
many schools, but a growing number of institutions
create and use now than in the past, augmented
are finding ways to take advantage of a technology
reality feels at once fresh and new, yet an easy
that nearly all students, faculty, and staff carry.
extension of existing expectations and practices.
Electronic books continue to generate strong
Game-based learning has grown in recent
interest in the consumer sector and are
years as research continues to demonstrate
increasingly available on campuses as well. its effectiveness for learning for students of all
Modern electronic readers support note-taking ages. Games for education span the range from
and research activities, and are beginning single-player or small-group card and board
to augment these basic functions with new games all the way to massively multiplayer online
capabilities — from immersive experiences games and alternate reality games. Those at the
to support for social interaction — that are first end of the spectrum are easy to integrate
changing our perception of what it means to with coursework, and in many institutions they
read. are already an option; but the greatest potential
Mobiles enable ubiquitous access to of games for learning lies in their ability to foster
information, social networks, tools for learning collaboration, problem-solving, and procedural
and productivity, and much more. Mobile devices thinking. For a variety of reasons, the realization
continue to evolve, but it is the increased access of this potential is still two to three years away.
to affordable and reliable networks that is driving Looking to the far-term horizon, four to five years
this technology now. Mobiles are capable from now for widespread adoption, are gesture-
computing devices in their own right — and they based computing and learning analytics. Both
are increasingly a user’s first choice for Internet remain largely speculative and not yet in widespread
access. usage on campuses, but both are also garnering
significant interest and increasing exposure.
The second adoption horizon considers
technologies expected to gain widespread usage Gesture-based computing moves the control
within two to three years, and this year’s candidates of computers from a mouse and keyboard to the
are augmented reality and game-based learning. motions of the body via new input devices. De-
Both intersect with practices in mainstream popular picted in science fiction movies for years, ges-
culture, both have been considered significant tools ture-based computing is now more grounded in
for education for many years, and both have made reality thanks to the recent arrival of interface
appearances on a number of campuses already. technologies such as Kinect, SixthSense, and
Advances in hardware and software, as well as in Tamper, which make interactions with computa-
a broader acceptance of new methods in teaching, tional devices far more intuitive and embodied.
T H e H o r i Z o N r e P o r T – 2 0 1 1 5
e X e C u T i V e s u M M a r Y
Learning analytics loosely joins a variety of with the dual goals of understanding how technology
data-gathering tools and analytic techniques is being absorbed using a smaller lens, and also
to study student engagement, performance, noting the contrasts between technology use in
and progress in practice, with the goal of using one area compared to another. To date, companion
what is learned to revise curricula, teaching, and editions have been prepared that center on education
assessment in real time. Building on the kinds in Australia, New Zealand, and the fourteen countries
of information generated by Google Analytics of Iberoamerica; the series will expand to include
and other similar tools, learning analytics aims Europe, Singapore, and Africa over the next two years.
to mobilize the power of data-mining tools
The flagship Horizon Report, published each
in the service of learning, and embracing
January, focuses on higher education globally, and is
the complexity, diversity, and abundance of
translated into multiple languages every year. Over
information that dynamic learning environments
all editions, the readership of the reports is estimated
can generate.
at well over 600,000 worldwide, with readers in more
Each of these technologies is described in detail than 70 countries.
in the main body of the report, where a discussion
The Horizon Project Navigator. This edition of
of what the technology is and why it is relevant to
the Horizon Report kicks off the ninth year of the
teaching, learning, and creative inquiry may also be
series and a turning point in the NMC’s Emerging
found. Given the practical focus of the report, a listing
Technologies Initiative, which is dedicated to charting
of examples of the technology in use, especially in
the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching,
higher education, is a key component of each of the
learning, and creative inquiry. In each of the preceding
six main topics. Our research indicates that all six
years, the Horizon Project process has focused
of these technologies, taken together, will have a
on the creation of a print-based publication (or its
significant impact on learning-focused organizations
pdf analog), one produced through a collaborative
within the next five years.
process that leveraged the productive potential of a
wiki for posting and responding to ideas, RSS feeds
The Horizon Project
for gathering information dynamically, and tagging
This report is part of a longitudinal research study
for collecting and sharing references. The decision
of emerging technologies that began in March
to print the NMC report was based on the fact that
2002. Since that time, under the banner of the
a physical report remains a powerful tool on many
Horizon Project, the New Media Consortium and
campuses.
its research partners have held an ongoing series
of conversations and dialogs with hundreds of However, in its continuing interest in modeling the
technology professionals, campus technologists, advantages of new technologies, over the course of
faculty leaders from colleges and universities, 2010, and with the generous support of the HP, the
museum professionals, teachers and other school NMC designed and produced the Horizon Project
professionals, and representatives of leading Navigator (http://navigator.nmc.org), an online
corporations from more than thirty countries. These database that harnesses the power of technology
conversations have been the impetus for a series and social media to create an information and
of nearly 20 annual reports focused on emerging resource hub that is made stronger through the
technologies relevant to formal and informal learning participation of its users.
in colleges, universities, schools, and museums.
The Horizon Project Navigator leverages the
In 2008, the NMC embarked on a new series of affordances of social media and computation to
regional companion editions of the Horizon Report, offer users access to the same materials — and
