Three tech trends for higher ed in 2017
Every January brings predictions about trends that will dominate the headlines in the coming year. This article is my biased attempt at identifying a consensus among.
To help keep you from feeling left out of conversations around the water cooler, each trend is defined and includes a short bibliography.
1. IoT and Smart Home Tech
UW-M’s Safe Cycle is designed to alert a rider to traffic behind a bicycle. Photo: David Tenenbaum
The term “Internet of Things” (IoT) describes devices (other than computers and phones), objects, equipment, and materials that can communicate with us over the Internet. Data from cars, buses, roads, and parking lots can be used to ease your commute. Objects at a retail business or manufacturing plant can transmit information about cost, age, temperature, color, pressure, location, or humidity as a way to track, monitor, sell, identify, alert, or gather data. In a “Smart Home” the connected devices can be appliances, light bulbs, thermostats, doors, surveillance cameras, or wearable technology like Fitbits.
- The Internet of Things: Riding the Wave in Higher Education
- The Internet of Things Is Here
- 7 Things You Should Know About the Internet of Things
- The 2017 Horizon Report
2. Different realities: AR and VR
Public domain image from Pixabay
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are related technologies. A VR system creates its own version of reality and tries to immerse the user by stimulating vision and hearing. Oculus Rift goggles are a hot VR item. In an AR environment, enhancements appear on top of a view of the real world, providing information or allowing users to interact with what they see. The Pokemon Go app is a well-known example. I saw lots of higher ed applications of VR at the 2017 Educause Learning Initiative meeting earlier this month.
- The Promise of Virtual Reality in Higher Education
- Virtual Reality in the Classroom Just Got Affordable
- How Augmented Reality is Enhancing Higher Education
- The 2016 Horizon Report
3. Makerspaces
Maker space in Santiago, Chile.
Flickr photo by Mitch Altman
A makerspace is a physical location where people with shared interests work on projects while sharing ideas, tools, materials, skills … and space. You might find one in a library, at a community center, or on a college campus. Expert advisors may be available, but novices often help other users. The term traces back to 2005 and the debut of Make magazine, which promoted do-it-yourself tech projects. In higher education the idea of informal learning through hands-on exploration has become appealing to engineers, computer scientists, graphic designers, and others.
- 8 Questions to Ask before Creating a Makerspace
- 7 Things You Should Know About Makerspaces
- The 2016 Horizon Report
- Higher Education Makerspaces Initiative and Maker Share (MIT)
I look forward to seeing more digital media makerspaces for students on college campuses.
Learn more
- ISTE: 11 EdTech Trends to Watch in 2017
- Campus Technology: 11 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2017
- Forbes: 7 Technology Trends That Will Dominate 2017
- Marketwatch: The 5 tech trends that will dominate CES and 2017
Milestone alert: this is post #700 on the NspireD2 blog!
NspireD2: Learning Technology in Higher Ed. 