Technology and Education: What’s on Trend for 2016
Advances in technology affect every part of the human experience, from ordering at the drive-thru to communicating with colleagues halfway around the world. Children today can start learning early about technology, how it’s used, and how it’s created in the classroom. Consider these trends in Ed Tech, as we head into 2016.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
Technology is expensive. Many companies can’t afford to provide employees with devices, and even fewer resources are available at schools. Allowing students to bring their own devices lets schools focus on programming and providing for those children who lack access to devices at home. At school, mobile network access allows students to conduct research, play learning games, and use technology to solve problems.
When school-aged children grow up, they’ll rely even more heavily on technology to complete daily functions than we do. The days of suspending students for bringing a device to school are over, and schools will likely start focusing on regulating how students use those devices instead.
Makerspaces – The New Science Fairs
America needs more students in the science, technology, and math fields. These creators will drive the next wave of innovation, and makerspaces provide the creative areas necessary for young children to thrive while working on tech and engineering projects. These facilitate the use of design programs, 3D printers, and other readily available tools and concepts to allow children to put the skills they learn in the classroom into practice. These flexible spaces promote engagement, creativity, and problem solving in a way a textbook simply can’t.
Adaptive Learning
While adaptive learning may not exist as a standard in educational settings in 2016, educators will likely begin adopting the concept around the country as early as 2017. Adaptive learning uses technology to create custom teaching profiles. Everyone learns differently, and educators understand that catering to a student’s unique learning patterns yields results.
Since most school systems can’t provide individual learning programs for each student, adaptive learning technologies do the hard work for them. Schools can use the data gleaned from adaptive learning solutions to create better, more productive classroom environments.
Gamification
Principles of gamification slowly trickled into educational solutions over the last few years, and the trend will continue. Ideas of gamification such as friendly competition, scoring, badges, and other game-like techniques are effective in the classroom. They promote engagement and teach otherwise mundane topics in a new and interesting way. Unlike some of the other trends, gamification represents an approach to education rather than a tool, and the principles of the tactic help students attain soft skills they’ll need in the wider world.
Other Technological Trends
Video will further enhance educational settings, facilitating other technologies and connecting students around the world. In some systems, parents may start to notice the adoption of wearable technology. As augmented reality and virtual reality devices come to the marketplace, they’ll also present unique educational opportunities. Some students may also enjoy access to 3D printing in shop classes or other emerging technologies that teachers and school systems decide to test out and adopt. Around the world, Switzerland and Japan started using wearable technology to maximize what students can do and learn in the classroom.
For the next few years, schools may take a staggered approach to many emerging technologies as budgets and educational guidelines allow. With each passing year, one thing is certain—more technology will fuel and diversify the classroom experience, helping children learn and grow in ways that will benefit them now, but more importantly, carry with them into their futures.
photo credit: Children at school via photopin (license)
