Even though the world has changed a lot since the pandemic outbreak, technology continues to evolve. And with it, all the domains that rely on these advancements to exist and develop even more. And education is one of these domains.
The time has gone when students used to wait to ask any questions to their teachers. Now they have any queries in their mind, simply look for Quora answers and find the best possible solutions.
Educators and professors aim to offer students the best learning and teaching experience. But for this, they need to keep updated with the trends and changes that will be adopted in the educational system. As technology comes with more innovative solutions every day, the educational sector could benefit them all.
Some trends in education started this year, but that will continue into the next year too. So, which are seven of the most important ones?
1. Distance Education
Distance education is not something new to the educational sector. However, 2021 was a different year, a year governed by a global pandemic and the consequences of catching the virus. So, the world adopted new ways of studying, working, shopping, doing business, and so on.
Distance education has surged in popularity during the last year and we will likely see this rise continue the next year too. Most of the classes held during 2021 were online, and any enrolled college student was encouraged to take part in them. Few educational institutions have returned to physical classes, and with new Coronavirus variants emerging, we still do not know when this will be possible.
2. Online Platforms for Greater Flexibility
Even though online education and classes do not compare at all with the face-to-face interaction between professors and students, they come with some benefits. And it is exactly for these benefits that this trend will continue in 2022 too. They offer greater flexibility to students and educators. They allow professors to record their classes so that students can go through them at their own pace. At the same time, assigning tasks is easier than ever. Educators can share resources and articles on these platforms so that students can access them easier.
3. Soft Skills Development
Distance education and online platforms might not create the perfect context for students to develop their soft skills. However, many employers and companies expect to see candidates that have well-developed soft skills, such as critical thinking, time and project management, problem-solving, and many more. So, many educational institutions have started to offer students the opportunity to improve and develop their soft skills, so that they have a higher chance of finding a job.
4. Changes in Attention
One of the trends that will continue in 2022 too, is the one of constantly decreasing the attention span. Students have lower and lower attention spans, which may make the job of educators even more challenging. Catching the attention of youngsters and maintaining it becomes a real obstacle to overcome. This is caused by the over stimulation offered by technology, so engaging students for real and keeping them focused on the presentation is one of the trends that will describe education in 2022.
5. Teaching versus Learning
Until not long ago, the emphasis was put on teaching rather than on learning. But as technology develops even more, it offers wide access to information to students and not only. This means that educators and professors should change their perspectives on their job and support the learning objectives of students.
The focus should not be only on the delivery of information, as students have access to any of it, but on supporting them to learn, understand, and assess the knowledge too. Many students search for someone to do my homework or to buy essay online from an essay writing service. They can buy thesis paper, but with the help of educators, they can write it by themselves. Professors and educators will develop their leadership, communication, and feedback skills a lot during the next year.
6. Artificial Intelligence
The programs and tools driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) begin to be more and more popular and they will make room in the educational sector too. 2022 will be a year full of technology trends that will enrich the learning process. Professors have already started using automated grading programs, but also personal assistants driven by AI.
7. VR/AR Technologies
The last but not least technology trend that will continue into the next year too is one of the Virtual Reality/ Augmented Reality technologies that are becoming more and more popular in the educational sector. This is because they help students maintain their focus easier, eliminate distractions, and boost their creativity.
Conclusion
Education, just like other areas, is in continuous change and development. These are 7 of the most popular trends in education that started these years and will continue into the next year too. They will urge both students and professors to work on their skills and improve themselves.