Education trends change constantly around the world every few years. A lot of the changes are defined by circumstances like the pandemic. Some trends are set by including technology in the education system, as tech makes things simpler for everyone involved. Two decades ago, a computer was just a subject in school, and now it is a tool that has replaced notebooks.
Online learning is a term is widely used since the Covid-19 pandemic put a hold on offline education. Various aspects of education, like learning, teaching, evaluation, and training, have been significantly impacted by this. Since then, new technology-based products, devices, and solutions have come up to help.
The upcoming trends of Online Leaning are crucial in deciding this generation’s future. As parents, it is best to understand the future of education and adopt the new trends with time to ensure that the student of today doesn’t get left behind.
1- Say Hello to AI
The role of artificial intelligence in online education is undeniable. It is used to find potential students by scraping web data and inducting them. The next phase of online education will involve enabling efficient individual-level learning. EdTech companies use AI-ML to create adaptable learning environments based on individual capabilities.
By 2024, AI’s growth is projected to expand to $6 billion in education (Bhutani & Wadhwani, 2019), with China and the US leading worldwide investments in AI education (Lexalytics, 2019).
2- Quick Learning Videos
In the past, e-learning systems converted lectures into video formats, allowing students to set their speed. Bite-sized movies, quick readings, interactive practice exams, practical assignments, etc., are currently some of the top e-learning trends. According to the replies from the students, micro-learning has emerged as the most successful online learning modality.
As video is a flexible delivery method for mobile learning and Online schools, students appear to prefer it over other social media platforms. According to research by Pearson, Youtube is the preferred learning site for 82% of Gen Z and 67% of millennials.
Although interactive video-based learning is a newer innovation, on-demand video-based learning has been around for more than ten years. Inherent issues with video learning, such as passive viewing and the inability to monitor the learner’s progress, are being addressed by this new format. Embedded questions, menus, keywords, and pointer phrases are examples of interactive elements.
3- Learning through Games
All online education providers face the complex issue of keeping the students interested throughout the course. In the age of intelligent technologies, gamification is present in everything from regular physical exercise to financial operations. Online learning is no different. There are two ways to do this: structural gamification (where the platform’s architecture is made game-like), and content gamification. Both allow students to evaluate and enhance their performance in real time, which benefits learning while playing a game.
According to data, about six million years have been spent playing World of Warcraft by players worldwide (Pew Research, 2008); Germany and the US have the most significant percentage of gamers (11.6%) who spend an average of more than 20 hours per week playing video games (Cox, 2012). Games have a significant cultural impact today. It follows that their usage in the teaching and learning process by educational institutions is not surprising. Serious games, in particular, and gamification, in general, reveal some intriguing advantages.
4- Help from Analytics
Learning analytics is being used by several online schools and institutions to comprehend and improve learning results.
A Learning Management System (LMS), for instance, provides data-driven capabilities that may track the most important measures of a student’s success. This was investigated at the University of Baltimore in Maryland, where they discovered a favourable correlation between a student’s grade point average and LMS use. Compared to students obtaining As and Bs, students receiving Cs and Fs consistently used the university’s LMS 40% less frequently.
5- Assessment with New Tech-based Devices
Talking about the innovative use of technology in online learning, it would be imprudent not to explore how learning might be evaluated in the future. The future of evaluation will likely involve technologically advanced assessment technologies. These tools can, among other things, give instant feedback, improve productivity and lighten the strain on teachers, and integrate formative and summative assessments (Oldfield et al., 2012).
An increase in intelligent systems powered by AI and machine learning that carry out a continuous, unobtrusive assessment and give instruction depending on what pupils are prepared to learn is another development we can anticipate (Ferrara, 2019). As a result, there will be a greater emphasis on individualising student assessments, which can help learners feel more empowered.
Conclusion
Many of the advancements and breakthroughs in online education are being driven by emerging technologies. The wide variety of intriguing technologies currently available to support education is why online schooling is an emerging trend among high school students. They can help educators and trainers understand their students’ learning requirements to better support and guide them, promote self-directed learning that results in engaged and motivated learners, and democratise education.
