The top technology trends changing education

Schools are our future’s gateway into the wider world. Everything our kids experience and learn in school will help them navigate their lives at work, with friends and so much more. It’s vital that the education we offer our children includes practical and personal solutions; life lessons as well as math lessons.

Perhaps no more important topic is tech. The generation currently in education has grown up with technology as part of their everyday landscape, in a way that none before has. As adults we are learning as we go. Our children are the thought leaders.

Ensuring that our schools stay on top of new trends in education tech is one of the many things that educators can do to help and support kids as they grow into young adults. We know from experience that what feels futuristic one day is commonplace the next.

Cloud-based platforms

Education technology (edtech) is no longer optional. It’s the norm when schools want to provide the best learning environments for students, the greatest communication for parents and the most efficient way of working for educators and managers.

Cloud-based platforms speak to all of these needs.

Platforms, such as Google Cloud, enable teachers to offer online learning and assessment options. Over the past 18 months this has become a necessity, with so many of our children learning from home. Cloud-based etech platforms also allow schools to communicate with parents, teachers and colleagues, and streamline management processes and planning.

E-learning as the new normal

While many schools are still learning and adapting to the way e-learning can work and benefit their students and community, it’s no longer a "take it or leave it" scenario. COVID-19 made distance learning the top education trend of 2020, and much of it was executed online. While it was a fairly aggressive shove into the future, what may have been an introduction to e-learning for many educators and students, showcased the myriad of possibilities that are on offer.

Many schools are now taking the e-learning tools and implementing them in face-to-face classrooms, as well as virtual spaces. E-learning makes educational content interactive, encourages learners to make independent decisions and gives them a wide variety of experiences, through the use of tools such as podcasts, animations, graphics and more. In short, to a generation born into technology, e-learning has made education more dynamic and exciting.

Gamification

If e-learning has been successful in making education more attractive to a tech-savvy generation, gamification is taking it up a notch. Based on the simple strategy that "learning is hard, playing is easy," gamification is making learning more accessible by making it fun, entertaining and…well, less like learning and more like gaming.

Apps, such as Classcraft, Kahoot, and more, can all be used via a cloud-based platform – such as Google Classroom – and allow for education adventures through play for students and teachers.

Tracking learning and outcomes

Let’s be honest: Teachers have a BIG job. Lesson plans, teaching, assessments, marking, liaising with parents, liaising with other teachers, management roles…the list is endless. Anything that makes teachers' lives easier is surely a trend we want to support. Say hello to learning analytics.

Propelled by a lack of time and resources, coupled with a greater demand for accountability, educators are using learning analytics to discover how students are tracking, and using that data to improve processes and outcomes. A fairly new trend in education, analysing data to improve performance is a proven tool in other industries, and one that’s likely to grow in presence and importance in education over the coming years.

No one has a crystal ball that will predict upcoming tech trends. (Well, no one has developed one yet, at least.) But there are a number of surefire areas to focus on in order to improve education and drive innovation. By keeping a finger on the pulse of these trends, it's easy to stay ahead of the learning curve.

This article is part of a series produced in partnership with Google.