EdTech considerations are suddenly crucial due to quarantine demands and lockdowns. Without technology, education in Higher Institutions of learning will be at a standstill. Combining education with technology was one of the various options before but amid the COVID-19 crisis, EdTech has become the backbone of the education system.
The pressure on universities and schools has never been higher. The educational institutions have been asked to proceed via online lectures and exams. With all of these, there is a constant pressure to maintain students’ interest in learning. Here we take a look at the factors and trends shaping up EdTech for Higher Education.
Here are the main factors affecting higher education according to a postgraduate student.
- Changing regulations on students primarily those from overseas and restrictions on travel
- Increasing competition of public with private universities
- Demands of the consumer which necessitates the quick transfer of reliable information
- Demands on universities to focus primarily on student services
Trends shaping EdTech for universities
The first trend which is widely seen is that students prefer mobile phones over laptops for their lectures. Even, some lecturers prefer using mobile devices for delivering the lectures. Mobiles, in comparison to laptops. are more effective and easier to carry.
Game-based learning isn’t anything new but teachers are now slowly acknowledging the fact that the results of game-based learning are astonishing and promising as well. Gamification is another concept that is closely related. Here, the learning is driven by the leaner’s desire to gain more points, unlocking new achievements and getting merit badges for successfully completing a topic or a chapter. Be prepared for an EdTech feature is the slogan of applicants.
The use of video content and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) has been staggering, especially in the time of national lockdown in many Asian and European countries due to the pandemic. People are focussing on attaining new skills via open courses. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that MOOCs and video lectures have a massive future lying ahead.
The future of OPMs (Online Program Managers) has also blown up with more and more universities looking for their help to launch new courses. Universities that are unable to expand their physical infrastructure are turning to OPMs for scaling their online infrastructure.
Edtech future is very bright in the years to come
Overall, it can be said that Edtech is going to play a major role in academics in the future. Despite the world struggling to get on its feet with the ongoing crisis, EdTech is one field that has experienced new highs and the e-learning curve is set to go even higher in the upcoming years.
Educational technology (EdTech) is the use of both physical hardware, software, and educational theoretic to facilitate learning and improve performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.
