Education is one of the most dynamic sectors nowadays because of the increase in technological innovations. The term EdTech or educational technology can be understood as the process of designing, implementing, managing and evaluating new technologies and tools that are used in the process of teaching and learning. Artificial intelligence to virtual reality, EdTech Innovations has brought in new paradigms, models and products that could potentially revolutionise how teaching and learning is being done.
An area that has been marked by innovations is in the learning management systems and solutions. With the contributions of such Edtech firms like Coursera, Udacity, and EdX, education is now cheaper or even offered free of charge through various online courses. These are referred to as the massively open online courses (MOOCs) that enable individuals worldwide to have a glance at educational content provided by universities. Other emerging companies are employing information technologies to deliver differentiated knowledge acquisition processes that take into account each learner’s capabilities, learning style, and weaknesses. These EdTech Innovations in online learning are helping educate millions across the world.
Another EdTech Innovation that is receiving a growing level of adoption is gamification. Education games that use fun incentives and rewards have been found to increase motivation to learn and improve the performance of the students. Kahoot and ClassDojo are examples of companies that have actively gamified classrooms: with Kahoot, teachers can run quizzes and control participation, while ClassDojo offers points, leaderboards and badges for good behavior. The growth rate of over 30% annually is expected in the global gamification in education market, proving the vast potential of gamification.
Mobile devices and applications are also prevalent among students, which is also increasing their adoption of EdTech Innovations in content and learning solutions. Education applications make it possible to learn in small portions and in a language that is easy to understand, through the use of displayed smartphones, at any given time. Education applications that are interactive and engaging for students including math, science, language, etc., act as a toolkit to revise concepts taught in class. Some of the upstarts in the education sector which are Byju’s, Chegg, Age of Learning, and others have leveraged on mobile applications and technology to create a scalable education market.
AI and machine learning are other prominent EdTech Innovations that are introducing the aspects of automation and intelligence in scoring, assessment, administrative work, etc. For example, AI algorithms can be used for automatic writing assignments’ scoring, or creating individual and differentiated learning experiences for students, or for helping teachers to evaluate students’ work. Luminus, an Australian based startup is using data analysis and AI to forecast the capabilities of student learning paths. Such AI and ML applications have a great potential for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of educational activities.
Others are learning technologies innovations such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) that are also being developed to enhance experiential learning. Holography, virtual reality, and gamification provide hands-on and self-directed experiences that facilitate deeper understanding of material. Companies such as Alchemy VR and zSpace are leading the AR/VR revolution in education – zSpace even allows students to virtually dissect frogs without having to use real animals! Experiential learning, of course, is much more effective in enhancing knowledge retention.
On the same note, blockchain technology has promising opportunities in reforming and making education certificates secure despite being in its early stages. Certificates and credentials issued and accredited on the blockchain are genuine and cannot be forged or falsified to contain wrong information about one’s academic achievements. The platform Learning Machine aids prominent organizations such as MIT in the issuance of digital certificates on blockchain. There is a possibility that such applications can introduce and establish trust and transparency in managing records.
Another futuristic example of EdTech Innovation is automation tutors or, as they are also called, Robot tutors, which are still in the initial stages of development. Contemporary firms such as Emotix are developing ‘AI’ robots that help students learn languages through gestures, facial expressions, and more. Robots are perceived as more friendly as learning partners than screen-based technologies. As seen, the robot tutors are still in the early stage but there is a possibility that they could be mainstream in future.
The use of EdTech Innovations is also on the rise among students with disabilities. Technologies such as text-to-voice conversion software, voice-computer interface, audiobooks, and others are aiding in delivering education to learners with disabilities or learning disorders. EdTech is making classrooms and education more accessible than it has ever been.
With education no longer confined to the classroom, EdTech Innovations are supporting the idea of connected, life-long learning. EdTech tools help remove barriers that come with location and age, making learning available to anyone at any stage of their life – from middle-aged working professionals taking up online courses to gain new certifications to high school students studying for college entrance exams through mobile applications. EdTech Innovations are helping people to continue their education.
- Conclusion, EdTech Innovations are significantly transforming how we deliver and experience education. With mobile, AI, AR/VR and other technologies, EdTech startups are developing solutions that foster participation, efficiency, and accessibility. Despite the fact that EdTech advancement is still in its productive phase, it is building a strong foundation of the future of teaching. The paradigm shift in incorporating technology in education will be crucial in capacity building of students and provision of personalized, engaging and fun learning at a large scale. The current EdTech solutions are training learners for the future.
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