Tech is becoming increasingly influential and essential across all industries and its growing importance in education is evident. Within education and learning, technology is now becoming an essential tool and is now considered to be more the norm rather than a luxury. These developments can help to make the learning experience more gratifying, provide more information than ever before and can also protect the safety and well-being of students. For our blog this week, we’ll be exploring the latest education technology trends and what we expect to see in 2018.
Cloud-based technology
Cloud-based technology is certainly not a new phenomenon with the adoption rate in the UK now reaching 88% but as it continues to grow, we see it becoming increasingly important in the education sector in 2018. This technology allows information to be stored in a centralised location which can be accessed from anywhere, meaning students can continue to learn regardless of how far they are from their tutor, revisiting lessons when they want to access the information. It is also a very low-cost solution for schools which can add significant value to education.
Augmented reality
After the success and huge popularity of Pokemon Go in 2017, we initially saw the introduction of augmented reality in education in 2017. However, we foresee this becoming more of a classroom trend in 2018 as VR accessories are becoming increasingly more affordable and practical. These tools will allow teachers to use interactive AR tools alongside traditional print-based learning resources.
Bullying prevention technology
Online bullying is sadly becoming increasingly prevalent as young people are becoming more dependent on their devices. We’ve worked with over 400 primary schools over a number of years and we’re aware that tech can have a positive impact. However, it can also have the opposite effect and technology can make bullying easier to conduct but it can now also provide a solution to the problem. For example, in recent years Apps have been introduced to help students report bullying as it happens, such as STOP!t. However, in 2018 we will also see apps being introduced which allow teachers to monitor student devices within schools, looking for keywords, tone of voice, images and social media activity which can prove to be harmful. As well as raising awareness of bullying, it can also help to bridge communication between students and teachers around difficult topics.
Mobile-learning
Mobile devices including iPads are becoming increasingly popular – in the first quarter of 2017, it was reported that 58% of UK homes have at least one tablet device and in 2016, it was found that four out of five adults now own a smartphone, which is equivalent to a staggering 37million people. However, despite their popularity within UK homes, in 2018, we predict that these devices will become more popular for educational purposes within schools. We expect to see more tablets present in classrooms, helping teachers create digital displays and more experiential activities carried out on these devices in order to assist in the learning process.
Through these technology trends and developments, there is room for students to make greater advancements at an early stage of their education by using resources that are native and of interest to them. We predict that teachers who choose to use these edtech tools will see greater levels of engagement and understanding from their students, meaning that their skills will be nurtured and enhanced.
