Reflection on the Horizon Report for Higher Education

           The Horizon Report for Higher Education provided plenty of insight into the booming world of technology and the future that will transcribe in years to come. I found much of the article to be interesting, and their assessment of trends and challenges to be accurate and fair. In whole, I found the article to be very detailed, covering different aspects of technological learning and encompassing a wide range of fields. Personally, the most relevant key trend appeared to be the discussion in the rise and demand of skills from college graduates that are often gained through hands on atmosphere where students can engage in real life scenarios. As a soon to be graduate, I find this information of value, as I can understand how internships, online interactions, and personal experiences can easily propel you further ahead of the curve.

            In particular I was intrigued by the rise of MOOCs, or massively open online courses. It is exciting to know that an online community will exist to provide free education in a wide array of subjects, in the near future.  As an alternative to traditional learning, MOOCs can also provide an increase in efficiency of online skills for the upcoming generations.

I was not surprised to learn that social networks are on the rise and how their use can predictably provide assistance in the online classroom. Being that the increase in MOOCs should occur in a year or less, I find it useful that programs such as Wikispace, YouTube, and Google Hangout are joining in the success of massively open online courses.

            Among the most interesting of the technological inquiries, is the 3D printing aspect that is raising scientific discovery within the next 4-5 years. I found this portion of the article to be extremely interesting and wide-ranging as far as possibilities go. The notion that students could participate in the entire building process from design to production really intrigues me, as I understand how observing the methodology and progression could immensely educate a student. The possibilities in the medical field as far as 3D printing is gratifying, as our hopes toward medical miracles could significantly be altered thanks to these machines.

            Personally, I feel as though my personal learning could easily be propelled through the trends mentioned in the Horizon Report for Higher Education. The potential in the vast amounts of fields is strong and will only continue to prosper. The devices that are in the production process could serve to better our lives and create opportunities beyond our imagination. I would be very open to trying the wearable technology as it was advancing towards its highest level of achievement because I see it as a practical use of technology. Although the question of how much technology works before one becomes dependent on the device arises, I see technology as an indicator for an increase in learning development. While the challenges are important to discuss, I believe the rewards will soon outweigh the shortcomings.