by Bright Ewuru | Jun 6, 2024 | Articles
As technology permeates every fibre of our daily lives, it has triggered a seismic shift in how we approach learning and teaching. The educational process is no longer shackled by the limits of language, time, traditional programs and time-consuming courses.
Learning is more fun, engaging and accessible thanks to the rising and varying forms of technology.
Let’s explore some of the latest trends in EdTech for 2024.
Immersive learning refers to the process of consuming educational content using technologies that simulate or augment interactive and engaging environments. By placing learners in a realistic yet unreal and safe scenario, it helps them experience the lessons in a more impactful manner. Notable technologies in immersive learning include:
This EdTech trend transforms the learning process through visualisation. With almost 20% of survey respondents including it in their plans, it has been on a forward march.
By helping learners relive events and manipulate models, immersive learning can boost learning effectiveness and enhance retention—research reveals that medical students who learned using VR demonstrated 29% more knowledge retention than those who learned through traditional methods.
AI is more than just a buzzword; it has weaved its way into every aspect of life from business and entertainment to fitness and education.
Incorporating various subsets of AI into the education sector has revolutionised the industry and enhanced efficiency for both educators and learners. To begin with, it can handle routine administrative tasks such as scheduling and student record management, which can free up valuable time for educators to attend to other vital responsibilities.
Generative AI can also be helpful to teachers and students. While it can help teachers create tests and educational content, it can also boost the creativity of students. It can help them brainstorm ideas, create outlines for essays and projects and provide apt explanations of complex subjects.
What’s more, AI systems can provide personalised learning experiences by analysing individual student data and learning patterns. Adapting to such insight will adjust the educational content and processes to match each learner’s peculiarities.
Another popular 2024 EdTech trend is real-time translation. This technology uses language processing systems to facilitate the immediate translation of spoken or written language. Advanced technologies such as speech recognition and synthesis, natural language processing, machine translation systems and other real-time translators dismantle language barriers, enabling learners and their educators to communicate with different languages.
The application of real-time translation in learning environments fosters inclusivity, boosts accessibility, supports language learning and enhances the reach of educational content. It’s perfect for online classes, exchange programs and language tutoring to name a few.
Online assessment is the process of using digital platforms to create, administer and evaluate tests, assignments and other submissions. This approach to scoring adds efficiency and convenience to the process by allowing educators to operate from any location and at any time.
Online assessment platforms such as Award Force can power virtual learning by nurturing instant feedback to help learners identify the errors in their submissions. It also automates grading and allows for comprehensive evaluation of knowledge through different types of assessment.
Keep it short and sweet. That’s the idea behind this EdTech industry trend.
Also termed nano learning, microlearning involves providing educational content in brief, digestible bits. The content passes information within a few minutes, using different forms of online media and interactive elements. As the human attention span gradually shrinks, the brevity and precision of such content aids engagement and retention.
Little wonder most L&D professionals favour microlearning over long-form courses!
Educational institutions can use it for exam preparations and simplification of complex topics. Organisations can equally implement it during employee onboarding and different forms of corporate training as it slots well into busy schedules.
To meet the demands of the current fast-paced and skill-driven economy, the workforce requires flexible, accessible and relevant education. Traditional degrees take years to earn and are much broader in scope.
Alternative forms of credentialing provide a nimbler route for learners to gain and demonstrate relevant competencies outside the traditional academic programs. With 76% of educational institutions offering alternative credentials and 24% planning to do so, this EdTech market trend enjoys popular acceptance.
These alternative credentials, including digital badges, boot camps and online certificates are created to provide hands-on skills and meet current job demands. Also, they’re generally more affordable, take less time and are designed in collaboration with industry experts. This makes them ideal for persons with jobs and other commitments.
Disruptive technologies have made education more personalised, engaging, inclusive and accessible. These EdTech industry trends have opened pathways for greater exploits in learning.
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