Abstract
The 2015 NMC Technology Outlook for Higher Education in Ireland: A Horizon Project Regional Report is a collaborative research effort between the NMC, National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) at Dublin City University, and the Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) to inform Irish higher education leaders and decision-makers about important developments in technologies supporting teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in higher education across the country.
Three major reports focused on bringing European and Irish universities and institutes of technology into the future provided an important foreground for this project: 1) the High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education’s “Report to the European Commission on New Modes of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education;” 2) the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning's "Principles and First Insights from the Sectoral Consultation on Building Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education: Digital Roadmap - Phase 1;” and 3) the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning’s “Teaching and Learning in Irish Higher Education: A Roadmap for Enhancement in a Digital World 2015-2017.”
All of the research underpinning the 2015 NMC Technology Outlook for Higher Education in Ireland makes use of the NMC’s Delphi-based process for bringing groups of experts to a consensus viewpoint, in this case around the impact of developments in technology on teaching, learning, or creative inquiry in Irish higher education over the next five years. The same process underlies the well-known NMC Horizon Report series, which is the most visible product of an on-going research effort begun more than 13 years ago to systematically identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on education around the globe.
In the effort that took place from January through March 2015, a carefully selected panel of experts and thought leaders was asked to consider hundreds of relevant articles, news, blog posts, research, and project examples as part of the preparation that ultimately pinpointed the most notable developments in technology, trends, and challenges for Irish higher education over the next five years. Known as the 2015 Horizon Project Ireland Expert Panel, that group of thought leaders consists of knowledgeable individuals, all highly regarded in their fields. Collectively the panel represents a range of diverse perspectives across Irish higher education. The project has been conducted under an open data philosophy, and all of the secondary research and discussions can be viewed at ireland.wiki.nmc.org. The precise research methodology employed in producing the report is detailed in a special section found at the end of this report.
The expert panel identified the top 10 key trends, the top 10 significant challenges, and 12 important developments in educational technology. Each of the 12 developments in educational technology are profiled, each on a single page that describes and defines the technology, and are ranked as very important for Irish higher education over the next year, two to three years, and four to five years. Every page opens with a definition of the highlighted technology, outlines its educational relevance, points to several real-life examples of its current use, and ends with a short list of additional readings for those who wish to learn more. Preceding those discussions are sections that detail the expert panel’s top ranked trends and challenges, illuminating why they are seen as highly influential factors in the adoption of technology across the country.
The three key sections of this report constitute a reference and straightforward technology planning guide for educators, institutional leaders, administrators, policy-makers, and technologists. It is our hope that this research when interpreted alongside other major reports, including the annual “Innovating Pedagogy Report” produced by the Institute of Educational Technology at the UK Open University, will help to inform the choices that institutions are making about technology to improve, support, or extend teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in Irish higher education.
Three major reports focused on bringing European and Irish universities and institutes of technology into the future provided an important foreground for this project: 1) the High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education’s “Report to the European Commission on New Modes of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education;” 2) the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning's "Principles and First Insights from the Sectoral Consultation on Building Digital Capacity in Irish Higher Education: Digital Roadmap - Phase 1;” and 3) the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning’s “Teaching and Learning in Irish Higher Education: A Roadmap for Enhancement in a Digital World 2015-2017.”
All of the research underpinning the 2015 NMC Technology Outlook for Higher Education in Ireland makes use of the NMC’s Delphi-based process for bringing groups of experts to a consensus viewpoint, in this case around the impact of developments in technology on teaching, learning, or creative inquiry in Irish higher education over the next five years. The same process underlies the well-known NMC Horizon Report series, which is the most visible product of an on-going research effort begun more than 13 years ago to systematically identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on education around the globe.
In the effort that took place from January through March 2015, a carefully selected panel of experts and thought leaders was asked to consider hundreds of relevant articles, news, blog posts, research, and project examples as part of the preparation that ultimately pinpointed the most notable developments in technology, trends, and challenges for Irish higher education over the next five years. Known as the 2015 Horizon Project Ireland Expert Panel, that group of thought leaders consists of knowledgeable individuals, all highly regarded in their fields. Collectively the panel represents a range of diverse perspectives across Irish higher education. The project has been conducted under an open data philosophy, and all of the secondary research and discussions can be viewed at ireland.wiki.nmc.org. The precise research methodology employed in producing the report is detailed in a special section found at the end of this report.
The expert panel identified the top 10 key trends, the top 10 significant challenges, and 12 important developments in educational technology. Each of the 12 developments in educational technology are profiled, each on a single page that describes and defines the technology, and are ranked as very important for Irish higher education over the next year, two to three years, and four to five years. Every page opens with a definition of the highlighted technology, outlines its educational relevance, points to several real-life examples of its current use, and ends with a short list of additional readings for those who wish to learn more. Preceding those discussions are sections that detail the expert panel’s top ranked trends and challenges, illuminating why they are seen as highly influential factors in the adoption of technology across the country.
The three key sections of this report constitute a reference and straightforward technology planning guide for educators, institutional leaders, administrators, policy-makers, and technologists. It is our hope that this research when interpreted alongside other major reports, including the annual “Innovating Pedagogy Report” produced by the Institute of Educational Technology at the UK Open University, will help to inform the choices that institutions are making about technology to improve, support, or extend teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in Irish higher education.
| Original language | English (Ireland) |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 29 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |