The Future of Education Technology

As technology advances, education methods need to catch up, but the imperative of change is becoming increasingly evident.

FREMONT, CA: For an economy to function effectively, education must increase human capital, drive productivity and boost economic growth. Individuals can acquire new skills, develop analytical and critical thinking skills, contribute to economic prosperity, develop a sense of purpose, and shape their careers through education. Consequently, it has a profound impact on individuals, societies, governments, and the world as a whole.

While educational methods have only sometimes kept pace with technological developments, changes are imminent and will accelerate over the next decade.

Evolving education technologies for experiential learning: While these solutions were vital, they largely focused on transferring knowledge rather than providing students with the practical experience they needed to grasp concepts. The evolution of educational technology must address experiential learning since some learn through theory while others learn through experience. Combined with innovative pedagogy, augmented reality, virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality can meet this need and give stakeholders an advantage.

Technological advancements have transformed almost every sector administratively or in service delivery. Education, however, still needs further technological advancements to disrupt. As technological advances continue infiltrating education systems, their infiltration is becoming increasingly important.

Disruption and innovation: In today's digitalizing world, disruption is helping to improve the accessibility, quality, and affordability of education worldwide. These interventions may be enough to drive transformational change. COP26 goals from the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference and environmental pressures will lead to the digitization of education streams, both inside and outside the classroom, where feasible and affordable, reducing the need for textbooks, notebooks, and pencils as vital tools for learning.

While schools and universities have increasingly focused on personal development, some technologies can expedite the process. Adapting to an evolving landscape and nurturing our younger generations will help us outmatch our success. A leading example, virtual reality enables experiential learning and is a game-changer for students, graduates, and vocational learners.

Maximizing VR's impact on experiential learning: With VR, students' practical understanding is strengthened, educational interaction is improved, collaboration is enhanced, and global delivery is possible. Any new technology, research, and development must coincide with unlocking its maximum output and fully utilizing its benefits. VR only allows human interaction if properly monitored and introduced in a guided manner, and young people can feel isolated if properly guided. Despite the risks, VR has the potential to transform graduates' skill sets immediately recognized through practical applications with the right research, development, and safeguards. With the proper research, development, and safeguards, VR outweighs the risks. A learning environment that promotes first-hand experiences applied knowledge, and play is much more engaging to students and results in much stronger skill sets.