Whether you’re the student or the teacher, there’s no denying the positive impacts brought on by the inclusion of technology in the classroom in 2020-2022. While the global pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world, education has found a way to surpass it with digital learning and online-only curriculums.
According to McKinsey‘s findings, 71% of US students use laptops during classes, with the best learning results happening when teachers are supervising and guiding their use of technology. This is because it’s still easy for students to get distracted while using technology, regardless of whether they fall into K-12 or academic education. Here are some of the best reasons for the continued inclusion of technology in education:
- Higher engagement and information retention
- Higher accessibility of learning materials
- Improved collaboration and teamwork initiatives
- Future-proof skill learning for today’s students
Whether your implementation of technology in education is reserved entirely for online learning platforms or you use Big Data and VR, the more tech you use in classrooms, the more engagement and interest the students will exhibit. Here are some of the top trends in education related to technology in 2024 to keep an eye on.
Remote Learning Initiatives
Thanks to the internet and smart devices, it’s now easier than ever to become an expert in a certain field without having to attend college. Universities worldwide have also started to embrace remote learning as a viable alternative to on-campus living and courses.
This has made it extremely easy, and far more affordable, for students to gain the knowledge they need to build their careers. Students can use LetsGradeIt to get their college assignments such as essays or papers done on time with the help of reliable online writers. And with platforms like Udemy expanding by the day, it’s no wonder why remote learning has become such a popular education trend leading up to 2024. Remote learning can take shape either as an independent learning mechanism for students or through video calls and teamwork-oriented cloud platforms for group learning.
AR and VR Learning
Source: eonreality.com
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have come to the forefront of education due to their ability to enhance the learning experience of the students who engage in them. With AR and VR, students are now able to experience various scenarios, participate in lab exercises, and engage in immersive learning wherever they are. All they need is an AR-friendly smartphone or, in the case of supervised VR learning, a headset capable of projecting VR-friendly content.
While the latter may still be too expensive for everyday learning, AR apps have become quite popular both for learning and gaming. Mondly, for example, is a language-learning platform with its AR platform which can help students become adept at various languages through simulated chatbot conversations. As more advanced devices become more affordable, both AR and VR tech will continue to find their way into formal and informal education.
Blockchain Learning
Data processing has been one of the ultimate challenges teachers at different academic levels have faced over the years. Whether you work with first-grade students or college seniors, you face the same issues with grading and tracking their progress throughout the academic year. With blockchain technology, those issues will become a thing of the past. Using blockchain in conjunction with Big Data will enable teachers to accurately track and grade their students’ work on a day-to-day basis.
Moreover, students will be able to refer to their blockchain data during a job interview or further academic applications years down the line thanks to the nature of blockchain. While full-scale implementation of a digital ledger for educational purposes may still be years away, institutions are copying crypto market exchanges like OKX to better structure how they will accomplish this task. Blockchain learning will enable both students and teachers to analyze data far more quickly and precisely than ever before, and the technology is bound to be especially useful in higher academic research.
Moreover, students will be able to refer to their blockchain data during a job interview or further academic applications years down the line thanks to the nature of blockchain. While we are still years away from full-scale implementation of a digital ledger for educational purposes, the foundation has already been built by Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Blockchain learning will enable both students and teachers to analyze data far more quickly and precisely than ever before, and the technology is bound to be especially useful in higher academic research.
Gamified Learning
Source: elearningindustry.com
Today’s K-12 students belong to Gen Z which is more familiar with digital devices than any of the generations that came before it. With social media platforms and online gaming at their fingertips, Gen Z is the perfect catalyst needed for gamified learning to take roots inside formal education. With platforms like Duolingo already taking full advantage of gamification, the notion of rewarding students with points for good performance can slowly take shape.
You can reward your students with stars or different point systems which will help them perceive the value of their good performance. In turn, young students will be far more inclined to engage in learning materials and perform well because gamification builds on the systems they’re already familiar with outside the classroom. Gamified learning is more fun and more positive than traditional book-based learning, which is the most important element of disruptive tech in education, given today’s students’ short attention spans and their need for constant engagement.
Embracing New Tech Trends in Education
Whether you’re more old school and like to rely on printed publications for learning or are pro-tech, the fact of the matter is that technology is here to stay. The implementation of technology trends in education is only bound to continue as we break down the borders and enable even more students to learn and acquire valuable degrees without having to move abroad.
Informal learning is also on track to become even more popular thanks to the newly-found value of life-long learning (LLL) and self-taught specializations by employers and recruiters worldwide. Learn to embrace technology in education and to use it as a valuable addition to the learning process, not as a crutch or a necessary evil and you’ll start to appreciate everything it can do for you in 2024 and beyond.
Bio: Carl Hill is a professional copywriter, content marketer, and social media specialist with years of practical experience in the digital publishing industry. Carl loves writing and he’s made it his mission to expand on his knowledge and expertise through essays, articles, and case studies. In his spare time, Carl cycles and spends time outdoors.
