Top Trends 2023 - Education Technology

Let's get into the flashback and recall one of the iconic teachers of all time. He is a teacher who belongs to the 1950s but his teachings blend perfectly even in this era of Instagram reels and Snapchat filters. A teacher whose motto was far beyond preparing students for college because he wanted to prepare them for life. A teacher who gave a mantra of carpe diem and showed all that matters is to seize the day.

We're not even going to bother with your answer because O Captain, My Captain, you know whom we're talking about. It's the legendary John Keating from the movie Dead Poets Society. John was not just caring and inspiring but was also rebellious and taught his students to be open-minded and accept challenges. Now, imagine he's back with his philosophies and unconventional teaching methods. He is aware that it is essential to study the trends to stay on his toes in today's edtech era. Just like, in 2022, we saw trends like mobile applications, AR/VR, Moocs, interactive learning and AI setting set the stage on fire, 2023 is all set to revamp the edtech industries with some blazing trends.

Now we all know, John helped his students look at the world in a different light and inspired them to achieve their goals on their own terms. Seeking inspiration from him we are here to help John see the edtech industry in a new light and help him keep up with recent trends! So, let's carpe diem and let the class begin!

Trend 1: There's Nothing Nano About Nano Learning

 
Let's face it, today's generation wants everything at its fingertips and at a breakneck speed and that’s what nano learning is all about! Nano learning is quite similar to microlearning; the only difference is that the learning sessions are designed to be even shorter. You can think of nano learning as what you see on most social media platforms, such as YouTube, for e.g. YouTube tutorials on 'how to present short forms of content to educate the users'. Other examples of nano learning can be platforms like TikTok and Instagram that flaunt even shorter and snappier nano content. No doubt, these platforms have a fair chunk of contribution in popularizing nano content. #NanoForTheWin

According to one of the reports by RPS research, microlearning enhances focus and supports long-term retention by up to 80 percent. It's the magic of bite-sized content that is not just readily available and accessible but is also easy to understand by the learners. Soon, nano-learning will be used as a supplemental approach to support the main training events.

TechDogs' Opinion: Digital tools are all set to make learning a self-driven activity. Thanks to e-learning platforms and online classrooms for transferring the vast amount of quality content available to both K12 and higher education learners. Nano-learning is a trend that will make learning more simplified, precise and impactful. It will sharply focus on specific topics rather than just dwelling on general themes. Shortly, nano-learning will play a huge role in equipping students with knowledge and skills served hotly and crisply. We believe that embracing nano learning and presenting the content in short chunks will make content more appealing, stable and catchy to almost every learning. This type of content will be preferred across all classes and age groups, from those pursuing higher studies to employees who often need training or instruction in their respective domains.
 

Trend 2: Big Data Analytics Is A Big Thing

 
Big Data has been doing rounds in almost every industry – so why would the Education industry be any exception to it? Invariably, the next trend on our radar is big data analytics, which focuses on collecting, allocating, accomplishing and discovering huge datasets. With the help of big data analytics, professors will be able to identify areas where students struggle and where their strengths lie. It would also allow them to understand what kind of teaching approach works best for which student! 

"Without big data analytics, companies are blind, deaf, wandering out onto the web like deer on a freeway" quotes Geoffrey Moore, American Management Consultant and Author. Why not harness the power of big data analytics in edtech? Big data analytics will help instructors understand students' individual needs and create strategies for personalized learning. In the business landscape, instructors and coaches will get a hold of all the data of learners (employees) who have participated in a particular course. For instance, big data analysis may show learners whether it's instructor-led training, hands-on training or e-lectures employees prefer the most.

TechDogs' Opinion: Big data analytics will use different patterns to predict data. Its entry into edtech will open doors for several applications that will facilitate teaching innovation, educational administration and research management. Big data analytics in edtech will help forecast academic performance and employment endorsement and predict learner behavior. It will also help institutes streamline a humongous amount of data consisting of course details, enrolment years, IDs, grades, etc. Platforms like Sisense and Civitas Learning will make integrating big data analytics in edtech even more seamless. Sisense will help the edtech sector and organizations with embedding data analytics, driving innovation and delivering faster and quicker decisions.

Trend 3: Let Nothing Block Your Way When It's About Blockchain

 
Blockchain is a breakthrough trend in computer science that has its reach and interdisciplinary applications across the globe. This wonder of technology is all set to disrupt the edtech industry and how! It's a no-hidden fact that student records (like attendance, payments, grades and coursework) are endless and with blockchain technology, all these will become a part of their personal blockchain record. These records cannot be misplaced or deleted; their security will be immutable. With the help of blockchain, tampering these records will be impossible.

The World Economic Forum projects that by 2025, at least ten percent of the world's GDP (USD 100 trillion) will be managed via blockchain technology and fifty percent of it will be a cryptocurrency. Blockchain will be handy at crucial stages like security and authority of data of learners stored in databases. This technology will be a saving grace for offering reliability, maintaining transparency, decentralizing storage and securing the personal records of scholars.

TechDogs' Opinion: One stone, many birds best describe this trend as blockchain will be helpful not only to learners or institutions but also to employers. For instance, blockchain technology will help institutes streamline the verification process and save time, money and effort. Blockchain-issued diplomas also make verifying student records much easier for schools, colleges and institutes. The cherry on the cake is that using blockchain technology for digital certifications will simplify the hiring process for employers. Instead of asking institutions for paper copies of the applicants, employers can link the certificates to a digital version. It will help employers analyze and be assured if the candidate has the required skills.
 

Trend 4: Personalized Learning Is A Well-Known Trend

Personalized learning will be a brand-new teaching approach in the edtech arena. It is an educational approach that will aim to customize learning for each learner based on their strengths, needs, skills and interests. Personalized learning will cater to individual needs with constant feedback regarding progress. You can think of it as computer-based teaching assistance, with its application software connected to the cloud. This trend will present the interactive content with real-time performance analysis of the learner. It will also help modify the content and course timeline for efficient learning.

Global Personalized Learning marketing is projected to surpass $2 billion by 2024, growing at an estimated rate of 29 percent during 2018-2024! These estimates are enough to highlight why edtech leaders and corporate professionals are favoring personalized learning. Since personalized learning slashes the 'one size fits all' learning approach, it will be the favorite child of the edtech sector and corporate players.

TechDogs' Opinion: We believe that the only way personalized learning can be successful is by the adoption of new, integrated learning models like competency-based learning and social-emotional learning. Essentially, schools will have to ditch the traditional factory-based education model dependent on textbooks and move towards operative models that consider individual students. We predict that with a shift towards personalized learning, the accountability of students will also change. You can’t offer them individual learning paths and then assess them against the same standard, right? So, we’d find more accountability systems where individual student progress is measured through adaptive assessments. #ToEachHisOwn
 

Trend 5: Gamification Is Here To Make Education Fun And Interactive!

Edtech leaders are always coming up with new techniques using various approaches. Gamification is one educational approach that aims to motivate students by incorporating video game design and game elements into the learning process. Using gamification can be an effective way to provide students with opportunities to understand and remain competent. Besides, it will also aid in the participants' cognitive development and level of engagement and boost competition.

A report from BlueWeave Consulting projects that the global education gamification market will reach USD 697.26 million by 2027. Gamification will take educational concepts to new heights by increasing the chances of practical application. Gamified practices will help instructors and learners by introducing real-world applications of the subject matter. Gamification will continue to make learning more engaging and interactive. Instructors can involve game-based elements like quizzes, leaderboards, hackathons, points, rewards, etc. to make learning even more immersive and help learners retain the information better.

TechDogs' Opinion: During the past two years, physical classroom-based learning seems to be replaced by online classrooms; gamification will be a great way to revamp online learning. Besides, the advent of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), big data and IoT will further accelerate the adoption of gamification. It can also be a very interactive way to boost team member motivation in the corporate space. For instance, organizations can leverage Artificial Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and integrate them with gamification to develop holistic learning.

On the other hand, including rewards, game points and prizes in learning programs will keep participants active. For instance, Duolingo is an app that incorporates gaming with learning and simplifies complex subjects. There are a lot of benefits to incorporating gamification yet edtech leaders are looking for fresh alternatives on how gamification can redefine the future of learning.
 

It's A Wrap!

These trends are enough to emphasize that the future of edtech is brighter and more intelligent. We are eager to see how edtech leaders, organizations and learners will extract the benefits of these trends and reap advantages. So, edtech leaders what are you waiting for? 2023 is all set to be dominated by blazing trends like nano learning, big data analytics, blockchain, gamification and personalized learning. All you must do is wait and watch!