Current Education Tends

New, innovative data collection methods are continually being developed, offering new options for ongoing formative, culminating summative and alternative assessments.

FREMONT, CA: Although problems in curriculum design may arise because of advanced technology integration, schools are nonetheless embracing the future. With new technologies being infused into school curricula, educators and school leaders are beginning to rethink all facets of data in the classroom.

New, innovative data collection methods are continually being developed, offering new options for ongoing formative, culminating summative and alternative assessments. Yet what exactly do nouveau “research-based instructional strategies” entail? Here are five trends for present classrooms.

1) App Innovation and Gamification

Due to the recent explosion in education-related apps, educators can decipher students’ interests, academic passions, and “trouble spots” more efficiently and in real-time to distinguish and fine-tune instruction. In addition, as students turn comfortable utilizing online games to learn, educators can attract students through new apps to fine-tune skill-specific areas, like mathematics and science.

MIT App Inventor, for example, allows students to create their apps in the comfort of their classrooms. The app gives training for students, a forum and additional support for educators, and a “challenge” for students to create their apps. Simultaneously, education-related games that enhance skills in English language arts and other subjects have exploded in popularity, such as “Mathalicious” and “Get the Math,” which give practical, true-to-life experiences.

2) Digital Literacy

Creating a digital literacy curriculum can follow students’ developmental stages. But, first, educators should be aware of the risks (such as distractions) and the myriad learning opportunities that technology integration and usage in the classroom may provide. With growing numbers of teachers using technology in the classroom and schools permitting students to engage with content via digital literacy, some schools are using formal digital literacy curricula and digital literacy plans. Perhaps, as a result, Google has published many resources about understanding digital literacy and digital citizenship, comprising YouTube videos, teacher’s guides, and lesson plans.

Digital literacy may include simple student tasks, such as creating classroom presentations, or more intricate, collaborative work, for instance, video clip creations or posting online “mind-maps” using digital tools. The field of digital literacy will remain to grow in importance in future years as new approaches to learning through new technologies are embraced.

3) Library Media Specialists

Across the United States and worldwide, libraries are increasingly becoming local technology hubs. Since libraries offer myriad services requiring knowledge of technology and how to access the internet, librarians’ job descriptions and key responsibilities have dramatically changed.

Library Media Specialists today continue to be informed about new technologies, research methods, and how students (and the general public) incorporate digital formats into their work. Library Media Specialists have many new responsibilities in a separate, newfound administrative role. They must not only establish technology policies and become responsible for budget oversight but also plan the physical & virtual library space and create a welcoming, positive and ingenious atmosphere. Considering how the latest digital formats should be arranged in new workstations and determining which specific formats to select could affect physical layout, budget planning, alignment, and common space issues.

They also value, and product information through the active use of a broad range of tools, resources, and information technologies and (especially at the high school and collegiate levels) may also integrate technology into the curriculum, which needs a keen understanding of how new technologies improve the learning process for students while clinging to rigorous state standards. Library Media Specialists will proceed to grow in interest as technology is integrated into the 21st-century school curriculum.

4) Self-Directed Professional Development

Over time, we have witnessed a growth in self-directed professional development (PD) for educators, including interactive online webinars, videos, and other content that may be streamed with web browsers. One recently-published article provides a tempting feast of online options for educators. Since states are growingly demanding that certified educators update their skills to remain in compliance with ethical and legal guidelines and grow familiar with the latest standards, some school districts are turning to self-directed, online modules to provide educators chances to complete interactive learning components to stay abreast of the latest developments in education.

5) Collaborative Learning

New applications are making it simple for classroom teachers to be both innovative and interactive, and this trend is awaited to grow exponentially in the coming years. This is an interesting time for collaborative learning in education, from Google Docs to interactive whiteboards to modern applications that create quizzes and activities.