Zoom calls, online exams, getting to know your teacher and classmates on social networks - this is not a description of the world of the future, this is what has already happened to us. Over the past year, the field of education has confidently moved to an online format. The coronavirus pandemic could have stopped classes all over the world, but thanks to modern technology, learning continued. According to UNESCO data published in 2020, more than 1.7 billion students stopped attending classes due to the health crisis. As a result, educational institutions were forced to frantically transfer lessons or courses to online learning. We'll tell you what happened to the education sector in 2020 and explain why online lessons are the future.
Key Trends in Online Learning
In 2020, schools, universities and educational courses moved online, causing explosive growth in the EdTech segment . We have collected the main trends in the development of online education in the world and highlighted the main things that will be relevant in the near future.
Emphasis on practice
To be successful and in demand in the labor market, you must not only understand things, you must be able to do them. It is more important to the employer whether the candidate has developed pet projects than his knowledge of all the features of the new version of Java. India, one of the most competitive job markets and also a market with huge potential for online learning, has implemented an applied approach to education in its new National Education Policy . In education, this means that more courses are based on practical learning rather than theoretical learning.
Speed training
With the development of online learning, the length of courses has also changed. Many people prefer to take three short courses in a row rather than one long course. A 2014 study found that 94% of online students prefer shorter learning modules, and 65% feel there is too much information packed into each module. High-speed learning allows you to balance your studies and personal life.
Focus on improving skills
Universities used to provide an excellent, comprehensive education, but this required years of seminars and lectures. Much less attention was paid to improving practical skills. Now that the complexity of problems is changing at the speed of light, we don't have much time. Demand for soft skills courses increased in 2020, with demand for some courses increasing by 4,000% . Users want to quickly improve certain skills and see real results.
Flexible learning formats
Some people like to do homework, while others prefer to listen to lectures. We are all different, including how we learn. Online education offers more flexible forms of courses, available in a user-friendly time frame, in a user-friendly format, and on user-friendly devices.
Microlearning
Scientists have long proven that a person learns most effectively little by little . Learning in small chunks is better suited to modern lifestyles. Employers are also seeing the benefits of microlearning, with companies like Google and Walmart already starting to offer short-term training as part of their compensation package. This training is available to more people and is cheaper. Therefore, microeducation is becoming a new standard of modern education.
What to expect from online learning in the future?
Many of the innovations presented in this section are already working around the world, but not yet everywhere.
5G and Immersive Learning
South Korea, China and the United States are leading the development of 5G technologies. This will impact online education, particularly interactive learning such as VR, AR and MR. With the introduction of 5G supporting IoT devices (Internet of Things - ed.), educators expect more flexible learning formats, lessons with AR and VR, and effective collection of feedback from students. In addition to advancements in immersive learning, 5G will enable improved user experiences through video-based learning. This is especially true for the loading speed of training videos and other educational materials. Speed also means more stable video conferencing connections.
AI and customized training programs
Artificial intelligence has begun to emerge in many colleges and universities, particularly to streamline operations. One area where AI and machine learning are important is in personalized learning. For example, automatic recommendation systems will interact with a student depending on his behavior, profile and performance. The system can track students' mastery of a topic and recommend other resources—videos, games, or simulations—that meet their learning needs.
The education industry around the world lags behind other industries when it comes to adopting Big Data technologies. This is where Learning Analytics comes to the rescue. Several colleges and universities have used Learning Analytics to analyze learning outcomes. For example, modern learning management systems (LMS - Learning Management Systems - ed.) can measure key indicators of student performance. This was tested at the University of Baltimore in Maryland (USA), where they found a positive relationship between student grades and their LMS use. Students receiving grades of C and F consistently demonstrated 40% less use of the university's LMS compared to students receiving a C or higher. Additionally, educational institutions can also use an LMS to measure metrics such as completion rates and course completion rates. This can provide insight into the effectiveness of the training course. Knowing how often students engage with learning content, when they prefer to study, and how much time they spend learning can show educators how engaged they are.
Student Assessment Tools
Technology-based student assessment tools may be the future of online education. Such tools can provide immediate feedback, improve efficiency, and reduce teacher workload. AI-supported systems will also be developed that will test students and provide instructions to educators to further shape the curriculum. A striking example of the use of this technology was the Happy Numbers artificial intelligence teacher at Slackwood Elementary School in New Jersey. Teachers used the assistant to find out what problems students were having in mathematics in order to help them. Before using Happy Numbers , 60% of students scored 9 out of 48 in math. After a year of implementing the AI assistant, almost all students performed better and raised their scores to 35. AI-enabled assessment tools make it easier for teachers to determine the level of knowledge of their students through online quizzes, courses and questionnaires.
Interactive video-based training
In a study conducted by British company Pearson , 67% of millennials and 82% of Gen Z indicated Youtube as their preferred platform for learning. Video-based learning has been around for over a decade, but interactive video-based learning is now gaining traction. This new format aims to solve some of the problems with video learning, such as passive viewing and the inability to track learner progress. Interactivity may take the form of embedded questions, navigation menus, keywords, and pointer phrases, among other things.
Some conclusions
According to research from Best Colleges , 95% of students surveyed and 83% of distance learners said they would recommend online or distance learning to others. And most students believe that online learning is better than or equal to studying at university. Flexibility, speed, a large number of practical tasks, the use of modern technologies - this is why today the world chooses online learning. Share your opinion in the comments: is the future of education in online learning or not? And what do you see as the ideal training format?
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