New technologies are starting to shape up the modern face of education. In 10 to 20 years from now, they’ll lead to a complete transformation. The school of today will have nothing to do with the school or the university of the future. Here are five of the most prominent trends that will completely alter the way in which we learn.
The Death of the Traditional Classroom?
Digital natives (the people born after 1985) will comprise 50 percent of the world’s population in 2020, an Ericsson ConsumerLab report suggests. As a result, the good old classroom could potentially become obsolete.
Modern children learn in ways that are quite different from what prior generations required in the classroom. Digital and interactive learning opportunities are already being introduced. Chances are that these will become the norm in the years to come.
Virtual field trips, e-learning games and online connectivity can simplify the academic process both in the school classroom and in university lecture halls. Needless to say, educators of the future will have to strike a fine balance between real life and virtual interactions.
Home Schooling on the Rise
The educational sector is institutionalized. More and more parents are looking for alternatives. As a result, mini-schools that focus on a specific educational approach and home schooling will become much more prominent in the years to come.
Currently, home schooling is the fastest growing form of education in the US. According to 2015 numbers, about four percent of US children are home schooled. The number adds up to 2.5 million children. This approach allows for customization, making it easier for kids and their instructors to focus on talents and academic fields of interest.
This trend towards personalization and learning on an individual basis will also have its impact on higher education. Currently, universities hold a monopoly on higher knowledge. This isn’t going to be the case in the years to come. Online courses and learning opportunities are becoming available all the time. These give students with limited access to education great alternatives to the traditional formats. Saying that universities will become completely obsolete is, of course, an overstatement. Universities are already working on hybrid programs, online courses and academic assignment platforms, giving students a number of options to choose among.
Grading Systems of the Future
The standard grading approach has long been perceived as demotivating for students. Many education experts are painting a picture of schools that don’t have grades. Standardized tests don’t really reveal the academic potential and talents of students. The curriculum is very narrow and the fact that kids in the same class are of the same age doesn’t mean that they’re on the same academic level.
Several innovative schools are already abandoning the obsolete grading system. These build online student portfolio systems, communicating with parents on a regular basis and building a catalog of talents and preferences that can help for the further academic development of children.
Technologies and Education: This is How the Magic Happens
It’s impossible to ignore the impact that IT will have on the school of the future. This impact is already evident, giving students access to intriguing solutions and educational platforms.
Even artificial intelligence (AI) used to personalize education isn’t a far-fetched scenario. Just imagine a world in which a system will keep track of courses taken and subjects in which a student excels. This information could be used to suggest new learning opportunities, assign a “virtual tutor” to a student and encourage academic development in the right field.
This isn’t the only technology that’s impacting the world of learning. 3D printing has already found its purpose in the classroom. As the technology becomes more affordable and readily accessible in the years to come, it will continue to spread. Printed models give students a better idea about challenging concepts like human organs and bodily systems. Students also get a chance to print out their designs and concepts, encouraging experiments in the world of engineering.
Augmented reality, virtual tours, cloud computing, bioinformatics – the options are limitless! These will make learning visual, interactive and clearer. Abstract concepts that are illustrated in a practical way will become simpler to master, regardless of the student’s academic background.
The school and the university of the future will have a lot to offer. The traditional classroom will soon go into oblivion and so will the traditional grading system. These changes form the backbone of education in the future. We’ll simply have to wait and see what other developments will be determining for the way in which we’ll acquire knowledge in the years to come.
Author Bio
By profession I am a content strategist and a writer by calling. I have a keen interest in education issues and startups, reading and writing. You can find me on Facebook.
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