How emerging technology trends can improve education

Emerging technologies in education

Every year, we see emerging technology trends that are geared towards making our lives easier, better and faster. Education is one such field that has been influenced by the introduction of technology, with Smart Boards becoming more common and blockchain technology allowing the possibility for educators to record information, develop new training methods and track the cost of education using information gathered about their students.

Chatbots and machine learning will also come into play in the classroom. Universities can use chatbots for easier enrolments and teachers can use the machine learning capabilities to develop more personalized forms of learning by looking at the patterns from data collected and offering insights to their students to guide them in the right direction.

Enhanced teaching

Teaching and lecturing are two of the most important aspects of education. Technological innovations have been improving the abilities and resources available to teachers. Science teachers can use digital simulators to show scientific processes, and assessments will become easier with the help of technology.

With the use of emerging technology trends, testing the level of the student’s understanding can be done in real-time, allowing teachers to use this information to help weaker learners understand the subject better. The class can then move on to the next subject with ease, knowing that all learners are on the same page and have the same understanding.

Global learning via video conferences

For lecturers who teach foreign languages, being able to connect with native language speakers can enhance and improve the skills of their students. New platforms have emerged, such as Glovico.org which allow students to set up language lessons with a native speaker, via video conferencing.

Learning a language from a native speaker can help students to better understand the nuances of a foreign language. Lecturers could set up language exchanges in their classrooms, and expose their class to different cultures and perspectives by using these advanced emerging technology trends. With the use of a Smart Board, the video conferences can be interactive, bringing another element of learning into the class.

Emerging technology trends will vastly improve communication

Education is founded on the effectiveness of communication between teachers and students, and emerging technology trends such as chatbots have helped to improve this. The classroom will soon be transformed into a community where teachers quickly post assignments and where students can instantaneously ask questions.

Admission procedures in some universities have been streamlined by the use of chatbots that have machine learning in place. New applicants today consist of young millennials who have a constant online presence, so using chatbots is pretty much second nature to many of them. Using a chatbot system to help them enroll in a university will make the process easier to understand and eliminate time wasted standing in admissions offices.

Electronic and interactive textbooks

Electronic and interactive textbooks are growing in popularity, especially with innovations like e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and Kobo Aura. E-books hold unimaginable potential for education, and interactive textbooks include audio and video capabilities for enhanced reading for younger students and those with disabilities.

Using digital textbooks also decreases the weight of a student’s backpack since they won’t be carrying 5 to 10 textbooks around. A heavy backpack can cause back pain and other health issues. Interactive textbooks are also more conducive to learning than paper versions, as students are able to highlight pertinent information and set reminders to read over this information before a test. The devices used for reading are also able to connect with other devices over a cloud-based platform, allowing students to quickly access information on their cell phone if they’ve forgotten their devices at home or in their dorm rooms.

What are the benefits of technology for educators?

Despite technology being used more and more in classrooms, the role of a teacher will never become obsolete. Artificial intelligence may come with new and exciting innovations, but it will never replace the intuition and caring that a teacher or lecturer provides.

Using technology in the classroom will help to improve engagement with the students, as well as knowledge retention. It can also help to encourage individual learning and allow learners to grow at their own pace. Using interactive technology encourages collaboration between students, making the classroom or lecture hall a more inclusive place.

Emerging technology trends can make enrolling in schools and contacting university admin easier and more efficient. And, SMS has a role to play, too. Read more about how SMS messaging can benefit the education sector.