Higher education never stays the same, especially with such rapid development of technology that shapes our ordinary everyday activities. Without a doubt, one might wait for drastic transformations in the perspective of ten years, but the situation and events force us to adapt as we are pressed for time. Right now, you might notice how higher education establishments pick notes and introduce new technologies and methods.
Many things change, but some of them stay the same. As a student, you can always look for help from essay writing service blog and enjoy your semester even if it drastically changes. The progress of students and researchers is the aim of the educational trends, while some of them are driven by the technologies themselves. What to expect in the upcoming semesters and how these trends impact the world of education, the top trends to expect in 2021.
Why does education change?
The change doesn’t happen overnight, so good old advice for students is still relevant. Yet, one must understand the reasons for a change before evaluating the trends and their impact on society on a global scale. While the rise of technology comes as no surprise, education change is reflecting the demands of the attendees and academic staff.
One of the strongest driving forces of change is the pursuit of human wellbeing. Knowledge and education, as well as its purpose, have come to the point where people are set first. The happiness of people, the reduction of drop-out rates, and the improvement of professional skills are the goals of those who work in the higher education sector.
The tech comes at second place, both as the facilitator and the main challenge to overcome. After all, tech is a distraction and one of the causes of information noise pollution. Yet, everyday scholars find a new way to turn it all around, making it easier to find an individual approach to each and every student.
AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning (ML) implemented in classrooms
Tech professionals are puzzled with AI and ML’s complete implementation and integration of technologies in everyday classroom activities. Especially when the education becomes remote, AI and ML may be used for improving the evaluation of students’ performance. The software and virtual learning environments are now designed for tracking the progress and suggest the staff pay attention to aspects that may require improvements. At the same time, AI might help to personalize the curriculum of students.
Previously, AI technologies were effectively used with plagiarism checkers and writing assistants. It has its limitations and opportunities, but it still requires a lot of thought and consideration put into it. We might expect a bloom of this trend within the near future. If you are studying the degree in computer sciences, be sure that you will always have a job in the field and contribute to the improvement of technology.
Remote education
Online education replaces traditional face-to-face lectures without affecting academic performance. Of course, people as social animals need to be integrated into society to acquire relevant social skills. Yet, remote education has proven in some aspects to be better than face-to-face attendance in terms of time management and logistics of students’ movement to the campus from their home, for instance.
On the other hand, students might struggle with the concentration and motivation to participate in the discussions and read all assigned materials. That’s where the previous AI and ML trend hops on the train to give youth a helping hand.
Online education became popular overall for the past several years. Mostly it is associated with students having to mix their work and learning schedules, and eLearning is a flexible option. While being online, students also have the opportunity to make the most of the experience without having to sacrifice their free time.
Work-based learning
Work-based learning means what the title sounds like: this trend creates job-ready graduates that can easily jump into the industry with all necessary skills and motivation. It is the integration of work experience as a core of an educational program. It potentially increases the employment outcomes for students and flexible options for training programs.
What it means:
- Higher education institutions support their students by providing practice-based solutions;
- Learners experience a smoother transition into the job market;
- Employers save time and money on introductory instructions and have employees with relevant skills and motivation.
Although many of the degrees have internship opportunities, students are given the basis for their future careers. Work-based learning reduces the possibility of unemployment or false expectations about the reality of the career youth chooses when applying for studies.
Microlearning
Microlearning is all about short-term learning activities. Many MBA degrees deal with this form of curriculum. They have cycles where you are focusing on one specific subject, and as you acquire the skill, you close it. It is a subject-aimed course rather than a semester dedicated to several subjects. Microlearning is considered to be more engaging and cheaper than a traditional eLearning. It is often used for corporate and commercial training.
This trend is associated more with innovative eLearning platforms, but it may be used with a traditional education as well. Microlearning allows you to boost repetition, and therefore, the remembering of the material, more work on a specific skill, and increased learning outcomes for students.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The term “Internet of Things” describes the network of physical objects that have their digital counterparts. It is achieved through sensors, software, and other technologies that allow people to exchange data and integrate their devices into the networks. At the same time, the advancement of these technologies might change higher education in fields such as medicine and engineering, allowing students to complete their practical assignments effectively.
IoT can be used both in offline and online education:
- IoT can be adjusted to improve the environment and fulfill the individual needs of students in the classroom.
- IoT increases the quality of communication, improves collaboration, and encourages students to engage in all activities.
There are various technologies and projects that are used in classes. For example, Promethean is a cloud-based delivery software for educators. It transforms the training methods and gives all tools for improvement of the training activities.