Ed-Tech Trends To Watch

Almost 4 in 5 teachers (79%) are now using technology in almost every lesson, according UK RS survey findings. This has more than tripled compared to 10 years ago, when only 1 in 5 teachers were regularly using tech to teach. We’ve entered the era of Ed-Tech.

Ed-Tech or Edu-Tech is the use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. Ed-Tech is growing at pace in the UK and globally; the sector is on track to reach a worth of £3.4bn by 2021, according to The Telegraph. Here are the three most prominent trends to watch…

Personalised Learning With Mobile Apps

Over 65 per cent of people are visual learners, according to the Social Science Research Network, This is where mobile offers huge advantages, in that it allows you to engage with video, audio and other forms of multimedia.

Mobile provides instant gratification and also allows for personalisation. With mobile apps such as Memrise, you, the student, are in control and can learn at a pace you comfortable with and when you feel inclined. It also focuses on areas you know you need to improve or have a harder time with. Learning is at your pace.

Engagement With Gamification

Gamification can be used in many different ways and puts the fun into learning. Whether you need a better set of flashcards (try StudyBlue), hands-on experience, or a more memorable experience, gamification engages you on a personal level and keeps you coming back.

Achievement badges, personalised animations and unlockable content boost and reward progress. They are just a few of the gamification features that can encourage you to engage and make learning more enjoyable.

Immersion with AR and VR

Innovations in Virtual Reality (AR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are keeping students engaged and interested too, as well as providing new types of lesson content. Virtual trips can be made with Google Expeditions, and science comes to life in a virtual reality classroom where with a tour of the solar system, through Titans of Space.

Augmented Reality helps you achieve better results through visualisation and by providing a fully immersive experience of the subject matter. This means instead of reading theory about something, you can experience it first-hand with your own eyes, in action. For example, with holographic surgical headsets, Touch Surgery is augmenting training in surgery.

The future of Ed-Tech is certainly exciting. If you’re interested in finding out more, here’s a list of European Ed-Tech start-ups to watch .