As always the Horizon Report is not particularly useful for people in the field, but it does provide a good resource for planning and funding meetings.

This the Short List

Time-to-Adoption Horizon: One Year or Less

Flipped Classroom
Massively Open Online Courses
Mobile Apps
Tablet Computing

Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Two to Three Years

Augmented Reality
Game-Based Learning
The Internet of Things
Learning Analytics

Time-to-Adoption Horizon: Four to Five Years

3D Printing
Flexible Displays
Next Generation Batteries
Wearable Technology

A couple of things stand out.

I think the rise of the notion of the “Flipped Classroom” is interesting, not because it is particularly new or innovative but it shows the value of packaging and branding when trying to change teaching practice.  I’m a firm believer that in Higher Ed we get better value for effort by presenting academics with a carefully selected, limited toolkit of strategies, rather than expecting them to become professional, ‘theory aware’ educationalists.

MOOCs are similar, in that there is essentially nothing particularly new about them, in fact in terms of teaching innovation they are a hark back to the 90’s.  Their rise seems to more related to their ivy league genesis and subsequent reporting in big name U.S. newspapers by uncritical and uninformed reporters.

Game Based Learning is again in its perpetual Bride’s Maid position of two to three years to adoption (maybe it’s time to say that it has arrived, but admit it’s only ever going be a niche technology).  I think Augmented Reality is destined for the same fate as Games.

All of the  four to five year items relate to hardware.  I’m not sure how 3D printing will impact specifically on Higher Ed, but it is looking like a potential world changing technology (and when I win Tattslotto it will be the second thing I buy – my wife gets first choice).

I’m not sure about the rise next gen batteries.  The tablet market will likely push this along, but at present most of the investment is in utility and grid scale storage.

http://www.nmc.org/publications/2013-horizon-report-higher-ed