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What’s new on the horizons for edtech and its implementation in the classroom? We checked with the experts to get their 2019 predictions.
As 2018 winds down, the Mango Languages team is gearing up for another amazing year. 2019 will bring more of the language learning you love, and as education technology continues to evolve, we evolve along with it.
In order to stay up to date on the latest technology and ways to implement it in your classroom, here are five expert predictions for edtech trends in 2019.
1. Blended learning in K-12 is here to stay
According to Dr. Matthew Lynch, award-winning author and editor for The Edvocate, blended learning is here to stay! Think of it as less of a trend, and more of the way our reality is changing for good. Dr. Lynch’s vision for the future includes AI-based tutoring systems, broadcasted lessons, and access to interactive classroom experiences all over the world.
In flipped classrooms, which often go hand-in-hand with blended learning, students get the best of both worlds: in-classroom instruction and group-learning experience, with at-home access to continue their lessons with the added benefit of becoming digitally literate.
While there are many advantages to this mode of learning, there are some issues to consider, such as the fact that not all students have equal access to technology at home. Schools are overcoming this barrier by arranging after-school wi-fi access for students, or dedicating some in-classroom time to online learning.
Wondering what blended-learning tech best suits your world language classroom? Check out our list of 10 essential features to look for in language-learning software to make sure you’re making the right investment.
2. Augmented intelligence on the rise
Augmented intelligence, the way humans interact with artificial intelligence (AI), isn’t just a way of the future – it’s here and now. Ben Dickson, founder of TechTalks, emphasizes that AI “is a complement—not a replacement—to human intelligence.” In fact, 85 percent of Americans are already using AI, and we can only expect that number to increase.
In the education sphere, this means help with grading (and more time for other things!), immediate feedback for students, and better research tools.
Senior scholar and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Bryan Alexander sees this trend growing on college campuses in the form of AI experiments. “In 2019, I see more experiments with automated staff — experiments like Jill Watson (Georgia Tech's first AI teaching assistant) and automated campus information bots — becoming more popular.”
3. More opportunities for personalized and adaptive learning
Learning is never a one-size-fits-all solution, which is why personalized and adaptive learning is the way forward. For teachers, a learning system that adapts to an individual student’s needs helps meet the challenge of having to teach to multiple levels within a single classroom, allowing students to focus on and review the material that is most relevant to them.
According to the Christensen Institute, personalized learning can be achieved even without the latest tech — the most important focus is the strategy, the teachers. Schools across the world are taking advantage of their computer labs in an effort to engage their classrooms in personalized learning, using adaptive learning programs to track and reinforce student progress.
Expect educators to find more ways to implement personalization and adaptive learning into their classrooms in 2019 and beyond.
4. Immersive technology becomes more available
While immersive technology is already being used in some classrooms, improved hardware and software, plus the looming availability of 5G, means better access for more communities. The researchers at Gartner predict that by 2022, 70% of enterprises will be experimenting with immersive technologies in some way.
As the quality of these tools grow, teachers will be able to adapt their classrooms and lesson plans to make the most of the technology, which can be used in every field of study, from STEM subjects to language learning.
5. Schools may need to adapt at a foundational level
In an interview with EdTech, Rachel Gorton, instructional technology coordinator for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 in Minnesota, discussed the future of technology in the classroom from a student-centered point of view.
(District 191 has gained attention in the media for its implementation of a major redesign that includes flexible learning spaces, technology-enhanced classrooms, new science classrooms, and personal learning devices for high school and middle school students.)
In order to make sure student outcomes were at the heart of this endeavor, 36 classrooms were added to their high school, designed with collaboration in mind: There is no ‘front’ of the classroom anymore, and most of the furniture is on wheels. The students’ learning pathway has been completely redesigned as well, offering students 14 different pathways they can take to achieve their desired outcome after graduation, whether that be college or entering the workforce.
When asked how to make sure student learning and pedagogy remain a focus as innovation continues, Gorton gave the following advice to educators willing to embrace the future of edtech:
“Be willing to examine everything. We looked at the classes we were offering to students; we looked at the time and space and how students are moving through their day and their year and their education as a whole; we looked at where they’re going next and how we are preparing them. It’s a big shift, but it’s also very, very rewarding.”
Ready to embrace the new trends in edtech? Learn more about Mango Classroom for K-12 Schools and Higher Education, and find out how our edtech resource works to empower learners to start their own conversations in a new language.
How do you see edtech evolving in the future? Share your own predictions with us in the comments!
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