The last decade has seen an explosion in new technologies. In just a few years, we’ve seen tech shift from the realm of sci-fi to everyday usage.. As innovations become more commonplace, education and technology are becoming increasingly interconnected.
The education sphere in particular has seen several groundbreaking and emerging technologies, with some exciting results. This post will take a look at some examples of emerging technologies that are helping fuel the evolution of EdTech.
1. The Internet of Things
The IoT involves combining physical objects with advanced features like cameras, sensors, and analytics capabilities. These objects can then be connected to the internet and other devices, allowing them to share data and communicate, often in real time.
In an education environment, the IoT has some fascinating use cases. One example is smartboards, which can be connected to the internet to allow for more interactive and connected learning. A less obvious possibility is using smart lighting to control the light levels in a room to encourage students to be more attentive, comfortable, and relaxed.
2. Big Data and AI
By harnessing the enormous amount of data available today and using it with increasingly sophisticated AI systems, we can supplement learning in a variety of ways. One example is personalizing learning based on students’ past performance and preferences.
Analyzing data about specific students can give teachers a better idea of how to approach specific students and give them the best chance of success. Of course, it’s important to collect data ethically and ensure students are fully aware of how it’s used.
At Yup, we use analytics to show teachers important data on student usage trends via our teacher dashboard. This allows teachers to better understand their learners and adopt their teaching accordingly.
3. Augmented Reality
AR - a way of blending reality with virtual elements - has some fascinating potential applications in the world of education. It allows for more immersive learning and truly novel experiences for students without requiring a long time to learn and implement.
AR allows students to interact with their learning in a more engaging way. Students can visualize everything from dinosaurs to chemical reactions as if they were right there in front of them. The result is a more exciting and rewarding learning process.
4. Vertical search engines for education
Unlike horizontal search engines like Google which search the entire web, vertical search engines restrict their search to a specific niche. They’ve been in use for a while in some industries like travel, but haven’t made such a big splash in education so far.
Vertical search engines are a good way to bring the enormous amount of educational material out there into one place, helping students to find what they need more quickly and accelerate their learning. For example, they could be used to help access online resources and databases of learning like Khan Academy and Udemy.
At Yup, our platform is built to help students access math tutors on a 24/7 basis to supplement their learning, helping more and more learners access the many advantages of digital learning wherever they are. Schedule a demo with us to learn more.
