Trend usually implies that something is short term, like a one-hit wonder on the radio, but when we talk about educational technology, these trends are here to not only stay, but grow. While it is hard to choose the most important educational technology trends, we did our best to craft this list of ten.
- Using a LMS
Learning management systems make online learning really easy and affordable and allow teachers flexibility with creating lessons and tests. On the other hand, kids can access content at any moment, which is handy when they need to miss school and catch up.
- Wearable technology
While it is a still relatively new arena, wearable technology has turned out to be extremely helpful in the learning process. This includes Google glass, virtual reality headsets, smartwatches, etc. For example, Google glass can be used to capture lessons or notes, while smartwatches can be used to measure when to take breaks.
- The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things is becoming more popular with the rise of mobile technology. It has been predicted that by 2020, there will be over 50 billion devices connected to the Internet. It can be used to simplify the entire learning process, which means that teachers can spend more time giving personal guidance and personalizing classes instead of manually grading exams and doing other repetitive tasks.
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
More and more schools are allowing students to bring their own devices to school, which personalizes education and encourages learning. The logic behind the BYOD movement is that everyone deserves a personal working space, including children.
- Big data
Big data, in combination with predictive analytics, has great potential to help children and students in the areas in which they may need to improve. But it should be used with caution—both students and parents should have some sort of input into who can access the data.
- Augmented reality
While augmented reality might seem way too futuristic, it is happening now. Jason Rude, a teacher at New Hampton Middle School, applies it to his courses. Imagine if all the posters, signs, and pictures hanging up in your room as a child came to life and were interactive. Using augmented reality, teachers can transform 2D objects into interactive ones.
- The semantic web
The Internet has grown tremendously since its very first beginnings. We’ve moved from Web 1.0, where large computers managed to show a little information, to Web 3.0 (where we are now), with small devices accessing a large amount of information. There is also Web 4.0, where we are heading in the future, where people will be able to control their devices using only their minds.
- Google apps
Google apps are not new by any means, but they are improving every day and have truly made some changes in the classrooms. Do you remember back when there was no such thing as autosave in a document? Google apps fixed that, and this is just one small example of their ongoing improvements. These apps have changed the way people collaborate, and when we translate that to education, these apps have affected how group projects are done. Furthermore, many schools are starting to use Google as their primary school domain increases. We can expect new things from Google with every future update.
- Transmedia storytelling
Transmedia storytelling transforms how teachers educate and how students learn. The single lesson can be explained using multiple platforms and formats with the help of current digital technologies. This also helps students remember data easily.
- Going wireless in schools
All of the technologies listed above depend on readily available Wi-Fi in classrooms. Additionally, with classroom Wi-Fi, wireless projecting is a possibility. This means that teachers are now moving from the center of the classroom and can present rich content instead, shifting them from the traditional “Do as I say” way of teaching.
Technology evolves every year and education benefits immensely from innovations as it moves away from traditional learning methods. We will yet to see how far it will go, but one thing is for sure—our children are having and will continue to have, entirely different experiences than we did.
