5 promising technological trends in education
Education has evolved a lot over the past few decades, thanks to technology. While the traditional classroom setup still thrives currently, there have been significant developments in the sector.
So, we have compiled some of the most exciting and promising of these trends.
Mixed/virtual reality
Since the introduction of virtual reality, technology has been applied to many sectors, mostly in gaming.
However, some developers have taken the software to the next step by making it applicable to learning. Virtual reality headsets are now being used to provide a more immersive experience when learning.
For one, students can virtually travel to historical locations such as the pyramids and even the Great Wall of China. They can have a clear 3D view of these locations compared to the normal pictures found on the internet and in textbooks.
Mixed reality provides individuals with better cognitive associations with educational content and makes the experience quite exciting. Virtual reality is also being used in some medical courses to train individuals since it is more interactive. The technology has a lot of promise in boosting learning.
Artificial intelligence learning
Currently, technology has made it possible for students to receive more benefits of customised learning. Classrooms consist of students will different academic skills. Teachers cannot teach according to each individual's learning pace. With AI in education, each person receives a learning experience that suits them.
Some students are fast learners, while others take time to grasp content. Being able to choose your own pace and employing a customised learning style makes it relatively easy. A good example is the AI learning app, Duolingo, which is known for teaching individuals foreign languages.
The app shows people when to practice and even lets them sets schedules. It tracks an individual's progress and even keeps records of all the words they have mastered. Artificial intelligence learning will take some time to be fully integrated into a curriculum. However, it shows a great amount of potential in enhancing education.
Use of social media in education
Social media has become a big part of our current culture. From as early as ten years old, individuals have phones and active social media handles across various platforms.
Even though social media receives many criticisms, it has some undeniable benefits. For instance, learning institutions use social media to help students interact with their peers and school faculty.
Tutees can share study tools and notes and other learning essentials. Furthermore, social media provides a platform for people to share their opinions and academic projects. Thus, it heightens collaborations like students recommending a custom essay writing service to others.
Game-based learning
Traditional learning has one major drawback; being too monotonous. Collegians having to listen to professors for hours sometimes causes boredom and loss of concentration.
The concept of gamification works around that. Even though gamification in learning had been dismissed earlier, educators are now seeing some promise in the idea.
Gamification in learning has many benefits, including enhancing students' motivation and eliminating the anxiety of grades. It focuses on encouraging students to learn instead of constantly memorising concepts. Various platforms are currently being used, most notably, Kahoot, which delivers engaging and practical sessions for students.
Moreover, gamification provides outstanding encouragement for students by having reward points, stickers, and badges. It also encourages healthy competition. Students who aren't usually active in the classroom benefit a lot from this learning model.
Analytics and data management
Managing education data has been difficult for various educators and institutions. Due to the large population of classrooms, teachers find it challenging to track their learners' progress. However, with analytics and data management, the following has been accomplished:
· Teachers can easily keep track of individual progress and performance.
· Tracking areas where specific students are struggling.
· Homework can now be assigned to multiple classes at once and evaluated online by educators.
· Child engagement can be measured and compared to their performance.
Data collected from analytics in most online learning models helps highlight any troubling patterns among students. With technology, teachers are free to draw more focus on course modules.
Final thoughts
It is hard for the education sector to remain constant with new technological trends emerging every year. The acceptance of technology in education takes time, but it has been gaining momentum in the current years.
Technology is providing better learning experiences, and it's also making teaching easier. However, education should not be controlled by technology. Educational institutes should only accept trends that improve the learning experience without compromising the curriculum.