The Tech Edvocate

Top Menu

  • Advertisement
  • Apps
  • Home Page
  • Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
  • Home Page Four
  • Home Page Three
  • Home Page Two
  • Home Tech2
  • Icons [No Sidebar]
  • Left Sidbear Page
  • My Account
  • My Speaking Page
  • Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
  • Newsletter Unsubscription
  • Our Brands
  • Page Example
  • Protected Content
  • Register
  • Request a Product Review
  • Shop
  • Shortcodes Examples
  • Signup
  • Start Here
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • The Edvocate
  • Topics
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue

logo

The Tech Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • The Edvocate Podcast
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • Apps
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students

  • Home-based Learning Tips For Parents: 6 Tips For Effective Learning

  • K–12 Leaders Get Creative to Make the Case for Network Upgrades

  • Network Segmentation Boosts Wi-Fi Performance And Security For K-12 Schools

  • The IoT In Higher Education Has Big Potential If Devices Are Kept Secure

  • How Schools Are Recruiting New Teachers Virtually

  • How K–12 Schools Are Doing Summer School Virtually

  • How Innovation is Helping Educators Teach From Home

  • Virtual Reality Matures in the K-12 Classroom

  • What Are We Learning From the World’s Big EdTech Initiatives?

Ask An ExpertBest of the Best ListsEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech FuturesHigher Education EdTech
Home›Ask An Expert›EdTech Trends on the Horizon in 2018

EdTech Trends on the Horizon in 2018

By Matthew Lynch
November 30, 2016
Spread the love

EdTech, or educational technology, is the practice of improving the quality of learning through the application of technology. Technology is applied to the curriculum through a variety of tools. Tech resources may be integrated in the form of applications, products, and tools used to enhance learning. As technology continues to evolve, so will the trends in edtech. Many of the anticipated up-and-coming trends in the year 2018 will build upon what worked well in the prior year.

Some of the top edtech trends of 2018 included virtual reality, makerspaces, competency-based education, mobile devices, machine learning and data analytics, accessibility, wearables, and video tools. All of these methods have come together to form a body of technological resources. These resources are applied in many classroom settings, including the K-12 and college/university level.

Ed-Tech Tools in Curriculum

Makerspaces, also known as hackerspaces or fablabs, refers to “do it yourself” virtual learning environments. Often applied at libraries and on school computers, it is a place where students and instructors can create, learn from and invent academic material. The creative use of software, 3D printers, computer hardware, supplies and craft tools allows the curriculum to be redesigned. The active use of technology to turn regular lessons into a more real, tangible activity is considered highly useful.

Makerspaces are often used to engage students on their level. The interface allows students to review the curriculum while restructuring it around a creative, computerized task. The model is considered a peer-based pedagogy. Students will have the opportunity to apply innovative tech principles to existing curriculum. In 2017, more students will become the guinea pigs for such styles of edtech learning.

Competency-based education refers to a different approach to learning concrete skills. Learning styles in CBE are considered more abstract. The approach is based on different metrics for competency. Competency-based learning often requires students to directly apply the principles they have been studying to prove their understanding. Through the use of technology, many students are asked to design projects that demonstrate their knowledge.

Virtual reality is increasingly becoming a staple of edtech. Many software programs are designed to administer the same curriculum as a textbook or lecture. However, in a virtual reality environment, students stand to experience a higher level of engagement. Because most educational virtual reality platforms are highly interactive, they are increasingly considered the wave of the future. Academic virtual reality applications allow students to practice their skills virtually. This edtech approach is increasingly used as part of an online extension to classroom curriculum.

Ed Tech Trends in Research Tools

The move to increase accessibility of technology will undoubtedly gain momentum in the year 2017. One of the biggest challenges edtech faces is the availability of tech resources. Increasingly, it is becoming near to impossible for the average student to learn without access to electronics. Increasingly, students must have access to a personal computer, a mobile phone, tablet and more. Tool-based learning is not possible without accessible technology. Therefore, more schools must make a move towards edtech investments for their students.

Ed Tech Trends in Physical Tools

Mobile devices make a variety of edtech approaches possible. Mobile devices are increasingly considered a viable resource for use in the classroom. Devices can be used for research, study, references, library tools and more. Allowing phones in the classroom can be a slippery slope. However, in 2017 and onward, many educators will be bridging the gap between curriculum and use of mobile phones in school settings.

Wearables are considered a highly useful edtech tools. These devices can range from watches, tablets, portable computers, headsets, phones, head mounted devices, electronic jewelry, glasses, controllers, fitness trackers and more. Any technological device that can be worn on the body of a student is considered a potential edtech advantage. Their application inside the classroom has limitless possibilities.

Video learning refers to the application of educational audiovisual aids as part of a greater curriculum. Many students remember the classic showing of a video or educational film during class. However, the curriculum is increasingly tech-based; relying solely on video learning modules. For example, many online university extensions apply edtech principles to devise instructor lecture videos. Administering video lectures and educational resources on a regular basis is increasingly proving to be the wave of the future.

What to Expect from EdTech in 2018

It is an undeniable fact that students of all ages must be tech-literate no matter what career paths they choose. Therefore, applications of technology in education will continue to gain momentum. The exact methods used to deliver academic resources will change in the year 2018. Educators and software developers will build off of current trends. At the same time, new platforms will be developed to address the needs of students in new and innovative ways.


Spread the love
TagsEdtechedtechchatelearningSTEAMSTEM
Previous Article

How will the presidential election results influence ...

Next Article

How text messages help mentors connect with ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Uncategorized

    How I Teach: A science teacher’s Method for pushing past ‘I don’t get it’

    June 8, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech News

    State-of-the-art education software often doesn’t help students learn more, study finds

    June 29, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    What Teachers and Administrators Want from Edtech Companies

    November 16, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech Futures

    Why I Am Hopeful About the Future of Edtech

    January 6, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech News

    Teaching with tech: could iBooks Author spark an education revolution?

    September 2, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech Futures

    Why Should We Invest in STEM Education?

    February 22, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

1 comment

  1. Maria Han 13 December, 2016 at 23:05 Reply

    Mobile devices allow for educational mobility as students and their tutors can be able to access educational content and interact through the internet. Availability of ed Tech and research tools is paramount to the success of our children.
    I like what I am reading, technology truly can transform lives and keeps evolving as years pass by. Come 2017 another change in ed Tech is expected.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • FeaturedFreshOnline Learning & eLearning

    Increase Graduation Rates Virtually: Initial Credit, Credit Recovery, and Unit Recovery

  • EdTech Startups & BusinessesFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Be About Learners, Not Investors

  • Google ClassroomGoogle Classroom Tips

    How Can Educators Utilize Google Classroom?

Search

Login & Registration

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • Home-based Learning Tips For Parents: 6 Tips For Effective Learning

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 14, 2021
  • K–12 Leaders Get Creative to Make the Case for Network Upgrades

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 13, 2021
  • Network Segmentation Boosts Wi-Fi Performance And Security For K-12 Schools

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2021
  • The IoT In Higher Education Has Big Potential If Devices Are Kept Secure

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 11, 2021
  • 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 11, 2017
  • 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 4, 2017
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 14, 2016
  • What is the Future of Online Learning in Higher Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 2, 2018
  • 7 Roles for Artificial Intelligence in Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 5, 2018
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students - The Tech ...
    on
    January 15, 2021

    9 Examples of the Internet of Things in Education

    […] Institutions with campus-wide ...
  • Home-based Learning Tips For Parents: 6 Tips For Effective Learning - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    January 14, 2021

    The 3 Types of Interaction During Online Learning

    […] providing students with ...
  • A Bad RAP – SAM P LENOX
    on
    January 13, 2021

    Cyberlearning vs. Elearning – Is there a difference?

    […] in learning more about ...
  • Network Segmentation Boosts Wi-Fi Performance And Security For K-12 Schools - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    January 12, 2021

    5G Networks Promise to Make Instructional Technology Better

    […] already mentioned, there ...
  • Creating Powerful Learning Experiences in Google Classroom – MarkerSpace America
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Creating Powerful Learning Experiences in Google Classroom

    […] Read full Story ...

EdTech Policy & Reform

  • EdTech Policy & Reform

    How Much Bias Is Okay in Your School?

    Spread the loveThe algorithm has proven itself to be a handy tool when it comes to solving education problems. It’s also not without bias.  You may be wondering how some ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt to Replace It

    Spread the loveThe newest generation of edtech is downright amazing; it’s no wonder that various education stakeholders might be a little excited about its potential to transform education. However, edtech ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How to Teach Kids to Communicate in This Digital Age

    Spread the loveWhen even the youngest children are spending the equivalent of a full work day looking at screens, it is perhaps no surprise that parents are wondering how to ...
  • EdTech FuturesEdTech Policy & Reform

    3 Reasons Why India Will Be A Leader in the EdTech Industry in the 21st ...

    Spread the loveAccording to a joint report by KPMG and Google, the online education industry is expected to grow at a healthy rate of 8 times to become a $1.96B ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    How Does Technology Immersion Shape the Brain?

    Spread the loveDo you wonder what all of the screen time we have is really doing to our brains? As edtech continues to rise in prominence throughout the world, this ...

EdTech Startups & Businesses

  • EdTech Startups & BusinessesOnline Learning & eLearning

    Using Nudge Theory in Your Corporate Online Learning Classes

    Spread the loveAfter reading this headline, you may be asking yourself, what is nudge theory? Nudge theory centers on positive reinforcement and inferred suggestions to motivate a person to complete ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Bringing Education into the Business World

    Spread the loveU.S. businesses spent nearly $20 billion on training in 2019. That number decreased by roughly half from the year before. Companies aren’t providing fewer professional development opportunities for ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    You Must Include These 3 Things in Your Edtech Business Plan

    Spread the loveDo you have a business plan? It’s the one question you’re going to be asked a lot as you begin your edtech business. The reasons to write a ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Edtech Marketing Ideas to Implement Right Now

    Spread the loveEven if you do have the most exceptional edtech product or service in the world, you’ve still got to market it. Your sales and your success depend on ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    How Your Edtech Startup Can Make the Leap from Failure to Funded

    Spread the loveThe best ideas in edtech are often only ideas. They never become a reality because they lack the funding they need to get off the ground. Taking an ...

Digital Equity

  • Digital EquityDigital Leadership

    How Can You Assess the Tech Needs of Your Students Outside of School?

    Spread the loveToday, I received an email from the middle school principal in Los Angeles. She explained to me that the school that she ran was in one of the ...
  • Digital Equity

    It Is Time for the Edtech Industry to Stop Denying Its Equity and Race Problem

    Spread the loveThe EdTech industry is dominated by white employees, white leaders, and white entrepreneurs. If you doubt this statement, just attend an Edtech conference. Admittedly, educators and others don’t ...
  • Digital Equity

    How OER Can Help Overcome the Higher Education Equity Barrier

    Spread the loveThe cornerstone of the American dream is the ability to succeed in life regardless of one’s family of origin. And, for most people, that requires a college education. ...

EdTech Futures

  • EdTech FuturesOnline Learning & eLearning

    IT Trends To Watch As Higher Education Moves Into a New Decade

    Spread the loveEdtech couldn’t have hoped for a better launch into the new decade than the push the industry received from COVID-19. Even the most tech-resistant institutions and individuals have ...
  • EdTech Futures

    4 Emerging EdTech Trends in 2021

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has not only changed education as we know it, but it has forced education technology (EdTech) to up its game. EdTech has been crucial since the start of this ...
  • Adult EducationEdTech & InnovationEdTech FuturesEducation LeadershipEducational LeadershipHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechThe Future of Education

    Education Technology and the Future of Higher Ed Leadership

    Spread the loveEducation Technology (EdTech) has had a more significant impact on education than anyone expected. Now its effects are reaching into the field of higher education. In this article, ...
  • EdTech Futures

    Top Edtech Trends for 2020

    Spread the loveAre you ready to look ahead? Schools will soon be reflecting on what’s been working this year and what’s not. They’ll also begin thinking about their budgets for ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Futures

    In the Wake of Teacher Shortages, Schools are Turning to Virtual Teachers

    Spread the loveTeaching was once a greatly respected position, and today, morally it still seems to be of high value to many Americans. Institutionally, however, teaching no longer seems to ...

About Us

Since technology is not going anywhere and does more good than harm, adapting is the best course of action. That is where The Tech Edvocate comes in. We plan to cover the PreK-12 and Higher Education EdTech sectors and provide our readers with the latest news and opinion on the subject. From time to time, I will invite other voices to weigh in on important issues in EdTech. We hope to provide a well-rounded, multi-faceted look at the past, present, the future of EdTech in the US and internationally.

We started this journey back in June 2016, and we plan to continue it for many more years to come. I hope that you will join us in this discussion of the past, present and future of EdTech and lend your own insight to the issues that are discussed.

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact Us

The Tech Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright © 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.