Selection and justification of major trends

Horizons Report and Web Research Findings

Online learning
Hybrid learning
Social media for interacting, presenting ideas and communicating
Open access to information and resources
BYOD
The roll of schools now that information is so widely available on the web
Professional development for staff in use and implementation of ICT
Cloud computing
Mobile learning
Open content
3D printing
Virtual and remote laboratories
Educational gaming
Electronic interactive textbooks

Two major trends in my own context

Social media 

• The use of the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Pinterest as a means on engaging, interacting, sharing ideas and communicating with individuals and groups.
• My current school is focussing on using Twitter and Facebook as a means of sharing, communicating and engaging with our community.  We have a school Facebook page, class Twitter feeds, a school Twitter feed, and Google Plus is used as a means of delivering a Mandarin language programme.  There has been a very positive response from the community re the use of social media resources.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing involves services being utilized that are 'off site' and not stored locally on servers. Examples include Google Apps and Office 365.  Resources can be accessed from anywhere, on almost any device with that is able to connect to the Internet.
• My school has invested heavily in terms of time and training in the use of Google Apps, We have chosen to use Google Apps because the interface is similar regardless of the devices that are used to access specific apps. Another key factor in our choice has been the fact that all updates are done online, without the need to involve tech support agencies, leading to considerable savings in maintenance. This is particularly significant in a small school with a limited budget.