By Atul Temurnikar
When Thomas Edison remarked – ‘Books are soon going to be obsolete in schools, scholars will be instructed through the eye’, he may have very well predicted the future of education.
The education sector is indeed passing through a whirlwind of transformation, and with the advent of ‘Industry 4.0’ it is evident that education in the coming decades will look completely different from what we know today.
For the new generation, who are digital natives born with the capacity to understand the world through gadgets, it is pertinent that the educational sector transforms itself to adapt to the newer methods and technologies in the oncoming years.
Here are five emerging trends that could revolutionise education in 2020:
Data analytics in academics and sports
The use of data analytics in schools is a uniquely forward-thinking concept. Student data gathered from various sources like application forms, admission forms, marksheets, etc., that paint a picture of their background, learning history, health issues and any other criteria can help understand and affect their future learning prospects. Data analytics will be able to map and measure the progress of each student in sports and academics, and creates personalised plans for their academic future and working on key problem areas. Additionally, data analytics can also be used in sports. Non-invasive, accurate and highly interactive – this form of data analysis records and stores games for retrieval at a future date, making it the perfect tool for coaches to communicate more effectively with students on their team.
Virtual classrooms
With remote working and everything virtual becoming a growing trend, it is not unusual to think that the students of tomorrow are going to connect with each other virtually. Virtual Classroom Connectivity bridges the gap between geographical boundaries and connects students and teachers with resources that can be obtained even without being physically present. Using this technology, learners can connect with instructors around the globe, experience cultures about which they have only heard, and collaborate with peers on the other side of the world. They can attend lectures conducted in classrooms anywhere in the world from within their own classroom or home thus increasing the reach of education far and wide. Education will no longer be limited to location and with the help of the internet – even a student in a remote area will be able to gain the benefit of world class education.
Artificial Intelligence
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a promising field teaching students the art of innovation. These skills not only inculcate academic, vocational and project-based learning in students but also enhance their entrepreneurial skills. Moving on, AI is also beneficial for the education system and educators. Basic tasks like grading can be done by AI bots thus reducing the work pressure from teachers and helping them concentrate on other productive activities for the benefit of the students. Software to study activity and performance, games and adaptive learning programmes are other ways how AI can help education transform and become more about personalisation and learning rather than mugging up and studying.
App-based learning and gamification
A lot has been spoken about this technology already. Today gamification is a concept that has been suggested across industries to manage people better. Introducing App-based learning and gamification in schools can help students in more ways than one. App-based learning helps students access resources anytime, anywhere thus ensuring continuous education. Gamification further challenges a student at every level by offering them innovation incentives thus making learning fun, engaging and interactive. This method can be considered priceless in students who suffer from a low attention span or require constant innovations in learning concepts.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Though compared to AI and virtual reality, IoT as a concept is not very popular yet the use of this technology in education can be priceless. Apps and instruments using IoT bundled with virtual learning and AI can help build a larger community of students who work in collaboration to create something new. These students can brainstorm to solve complex issues even if they are at two opposite corners of the globe. For example – students all over the world can interact with each other and solve learning assignments together using digital highlighters and scanners from the comfort of their own classrooms.
IoT can also help educators in making students more aware of their surroundings and provide them a truly global education. A lot of mundane tasks which require human intervention can be replaced with devices supplemented by IoT thus helping teachers concentrate on other aspects of student development.
With 2019 coming to its flag end – we are venturing into the new decade. The education system of pen and paper– is most likely going to become obsolete. Education and schools are now going to be known by their capacity to innovate and help students fuel their brains and innovate. Learning is going to go into the real world with practical relevance. Though traditional studying will still be important and relevant, ‘Education’ is going to become more inclined towards being practical and skill-based rather than classroom-centric and monotonous.
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