Technology has always been a huge part of education. As technology progressed, more of it was integrated into classrooms. The same continues today with artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. New educational technology, or EdTech, is changing learning modules to improve education quality globally.

Technological advancements in education let students have quick, easy, and seamless learning experiences to help retain information, improve understanding, and gain new skills. In this article, we will look at some of the latest emerging trends in EdTech that are gearing up to make big changes in 2023.

Top trends in EdTech that will impact learning

1) Leveraging social media in learning models

Social media has created many opportunities for learners and educators to connect and share knowledge. Many educators use social media to reach and engage with learners globally. 

If you quickly scroll through TikTok and Instagram, you will see many teachers and professionals educating people with beautifully edited educational videos. 

Social media in education is in its early stages but has changed how students learn. It is used for communication and as a forum for students to interact with peers and teachers.

Social media icons are also embedded in eBooks so students can share study materials, thoughts, projects, and more. Educators allow social media to be used in learning as it keeps students interested and engaged.

Incorporating social media into learning models will encourage collaboration and sharing. It will also lead to an improvement in the overall learning experience.

2) Creating immersive learning with AR and VR

Immersive learning is where students are immersed in virtual or physical simulations of real-world situations. The simulations are created with the help of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), so students can master subjects more efficiently. These technologies can also be used outside the classroom environment. Teachers can let students engage with 3D models in AR and VR environments to aid learning.

One of the primary benefits of AR in education is that it enhances the learning experience by offering students numerous fun ways to access and engage with the content. With AR, learners can view an object in 3D with their smart devices. VR takes things further as it helps students grasp the core concepts. It immerses students in virtual worlds where they can take part in simulations and practice various tasks safely. 

These technologies will help explain complex concepts and mechanisms like atoms, planets, etc.

3) Gamification of learning

Gamified learning experiences will become more common across classrooms by the end of 2023. Gamification of learning is where teachers use game design elements in an educational setting to engage students. The game elements are leaderboards, badges, stickers, and virtual points. The intention is to make learning more fun and engaging.

Students are incentivized to take part in class activities and complete tasks. The leaderboard tracks each student’s progress and develops a competitive spirit in them. They compete with their peers to keep or improve their ranking on the leaderboard.

This competition helps keep students interested in learning and participating in class. Making learning engaging and interactive helps students retain more information and build skills. It also helps improve performance, morale, and the overall learning experience.

4) AI-powered learning environments

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly being adopted in education for its many benefits to teachers and students. Facial recognition, NLP, and machine learning are commonly used AI-powered tools. 

AI allows students and teachers to interact in new ways with each other and a computing resource. It can help support students with disabilities, as AI can generate human-like responses.

Teachers can use AI-powered tools to analyze data on student performance and track and address variations in how students learn. It can help teachers design efficient curricula based on students’ needs and skills to improve their grades.

AI systems can adapt based on a student’s learning process. It helps students work on their strengths and weaknesses to continue making strong progress. This is unlike traditional technologies, which adapt based on the correctness of answers.

AI-powered tools can also enhance the feedback loop between students and teachers. It can improve the quality and quantity of feedback and suggest resources to advance the learning process.

Finally, AI can support educators by automating time-consuming administrative tasks. AI-powered tools can help grade assignments, detect plagiarism, and identify patterns in performance.

5) Wearable technology

Wearable technology refers to hand-free smart devices that can be worn. They can send and receive data via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks. Some examples are smartwatches, fitness trackers, smart glasses, VR headsets, etc.

They are very popular, especially with the younger generations, as they are convenient. As these devices are widespread, educators can leverage them to enhance the learning experience.

Here are some ways in which wearable devices can improve the learning experience:

  • They can enhance student-teacher engagement by allowing content, schedules, worksheets, and assignment sharing.
  • Teachers can also use these devices to send submission deadline alerts.
  • Students use these devices to take notes and interact with the virtual world.
  • They allow students and teachers to interact without having to assemble under one roof.
  • They improve communication through messaging, GPS, and chat features.
  • They allow teachers and students to record classes for future reference.
  • They make it easier to teach students by integrating AI, AR, and VR technology.

6) Automated assessments

More educators are using automated tools to track and assess students’ progress. Some of these tools offer automated assessments to help teachers with their workload.

These tools give teachers complete analytics of a student’s performance. Teachers can determine the number of attempted tests, completed chapters, and more. This makes it easier to identify areas for improvement. It also helps reveal common or individual performance issues.

Automated tools also help teachers assign homework and assignments online and grade them. This allows teachers more time to focus on course modules and offer in-depth guidance.

These factors have highlighted the importance of data management and analysis in education.

Conclusion

Learning modules have undergone many changes due to new trends in educational technology. These EdTech trends are helping educators make classes more engaging and fun.

New technologies like AI, AR, and VR are helping students engage, improve, and retain information. Moreover, AI has opened many new ways for students and teachers to connect, communicate, and share knowledge.

Who knows what future advancements we can expect in education? All we can be sure of is that the future will only get brighter.