Horizon K12

Hot Off the Press – Horizon Report K12 Edition: 2012

Posted by cemignano on

BrainPOP’s Vice President of 21st Century Learning, Dr. Kari Stubbs, is a member of the  Horizon K12 Board. We’re excited to share that the 2012 edition of the Horizon K12 report was just released this week. Highlights from the report include predicted trends for mobile devices/apps and game-based learning to play a significant role in learning over the new few years. BrainPOP’s digital content and new GameUp features are ready to support your next steps in your teaching journey in both areas.

According to the report, “The power of apps, coupled with the portability of mobile devices, is causing many schools to take another look at their policies regarding mobile devices. Many see mobiles as a key aspect of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments.” The BrainPOP Featured Movie app is already a key ingredient in many mobile initiatives, including BYOD.  BrainPOP using district, Forsyth County Schools in Georgia, is featured in the report as a pioneer district for the BYOD movement.

With regard to game-based learning, the report states, “This topic has gained considerable traction over the past decade as games have proven to be effective learning tools, and beneficial in cognitive development and the fostering of soft skills among students, such as collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking.” BrainPOP’s GameUp is bringing the power of games to the classroom through its wide variety of high-quality games. The National STEM Video Game Challenge, featured in the report, was a joint partnership between BrainPOP, eLine Media, Microsoft, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, American Library Association, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, and more.

Be sure to look for the full report to use as a tool while facilitating your district’s technology plan. For those of you attending this summer’s ISTE conference, don’t miss a special session on Wednesday, June 27th at 8:30 am when the Horizon K12 board will share their findings.