2015 is well underway, which means we can make safe predictions as to in which direction edtech is going to move for the rest of it, and probably see the foundations of development for the next few years.
Here are 5 trends which played and will play the most important roles in educational technology in 2015.
Online Competency Based Learning
Competency based learning and online education are both far from being especially innovative; however, when combined they create an exceptionally promising model. By compartmentalizing education not by courses, disciplines and subject matter, but by competencies, it allows for much greater freedom and flexibility, and easy online access makes the process all the more efficient. However, as noted by website design Sydney company MagicDust, in this case creation of online medium that will adequately teach these competencies without much participation on the side of human teachers becomes a very important part of the challenge.
More Collaboration between Educational Institutions
Educational technology is expensive, but it has long ago turned from a luxury into something colleges and universities cannot do without. The situation is further aggravated by edtech’s tendency to change every several years, making it necessary to buy it all over again. This means that educational consortia are going to grow both in number and in importance. Universities are going to get together to acquire the necessary technology and create pressure groups demanding better prices and more sustainability.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
The fact is, most schools are already BYOD in the sense that vast majority of students bring their own devices and use them for their own needs. The basis is already here – all that is left to do in most cases is to officially create a system that would embrace the fact and use it to everybody’s advantage. There are always issues of compatibility and security, but once the decision to accept the approach is made, they can be solved.
Technology for Flipped Learning
Flipped learning is a system where students watch video lectures and read content online when out of class, and then do what is traditionally called homework in class – under the personal instruction of teachers. The idea is that it allows for greater levels of student engagement both in and out of class. The rapid development of big data, cloud technologies and app solutions will inevitably lead to the growth in this sector.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Technology gives teachers better opportunities to create educational resources that would be available to anybody willing to look for them. In fact, educators have been doing this for years – it simply never was so easily achieved and widespread. The cost of education is one of the sore points of the system – and making more information in the form of open textbooks, tests, courses, presentations and suchlike free can effectively bring these costs down.
Educational technology is a turbulent and quickly developing industry; we can only be guessing what will be playing the crucial role next year.
