Educational technology is helping teachers enhance their teaching by engaging students with practical ways of learning. This encompasses everything from redesigned learning spaces to artificial technology, virtual reality, 3D printing, data management and much more.
According to CampusTechnology.com, eLearning Industry, and Forbes, these are some education technologies and trends to watch right now:
Data-Driven Decision-Making – Using data to make decisions and standardizing how data is collected, cleansed and stored. Having a data and information management strategy in place in IT is no longer just a luxury — it is becoming a necessity.
Immersive Learning – Using virtual reality, augmented learning experiences, and gamification to engage all the senses in the learning experience. Virtual reality technology is being used to allow students to experience remote locations and recreate historical events. Gamification helps make learning difficult subject matter more exciting and interactive.
Classroom Technology – More schools have been able to outfit classrooms with computers, laptops, tablets and more to help teach digital citizenship skills. This has helped make technology accessible to more students and has been made possible in part by federal funding.
Mobile Technology – Portability and BYOD (bring your own device) expand how and where people learn and consume information. In turn, it allows institutions to learn more about user behavior.
Learning Space Design – Changes in physical space to enable students to be more creative and ambitious. You’re not likely to find classrooms arranged in the traditional rows of desks all pointing toward the front of the room. In addition to changing the classroom environment, some learning spaces aren’t even in the classroom.
Custom Learning Experiences – Modern technology in education helps support personalized, need-based learning instead of the one-size-fits-all approach. Blended learning, where the student can control certain aspects of learning, and adaptive learning technology, where the learning experienced are adapted on the fly, based on student behavior and answers, help keep students engaged and interested.
Artificial Intelligence – Has been used to answer questions, provide student advisory services, facilitate one-on-one tutoring, evaluate the quality of curriculum and content, and provide personalized learning.
Cloud Computing – Makes it possible to access coursework and educational materials from any device, anywhere, any time. Students can easily pick up reading or working on a project at home where they left off at school. Cloud technology also makes collaboration easier and solves the problem of storing data.
Specializing in Educational Technology
How does an educator become proficient in educational technology? Southeastern Oklahoma State University offers a fully online master’s degree program for professionals who want to pursue career advancement in the classroom and beyond as a curriculum specialist or instructional coordinator specializing in educational technology.
SOSU’s fully online Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction — Educational Technology is a 30-credit-hour program that can be completed in as few as 12 months. With this M.Ed. degree, career opportunities open up in the classroom, with nonprofits, universities, museums and more.
In addition to the core courses focusing on curriculum development and research, this program includes courses on the design and strategies of learning technologies, learning technologies that bridge the digital divide, and innovative leadership for digital age learning environments.
Learn more about SOSU’s online M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction — Educational Technology program.
Sources:
Campus Technology: 7 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2018
eLearning Industry: Top 6 Educational Technology Trends Right Now
Forbes: Top 6 Digital Transformation Trends in Education