The last few years have witnessed dramatic changes in learning models. The way students are taught today is very different from the teaching methods adopted decades ago. Technology has brought about various changes in the way education is delivered and received. With the many benefits it has to offer, digital learning has become an important part of the education system. Information and communication technology (ICT) brings many benefits to digital learning and student-centric engagement. ICT trends in education are shaping schools and universities to apply the latest educational technologies to improve teaching and learning processes. Let’s take a look at the current educational technology trends:
1. Collaborative Learning
The innovative trend in educational technology has made it possible for everyone to stay connected. The impact of current ICT trends in education has opened up several options. We connect, discuss and enforce situations collaboratively. This collaborative approach has become important in the learning process as well. In the classroom learning model, lecturers encourage collaboration by assigning group activities and assignments. When students work together to work on a project or solve a problem, it builds their collaborative skills. Working together increases their understanding and increases engagement. While eLearning is quite popular, it includes collaboration with features to share and discuss. In the traditional teaching model, a lecturer enters the classroom, talks for about 30 minutes, and leaves when the bell rings. But nowadays, technology has bridged the gap between lecturers and students.
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2. Learning Outside the Classroom
Various technological trends in education continue to change the digital world. Mobile-based devices have taken learning outside of the classroom. With mLearning and eLearning growing in popularity, students can study at their own pace and time. This trend is expected to follow as it is a convenient method of giving as well as receiving education. Designing mobile-first responsive content helps students navigate their course anytime and anywhere.
Internet connection is no longer a problem with offline reading capabilities. eBooks can be embedded with many features to enhance the learning experience. Complete with annotation tools, bookmarks, hyperlinks, dictionaries, search features, e-books make learning more flexible. Most educational institutions today have adopted mobile learning into their learning ecosystem, benefiting both students and faculty.
3. Social Media in Learning
Who would have thought that social media would one day be accepted as part of the learning process? Technological trends in teaching and learning are changing rapidly every day. With kids as young as eleven having social media profiles across multiple platforms, you can’t really expect to keep them away from social media for too long. So, lecturers found a way to take advantage of this trend and turn it into a powerful tool to improve the learning process.
Educational institutions have started using social media as a communication tool, where students can interact with their peers and faculty members. Usually, students share videos and pictures with their friends and followers. But with the social features embedded in their eBooks, they can share study materials, opinions, projects.
4. Interactivity in Class
Bringing technology into the classroom has made classrooms lively and interactive. With eBooks, course content can be embedded with videos, augmented reality, audio files, etc. Unlike printed books, e-books allow for more interaction to occur in the classroom. The inverted classroom model has allowed students to do all the learning at home and all the practical work at school.
All these new technologies have brought about a change in the way the classroom used to function traditionally. Lecturers can now help and guide students with their homework in class.
They can have discussions and activities in the classroom, creating an interactive environment where students are truly involved in the learning process. Creating interaction and engagement has become a priority for many schools and universities. This learning style has seen growth in recent years due to its ability to keep students engaged in the classroom.
5. Analytics
Analytics has become an essential part of any online learning model as it allows the measurement of child engagement and academic performance. According to available data, lecturers can develop action plans to improve performance