Top Trends in Education Today
Antonia Bassett, 06/28
We are all different. We all learn differently.
For years now, the traditional classroom setting has not allowed for all learning styles, whether from a lack of resources or just a lack of acknowledgement that student have different learning abilities. This “one-size fits all” type of education has a negative impact on those students who learn better outside the barriers of the traditional classroom. Instead of just the “old school” way of doing things (pun intended), we are seeing different learning models emerge to help students of all different abilities.
New trends in teaching styles are emerging in order to create a more holistic and inclusive learning environment that aligns education with the real world. Here is what you need to know!
Gamification
Gamification is the concept of converting educational content into interactive games for students. These games can exist as in person style games, like board games, or through computer games. This allows students who require a more hands-on style of learning to engage in a more fun and exciting way.
Augmented Reality
With big increases in technology usage in education, we are also seeing the usage of augmented reality teaching styles emerge. These virtual realities allow students to fully experience the concepts they are learning, accounting for students of all learning styles, kinetic learner, audio learners and visual learners. This new trend can give students the opportunity to apply concepts to real world situations.
Micro-learning
Micro-learning breaks subjects down into “bite-sized” pieces, where each unit has one specific learning objective, containing just enough information for the learner to achieve the objective. Micro-learning accounts for the attention spans of all students and has been proven to be the most successful for students with ADHD.
Social-Emotional Learning
As schools are trying a more holistic approach, social-emotional learning is becoming even more important. There is an emphasis on teaching students not solely reading, writing and arithmetic but how to manage stress, self-control and interpersonal skills to create well-rounded students that are prepared to conquer the outside world.
Embrace-Place Learning
Similar to project-based learning, embrace-placed learning allows students to complete community-based projects. Students have the opportunity to work in the community around them which not only helps them to become well-rounded individuals but again, allows them to apply their learning to real world content, right outside their own doors.
While there is still much work to be done in the education field, an emphasis on holistic Learning, inclusion and real world learning is important. Bit by bot, education is progressing, leaning further away from the concept of a traditional classroom to a more modern, technologically advanced classroom, as we can see from these new trends.
If interested in learning more about educational trends and the future of education, this week, Katrina Logie, met with 5 individuals who all play a part in educating the greater Barcelona area. From parents to educators to those working within the education sector, we will be delving deep into the future of education: how technology is changing, how new learning methodologies are emerging and how educators need to adapt their approach.
