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Trends That Will Transform K-12 Education in 2021

Changes in the field of education are expected yearly because of its dynamic nature that is dependent on many components from upgrades in technology, mandates of the department of education, available resources, educators’ motivation, parental influence, and the students themselves. These changes have the capacity to influence perspective towards the acquisition of knowledge, as well as learning outcomes.

Hereunder are the top ten anticipated educational trends in 2021:

Incorporation of Integrated Learning Solutions

Modern education is still not one hundred percent digital, but integrated learning solutions are now a part of most schools’ reality. The integration of these solutions aims to give optimal digital infrastructure opportunities while still retaining traditional old school textbooks as the base learning material.

Most schools are trying to get with the program by upgrading connectivity and infrastructure to accommodate this trend. No school would ever want to be left behind in these efforts of modernization. To illustrate, an intelligent solution such as a printed class book is linked with audio-visual content. On top of that, it accessible via a digital smart board with an online assessment component. All of these work together with the goal of providing maximum benefits and improving learning outcomes.

Utilization of Augmented Reality  for Better Comprehension

Studies indicate that students retain information better when more senses are used to process the lesson they receive. Retaining knowledge is significantly boosted when classes don’t just rely on traditional books and boring lectures but also on audio-video materials and interactive activities that engage the students and stimulate their imaginations, and permits them to engage more senses.

These are the main reasons why the majority of schools have adapted VR or virtual reality in their class syllabus. Having students not just see but experience the subject under study help students to fully comprehend the concepts. The utilization of this technology helps teachers and gives them the option to explain more complex and complicated concepts. Students understand better with less amount of time needed for mastery. Knowledge retention is taken up a notch with learning reaching a new level with students experiencing the subject under study.

Integration of Personalized Learning Modules

This aspect is another noteworthy trend for this year as modern students can continue their studies without having to worry about their location, the devices they have on hand, or timing constraints. This transforms learning processes and the delivery of educational goals because students can learn without barriers and hindrances. Instead, they are seen leveraging on their strengths while completely overcoming personal weaknesses.

This radical change in the pacing of understanding is a total game-changer for students with special needs and issues because they get the opportunity to learn at their own personal pace. They get personalized instruction that helps them finish the academic year with better competency levels. For example, an app like Dragon Speak is now available to help students suffering from the learning ability dyslexia to learn with the aid of audiobooks. This gives them the opportunity to surpass their limitations with the traditional textbook procedures.

Investment in the Professional Development of Educators

Without passionate teachers, the whole education system will crack down because caring and motivated staff will not be around to teach the kids. However, passion is not enough, but technical knowledge is also necessary. Teachers have to undergo enrichment programs or seminars to become familiar with new competencies and advanced technologies that emerge with each generation. This means that schools must invest in professional development programs seeking to upgrade skills and knowledge base because teachers simply cannot teach something they do not know or are not familiar with.

With continuous technological advancements and discoveries made each day, new pedagogical techniques and strategies must be prioritized for teacher enhancement and development. Even in history, no one has ever wanted to engage and listen to a boring teacher with an outdated knowledge base. This is why school districts have taken the initiative to come up with various programs that train teachers from all class levels, so they can make transformative  changes in their classroom methods, which in turn have a huge impact on their student’s learning outcomes. This trend is visible in both private and public school sectors.

Development of Nano Learning Methodologies

Educators are now incorporating bite-sized learning or nano-learning methods to reduce the intensity and pressures associated with learning. At the same time, these mini models make the strategies more effective with positive and better results. Poor attention span has always been an issue in the classroom set-up since time immemorial. Students have struggled so much in dealing with long texts and intense subject matters. To make things worst, in the past, the content was not interactive, which deterred positive results.

Now, educators understand that each child comes with different sets of needs and unique strengths. They have been able to address those with the help of digital technologies with complex learning modules divided into smaller, interactive sections that are more engaging and much easier to understand. This breakdown of complex subject matter into smaller and simpler chunks helps support learners and keeps them from becoming bored during class.

The benefit of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things has been a popular topic in the field of education because digital transformation is much anticipated not just by the students but the educators and school administrators. The Internet of Things has made it possible for teachers and other school authorities to come up with a more organized structure of daily school activities. The internet makes it possible for both parents and students to track the student’s progress in real-time. They can easily check the status of pending assignments on the school dashboard. They can even use the internet to supply links to other enrichment materials to help boost studies.

On top of that, teachers can even create their own polls so that students can readily assess their teaching skills and strategies every time a lesson is finished. This way, teachers can see what areas students had difficulties with and what they, as teachers, can do to improve their style of teaching. This even goes so far as to provide additional options like the possibility of sharing student results with other teachers, so they can all make a whole assessment of the child.

Addition of Formative Assessment Solutions

Gone are the days where the only assessment paths to check for understanding are boring and tedious pen and paper tests. The significance of learning outcomes matters a lot these days, which is why formative assessment solutions are adopted because these basic tests are now considered less productive in this digital period. Formative assessment relies on presentation, projects, activities, and more to check on the student’s progress. These various methods deliver the goals of the curriculum in a more dynamic manner, which benefits all the students. With these adaptive techniques and modern methods, boring cookie-cutter methods that barely produce results and only add undue stress to the students are now a thing of the past.

Paving the Way for More Flexible Seating Arrangements

Where a student is seated may seem like a trivial and insignificant element. But several studies indicate that where a student is seated has a tremendous impact on the way this student views and perceives education. Now that schools understand the value of a good seating arrangement, they have provided students with the choice of where they would like to sit in class or how they would like to receive instruction. Nowadays, it is not unusual to see standing desks, fluffy pillows, bucket chairs, and other trendy furniture inside the classroom. Giving them this freedom to be comfortable changes their mood and motivates them to be more productive.

Radical Changes in Exam Management

The way exams and tests are given, conducted, and evaluated face big changes. Now, there is an avoidance of the more hectic and stressful traditional types of exams which includes a center for taking tests, exam invigilation, and the pressing concern of the evaluation of an answer sheet. Proctoring of exams that are based on AI or Artificial Intelligence transforms how exams are given because infrastructure and logistics are no longer barriers. With the advent of technology, students can take their exams online even if they are sick and resting at home.

Intelligence features are incorporated to track the students and to ensure that exams are taken fairly with no threat of cheating whatsoever.

Persistence of  Online Education

With practically everyone, including students, owning and carrying a mobile gadget on a daily basis, providing online education is now a lot easier than ever before. Online education can be completely separate, or it can be used in conjunction with the traditional education method. This fusion has better results for modern students because they get the best of both worlds–old-school traditional teaching interspersed with modern digital classrooms and resources.

For instance, those with mobility issues can have access to education without fear of restriction. Even those with transportation issues do not have to worry about it anymore. Online learning has made it possible to provide class modules that are rich in audio and audio-video tutorials so that even students in far-flung areas can access good education. Moreover, these days, certifications offered online enhance students’ skills and promote the enhancement of employment opportunities.

Bottom Line

There are many other trends that can be expected in the education sector for the year 2021, but these top ten statics that has been mentioned provide a huge impact on all aspects and with all the stakeholders involved. The education area is a giant field with differing goals and varying perspectives depending on the school facilities and the type of students that come into the classroom. These trends have the capacity to make an impact by touching the lives of the students, influencing them to love learning, and giving them the chance to upgrade their skills set. The utilization of all these positive elements creates better educators , methods, and programs that help educational institutions prepare better leaders for the future.