Technologies are transforming our lives in every way imaginable. Decades ago we couldn’t have dreamed of having a smart device that would fit into our pocket and be our everything, from a camera to a bank. And now, technological progress affects every industry out there, so there is no way it could go past education and learning. So let us talk about edtech and how technologies shape education methods and approaches.
What Is EdTech?
Technologies have already changed the way we study and learn. You can find countless online courses to study on your own. As for formal education, computers are already used during certain lessons, textbooks can be downloaded to a tablet PC instead of being carried to the school or university, and these are only a few examples.
Education technology (or edtech for short) means using any technological advancements (in the form of hardware or software) to facilitate learning processes. It can include developing apps for studying (e.g. Duolingo for learning languages), gamification of studying processes, using virtual or augmented reality technologies, etc. Also, edtech is mostly mentioned when discussing the future of education. It has the potential to significantly improve the results of corporate training, self-studying, etc.
Why is this topic so hot? Well, edtech solutions have many benefits:
- they increase learners’ engagement;
- they encourage collaboration between learners;
- they make learning more accessible;
- they cut costs;
- they make learning more efficient thanks to visualization and more opportunities to introduce personal approach.
4 EdTech Trends To Keep An Eye On
Any industry related to technologies is changing rapidly. More and more new technologies find their use in transforming learning processes. To make sure you don’t lag behind the main trends, check out the 4 main edtech trends that are going to be all the rage in 2018.
1. Virtual & Augmented Reality
Virtual and augmented reality in education are a relatively new trend as well, yet it could definitely be called the most fascinating and promising one. To make things clear, augmented reality means adding virtual objects to the real world while creating virtual reality is all about an immersive experience of seeing a completely digital environment.
As for the potential of these technologies in edtech, it is boundless. They can be used for a variety of purposes. VR and AR are a breakthrough for simulating real-life scenarios to develop certain skills. The main advantage of these technologies is that they allow interacting with virtually created content. Also, VR is supported by the recent versions of browsers. Now, the user gets the opportunity to create many powerful solutions simply visiting the website like we can see it on the page of Firefox Quantum features.
2. Data Driven Decisions
Big data is what you can see in many headlines dedicated to the news of our technological progress. In the case of edtech, big data can transform the decision-making process on the behalf of educators and bring the personal approach towards every learner to a new level.
An edtech solution can constantly collect various data regarding the learner’s progress (e.g. how much time he or she spends fulfilling certain tasks) and make conclusions based on the data.
Big data analysis allows identifying what problems the learner is experiencing and predicting further performance. This means that feedback can be tracked in real time which makes more room for personalizing the learning process and, consequently, improving the learner’s performance.
3. Digital Content For Learning
This is one of the oldest trends in edtech, yet it’s not going anywhere soon. Nowadays, getting new knowledge from printed books and the word of mouth seems quite outdated. Digitizing content has numerous advantages: first and foremost, it makes knowledge more accessible and easier to comprehend.
The brightest example of learning materials going digital is online courses. Learning materials can be represented as audios, videos, infographics, etc. What is important, information becomes visualized which makes it easy to understand and memorize.
Digitizing content is a game changer not only for formal education institutions but for enterprises as well. Corporate training can be conducted distantly in the form of online courses, thus cutting costs and making it accessible to the maximum number of employees. If you combine this trend with the other ones from our list (e.g., developing a mobile app, gamification, implementing big data analysis, etc.), you can create a positive learning environment for the employees’ professional development.
While you can’t surprise anyone with MOOCs (massive open online courses), online coaching is relatively new. The main idea of this edtech trend lies in the idea that the interaction between the learner and the coach can happen online. This can mean either getting in touch via video calls or replacing the coach with an AI-based chatbot.
4. Mobile Apps & Internet of Things (IoT)
We spend hours on our smartphones. They are irreplaceable for us. Why not put this to work? There are already hundreds of mobile apps dedicated to learning, for instance, a new language or how to code. Besides being the obvious platforms for providing the digital content for learning, mobile apps can be a great way to gamify the learning process.
Gamification means adding such gaming elements as levels, points, scores, rewards, etc. However, this is not the only way you can gamify learning – you can send learners on a quest in a fantasy world via a mobile app to engage them. To put in simple terms, gamification means you turn learning into a game.
IoT, in its turn, is the increasing trend of edtech. Basically, the Internet of Things technology has one main purpose – to build a network of various devices (sensors, cameras, home appliances, etc.) in order to collect data and analyze it. It is a very promising technology for edtech. For instance, you could use sensors to track learners’ cognitive-emotional states and use the data to personalize the learning process.
For instance, you could use VR or AR for teaching medical students how to perform surgeries without having to get corpses or mannequins involved. At the same time, the experience would be realistic enough for students to develop the necessary skills.
What You Need To Do To Request A Quote
Do you have an idea of an edtech solution that will transform the way people learn? Are you willing to bring it to life? If the answers to both questions are positive, you need to find a reliable development partner to implement your idea.
The development costs are an important decision-making factor. If you would like to know how much it would cost to implement your idea, reach out to us and request a quote. All you need to do is to fill your name, email address and describe your idea to us.
After this is done, our managers will soon contact you and clarify all of your requirements for the future solution in order to present you with a realistic quote.
The Bottom Line
Technological advancements are changing every aspect of our lives, and learning is no exception. And when we say learning, we’re not talking only about schools and universities – the way employees acquire new skills and knowledge at enterprises is already being transformed as well. From something as simple as online courses to mobile apps and full-fledged VR experiences, edtech has a tremendous potential.
There are many things going on in this industry. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, hurry up to take advantage of the main trends. In 2018, we are going to see the rise of big data, digitizing content, online content, mobile-first approach, gamification, IoT, VR and AR, so stay tuned for more updates in this field. So, waste no more time and contact us to make the first step to breathing life into your product.
