2019 EdTech Trends You Should Be Excited About

2019 EdTech Trends You Should Be Excited About
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Summary: EdTech has made tremendous strides over the years, but educators should particularly be excited for 2019.

6 Exciting EdTech Trends Of 2019

Every year, the number of EdTech tools for the classroom grows. That’s because educators who embrace technology get an edge. Today’s classroom technology helps inspire, engage, and motive students. But the real value of EdTech is in personalizing learning for every student.

For decades, the major goal for education has been to match students with the right information, in the right way, at the right time. Now, technologies like Artificial Intelligence and analytics are making this possible. Both public institutions and private companies are banking on EdTech to spawn new ways of teaching—and it's working. Here are 6 exciting EdTech trends to watch for in 2019.

1. Smartboards

The smartboard has been around for almost 30 years. And these digital whiteboards have done more than end the chore of dusting erasers; they’ve helped the classroom stay up with technological advances.

Smartboards are highly interactive and engaging for both students and teachers. They accommodate the different learning styles of students. Those who are tactile learners can physically interact with the board. Visual learners can view videos and images. And students engaged by audio can listen to lessons. Smartboards are a versatile tool integral to customizing learning conditions for students. And as prices fall in 2019, more school districts will make the investment.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence will continue to thrive within educational settings because it helps personalize and streamline instruction. Machine learning can evaluate a student’s competencies, find weak areas, and then present supporting materials. Teachers can offload these tasks to AI, leaving them with more time to guide each student to their educational goals.

Companies like Content Technologies Inc (CTI) are using their proprietary machine learning algorithms to create customized study guides for almost any textbook. CTI’s study guides come with interactive practice questions, in-text links to terms for further reading, and a digital bookshelf. AI services like these will become increasingly popular among all levels of education because they’re cost-effective, personalized, and adaptive.

3. Augmented And Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) present realistic scenarios for students. Their digital environments prompt higher comprehension and retention rates than traditional classroom settings. Plus, virtual worlds help students gain valuable hands-on experience that otherwise wouldn’t be available. That’s why medical schools are using virtual training to train med students. Students can perform virtual surgeries rather than watching a video or live demonstration. Hands-on experience and instant application of knowledge can raise retention rates by up to 90%.

AR and VR are two technologies whose transformative potential will grow exponentially in 2019. Lower costs will push institutions to invest heavily in these effective, engaging training tools.

4. Blockchain Technology

The Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) that makes virtual currencies like Bitcoin possible also has many educational uses. The advantage of blockchain technology is that it’s a decentralized, transparent way to transact data. Those characteristics make it a fraud-proof way to transact and authenticate information. And there are many ways blockchain can transform education. In 2019, look for colleges, universities, and school districts to begin implementing DLT. Schools will use blockchain for cost-effective cloud storage options and for securing student record transfers.

Blockchain technology will also make its way into Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and ePortfolios as ways to verify skills and knowledge. Online educational platforms still struggle with accreditation, but DLT systems may be the answer. MOOCs can use tools like open badges to solve the problem of authentication, scale, and cost. Open badge platforms like Mozilla’s will help job seekers and student applicants collect and publicly display their accomplishments.

5. Learning Analytics

Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter use consumer analytics and data to optimize sales. Now educational institutions are starting to look at learning analytics to optimize learning using similar tools. As students interact with online technology, they leave digital footprints. Learning analytics allow teachers to follow the path that reveals how best their students learn. Teachers can then personalize a student’s learning based on that data.

Although learning analytics is a relatively new field, it will begin its inevitable expansion into education in 2019. Eventually, educators can use it to predict student behavior, design curriculum, and map learning interventions. Colleges and universities are already starting to use learning analytics to predict student success and recruitment.

6. Adaptive Learning

Each of these EdTech trends supports a new model of instruction: adaptive learning. You can think of adaptive learning as the umbrella term for personalized learning. Each shares the same goal: to adapt the resources and instruction for every student. Adaptive learning systems use algorithms to test a student’s current level. Then the system guides the student through the curriculum at the optimal path at their own pace.

By customizing instruction, students no longer need to sit through concepts they’ve already mastered. Nor do they need to fall behind. Traditional classroom models can’t scale individualized learning to an effective level. But EdTech has the efficiency and power to make this a reality.