2016 Educational Technology Trends
With each New Year comes a new piece of groundbreaking technology. The computer, which most of us use on a day to day basis was first introduced in 1977 and slowly introduced into classroom settings. Since then, the world of technology has advanced beyond our beliefs, but have you ever thought about how technology can influence and be part of an educational setting? With more and more classrooms inviting different gadgets and pieces of technology to help educate and engage students, let’s take a look at what the trends of 2016 are.
Adaptive Learning
More and more educational facilities, in particular, colleges and universities, are encouraging adaptive learning. It’s so important that each and every student engages with lessons and the messages portrayed, as there can be such a big dynamic when it comes to students, adaptive learning is becoming more popular.
Essentially, adaptive learning consists of using more interactive and technological methods of teaching as opposed to paper based. It can be as simple as using a projector in a lesson or letting students conduct their own research through the use of computers. A lot of the time, students who use technology in addition to paper based resources tend to get better grades and are more content at school, college or university.
Virtual Reality (VR)
A number of global companies such as Google, Samsung, HTC, Sony and Facebook-backed Oculus have invested millions of dollars into the VR market which will be becoming more predominant throughout the coming year.
When we first think of the advancements in VR, we often think of gamers and how it will improve their interactive experience through gaming. However, by introducing VR into the classroom, not only can we influence student engagement, it could also be used to test the waters of different careers, giving them a ‘real feel’ for what their job of choice is really like. While this is an interesting thought, nothing quite beats a few days of hands-on work experience!
VR could be a groundbreaker in the classroom and allow children to explore and understand technology in itself on a higher level.
3D Printers
3D printers are fascinating and haven’t long been in our lives, and with this in mind, they’re already being used in education. These amazing devices are helping students bring their ideas to life, particularly in art and design subjects. 2016 sees the devices becoming more affordable which means there’s more of a chance that they will appear in many classrooms around the globe.
3D printers aren’t just used to replicate existing ideas, but they also influence students to bring new ones to life. It’s an excellent resource for creative students to imaginatively come up with and produce ideas.
Cloud-Based Learning
Over the past few years, we’ve watched the growth of cloud-based learning. And believe it or not, it will continue to grow and gain more popularity in classrooms around the world. Cloud storage is an excellent medium for educators to store and share information. It saves a lot of time and resources and teaches students the important of this type of software from early on.
Many universities use only cloud-based systems and avoid hand-outs of any type. This means that there’s an interactive online space for both teachers and students to share and access important information relevant to their course.
eBooks
They might not have been the reader’s favorite when they first started out, but eBooks are gaining popularity (but still not overtaking good old-fashioned books), many classrooms are using them to teach classes and use as resources. Furthermore, many students are encouraged to use eBooks as there are now a number of authors who publish educational papers, books and essays specifically for use through an eBook. With this in mind, if a student learns how to use an eBook early on in life, they will be more susceptible to adapt to other forms of technology further down the line.
Advancements in Technology
The advancements of technology in education are leading to a more personalized and interactive educational experience for students. Both educators and students alike are able to have content created to suit their individual learning styles. This, in turn, increases content retention and comprehension. Personalized and technological education from early on can really help an individual understand technology more.
In addition, technology in education supports students who later enroll in academic or online courses. Some online courses offer lectures that can be listened to while you conduct your day to day life, such as cooking, driving and everything else in between!