Can we say for sure what the future of education holds? How will the classrooms of tomorrow look?
Rapidly developing technologies, such as AR and VR, cloud storage and computing, 3D printing, and many more, are setting the stage for the large learning transformations that expect us in the times to come. For that matter, we can try to anticipate further tech development and predict its future impact on the education industry.
So, let’s have a sneak peek at these promising tech innovations that stand a good chance to bring the future of education to a new level. Here’s an overview.
Augmented Reality
Today, AR-tech in education is mostly limited to smartphone applications. Although they do offer an impressive and exciting experience, they lack the feel of a full immersion yet. As an example, with SkyMap you can explore the night sky and study constellations, but it still fails to fully blend with reality.
With AR-equipped wearable tools and devices, like Google Glass for one, students won’t have to hold their smartphones anymore. With no distractions in their hands, they will be able to learn in a more immersive and focused way getting much more fun and enjoyable experience.
Another advantage that may become possible with AR is online field trips. A few years ago, for instance, Andrew Vanden Heuvel, a teacher of physics, tried a new educative method. With the help of Google Glass, he gave a tour over the Large Hadron Collider to his students who were thousands of kilometers away.
The technology is yet to reach the stage of seamlessness. However, even now students can interactively receive extra information and data, which no doubt brings better learning.
3D Models
A new way of printing can greatly extend the boundaries of education as we see it. Instead of trying to fit materials at hand for learning, students (or teachers) can print out demonstrative 3D models for different purposes.
Engineering students and their teachers are the very first category who can benefit from these innovations. With an easy-to-use 3D printer, learners can create smaller size models to put their engineering decisions through their paces, thus improving their solutions before creating an actual prototype. Combined with CAD software tools, 3D printing enables students to apply a trial-and-error method in a financially-efficient way.
However, many more professions require visualization. Like medicine, for one. While it is hard to grasp an abstract matter of molecular structures, their printed physical versions can give a leg-up for better and easier understanding.
Cloud Systems
“My pup chewed my notebook” may be no longer an excuse for the teachers of tomorrow. Cloud storage systems are kicking into high gear these days, and are very likely to bring changes to many facets of our lives, specifically in the field of education.
In the future, students may only need online-connected devices to access cloud storages where all their assignments and learning materials are kept. There will likely be no need to carry all those expensive heavy books and stationery, while a cost-efficient internet connection will grant eager learners 24/7 access to their reading resources.
With so much convenience and freedom, students will have the luxury to study and work on their projects anywhere and anytime. The digital libraries can be up and running even when the physical ones are not. Plus, studying while soaking vitamin D on the beach may prove more effective than traditional lectures in a damp dimly-lit classroom. While there is much room for improvement yet, it is clear that cloud technologies will take a hefty share in the future education system.
Social Networks
In the modern world, if you are not present online, you simply don’t exist. Many colleges have already registered in social networks to have this exposure, as well as allow their students to socialize in the habitual environment. In such spaces, students can discuss their ideas and get college homework help from their peers, while still being able to lean on their teachers who guide them through the chats and forums. That being said, the idea has a huge impact on future generations’ mindset – that learning success is their personal responsibility and no one else’s.
Moreover, through an open discussion where the ideas are shared, supported, and confronted, where there is a lot of both competition and collaboration, students can have real-life skills of teamwork and problem-solving. And based on the modern trend, such a socially-rich experience can be nothing than useful for future students.
Eye Tracking
Although biometric technologies have been traditionally associated with security measures, they can be applied for improving learning among students too. Through eye-tracking, for example, teachers can get priceless feedback on how well their students absorb and digest the learning information. In fact, marketers have been using this method for a while to track consumers’ reactions to advertising and determining what piques their interest.
Similarly, this method can be applied to estimate the efficiency of the course and adjust it to the individual student’s needs. For example, Mirametrix gets the details of how students learn by tracking where they look during their studies. Though the tech is pretty expensive for now, like with all innovations it’s just a matter of time when it becomes available to broader usage.
Howbeit, combined with AI-powered technologies, eye-tracking can make a mind-blowing mix that would allow adjusting the learning content to the needs of every single learner in real-time. As an alternative, tracking the eye-movement patterns can help to figure out where students may get stuck and how to optimize the content for their better understanding.
Last Words:
While original technological ideas are often applied in unique and unimaginable ways, it is impossible to say for sure if the future of ed-tech will turn the way we expect it to. But if it does, students will see studying as a blessing rather than a burden, where trial-and-error learning doesn’t bring real-life damage or costs and, therefore, is encouraged.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to join our Telegram Channel for the latest tech updates. I will be back soon with another interesting update. Keep visiting HiTricks.
Nirmal Sarkar is a Biotechnologist from the city of Joy, Kolkata. He is the founder of this blog and covers a wide range of topics from Gadgets to Software to Latest Offers. You can get in touch with him via nirmal@hitricks.com
