10 Technology Trends in Higher Education: Expert Overview

Educational institutions had to shift to using various e-learning solutions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, 85% of teachers use digital technology solutions to provide better learning experiences to their students. Today technology trends in higher education play a role in most educational settings. It ranges from primary schools to higher education institutions. Every year innovative technological solutions pave the way for more student-centered learning. The use of EdTech in K-12 schools has grown by 99% since 2020, so this speaks clearly of its popularity.

Technology trends in higher education include e-learning, blockchain, VR/AR, and AI. They have changed the way education is delivered and used. Student-teacher collaboration has improved thanks to advanced technologies. Here are the technology trends in higher education you will see more of in higher education from 2023 and onwards. 

1. E-learning

Institutions of higher learning began implementing online education over a decade ago. The strategy didn’t gain much attention until recently. The widespread internet access and mobile gadgets gave a boost to the sector. Educators, learners, and institutions have seen the benefits of e-learning. They are adapting to change and developing new ways of learning. Online learning has proved to be effective compared to traditional learning. 

Today, educational institutions are increasingly offering more online programs. It includes universities that offer online degrees. There is a high demand for e-learning due to its numerous benefits. Online education is becoming more accessible to students all over the world. From a mere 300,000 in 2011, the number of learners in online courses will increase to 200 million in 2021.

With a device like a cell phone or laptop, they can learn anywhere at any time and at a pace that suits them. Remote learning is also more cost-efficient for most students. 

E-learning is offering learners various benefits across the globe. It has accelerated the learning process and opened doors for limitless education. Students collaborate more with educators, and hybrid courses have been designed. Educators provide learning materials and tests through various platforms. Students access the materials anytime from any place globally. 

When people get a chance to study online, they can work full-time jobs and still study at night and over weekends. The choice of subjects is usually wide. And plenty of suitable educational resources and technical features make online learning efficient. According to Global Market Insights, the e-learning market will exceed $1 trillion by 2028. 

2. Virtual reality and augmented reality

Extended reality consists of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). A computer can simulate the illusion of reality. It can be done using special devices and systems like headsets and gloves. Augmented reality combines the real and digital worlds that do not need special equipment.  

AR and VR are the new technology trends in higher education in 2023 and beyond. Students located across different places can work on projects collaboratively. They can organize meetings where they hold discussions and brainstorm on points. Technology is supporting experimental learning in higher education. Learners explore real-life circumstances in a virtual environment. 

Today universities increasingly use the visual power of AR and VR to make learning more immersive and engaging. VR in education is predicted to exhibit a growth of almost 43% (CAGR) in the next few years. Educators can use it for everything from explaining human anatomy to medical students to allowing history students to walk in the streets of ancient towns. Educators get the opportunity to embed teaching into technology. It is a viable strategy to improve student engagement in learning. 

Teachers should encourage learners to explore endless technology opportunities. They can learn other ways to solve problems using AR and VR through inspiration. Astronauts, for instance, first learn space science in labs. After gaining skills, they are then sent into space for real-life exploration. Engineering students are using simulations to learn to construct complex structures. Without AR and VR, such training would be harder to achieve.  

3. Artificial intelligence (AI) 

Artificial intelligence is key in training machines to perform tasks like human beings. Its training involves a combination of big data and several intelligence algorithms. Using the software, a machine learns from various patterns in the data. There are no humanoid robot educators yet. Even so, AI has made big strides in the education sector. Multiple projects use IA to provide students with an enhanced educational experience. 

Artificial intelligence has far-reaching potential in many areas, including education. The use of AI in education includes improving learning programs, finding new ways to assess students, and much more. Educators can use AI-driven algorithms to grade tests and offer personalized feedback. Automation means educators can delegate time-consuming, repetitive tasks to AI-based software. This allows more time for creative, thought-provoking activities.

AI can help students and teachers achieve many things when applied properly. AI can offer personalized learning at various levels. Many institutions have already implemented this strategy. They use adaptive learning programs, which include games and applications.

AI algorithms identify course areas that need improvement. It improves grading homework, tests, and college papers. AI-powered systems are used to provide real-time feedback on various learning issues. The technology analyzes data to view which courses are in demand. 

4. AI writing tools

Educators have had to deal with various student writing challenges for many years. The number of writing assignments given to students has increased. Learners benefit from using the internet to access vast information-intensive libraries. Unfortunately, writing challenges have increased. Students submit plagiarized and poorly planned papers. Innovators in the education sector have worked around the clock to provide solutions.  

One of the innovative technology trends in higher education is using AI writing tools to write content. The problem is that using AI tools for writing can still result in sentence structure and grammar errors. Machine writing technology can only learn from what it’s trained to do. Until AI writing tools improve, students at college can still benefit from using essay writing services. Using professional writers at essay writer service Edubirdie can help students. These writers can improve the structure and flow of an essay. They write without bias, reference sources correctly, and avoid plagiarism. 

The National Writing Project did a survey that involved 2,462 students recently. They reported that digital technologies improve student writing in various ways. AI-powered writing tools help students generate content in real-time. They use apps to generate topics and write ideas. Some of the apps help them cite in the right formats. Some AI-writing tools assist students in correcting grammar errors. Due to technology, student writing quality and time have improved. 

5. Internet of Things 

The world is in an era where smart devices are used in every aspect of life. They are integrated with sensors and apps to improve the life experience. IoT trends are changing the way students learn and the way teachers teach.

Today, technology is adopted by universities and colleges across the globe. The smart devices include cameras, alarm systems, smart boards, and interactive learning tools. Administrators use automated attendance tracking tools, resource management, and special education tools.  

The Internet of Things allows smart devices to communicate with each other via the internet. The technology can make campus management of infrastructure and security more robust. A connected campus depends on a 5G, real-time network. 

This gives students, faculty, and administrators access and powers all connected smart devices. Such devices are essential for a smart, automated campus. IoT helps with attendance management and real-time location tracking of students. It makes it possible to detect the human presence in rooms, keep tabs on power consumption, and much more.  

Smartphones and computers are some of the smart devices impacting learning. Students create social groups that help them improve their learning. They access a wide range of learning resources. In the past, institutions relied on hard copies to deliver learning materials. IoT has reduced this reliance. In the long term, higher education institutions save on the cost of paper and energy. 

6. Cloud computing 

The importance of cloud-based platforms in the education sector is increasing. Education institutions have access to various types of cloud computing services. They may choose to use SaaS, IaaS, or PaaS services. The platforms improve traditional and digital learning models. Both students and teachers have access to learning resources in real time. It has provided an advantage to schools offering remote learning. They can admit students taking remote courses from any part of the world. After admission, they offer them the same quality of teaching. It offers schools various benefits.

• Improved collaboration: Students collaborate with teachers and other students on school projects. Cloud computing helps improve student-teacher and student-student communication. 
• Enhanced scalability: Data generated in a school environment keeps growing exponentially. The number of students keeps growing, triggering demand for bigger databases. With cloud computing, scalability is never a problem. 
• Saving of costs: Schools save costs in the long term in terms of data storage and maintenance. They no longer need to buy expensive storage spaces for data and physical books. 

Cloud-based services will keep expanding in 2023. They shift the emphasis from using physical resources to virtual ones. Educational institutions don’t have to buy, own, and maintain their own data centers and servers. With cloud-based infrastructure, students can access large virtual libraries to do their research. Online education platforms can benefit from using large amounts of video content to increase engagement.  

7. Chatbots 

Chatbots are another part of technology trends in higher education. They assist in simplifying application processes. Teachers use them to provide tuition, collect data, and provide feedback to learners. Chatbots use AI technology to provide answers to a wide range of student questions. Research has proved Chatbots will positively impact education in the long term. About 37% of learners use chatbots to access answers quickly. 

In the past two years, the use of chatbots in higher education has increased by 262%. The chatbots market will grow to over $22.9 Billion by 2030. They are useful in research and for interrupting the learning process to add fun. Administrators used them to answer frequently asked questions to parents and students. Teachers program them to guide students in working with concepts and formulas. 

In higher education, chatbots can drive student engagement. They can provide answers to queries about deadlines, lesson plans, student modules, and assignments. Today, chatbots are playing a role at universities. It is in everything from student admissions to offering career services. 

Research conducted at the University of Granada in Spain shows how chatbots can improve student engagement in the classroom. They achieve this goal by offering real-time conversations to learners. A student might have sensitive questions that need answers. They can engage chatbots and get all the answers they need. 

8. Gamification

By the end of 2023, gamification in higher education is expected to increase by 32%. It is one of the strategies used by educators to achieve learning goals. Students, no matter their age, love games that are engaging. The introduction of games in the classroom helps create friendly competition. It is a strategy that creates intensified learning with positive outcomes. 

The types of games used in learning include board games and digital games. Teachers can use motivational, student-centered, and inclusion games to teach. They are good for introducing concepts and enhancing retention and recall rates. Interaction with games helps build problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

Teachers should be selective when choosing games for education. They must create a smooth implementation strategy for improved outcomes. They may engage students in selecting the right games or consultants in the education sector. 

Gamification is not a new concept, but it is becoming a way to make the educational experience more interactive. Game-based elements such as peer competition, score tables, and earning points can increase motivation. 

They make progress more visible. To get the best results, teachers should keep improving their game strategies. It might require them to adopt a different type of game or approach in its use. Games that promote collaboration are known to improve student productivity. 

9. Blockchain

The key advantage of blockchain in education is enhanced security. Students may share data and resources but cannot change them. The technology is built to provide greater access speed and efficiency. The adaptation of blockchain leads to the development of automated networks in schools. It is a fast-growing trend that is changing the way learning is delivered.  

It offers universities and colleges global access to resources like books and movies. Educators can create podcasts, record audio classes, and publish them on the network. Students can then redistribute based on the permissions granted to them. The system offers affordable access to critical learning resources. Educators across the globe agree blockchain is expanding educational opportunities. They agree it is increasing record-keeping, efficiency, and security. 

Universities looking for an early adopter advantage are using blockchain for various purposes. It enables safe digital storage of academic information. It enhances sharing it with authenticated users. Here are just some of the use cases:

• Sharing of student academic data for recruitment
• Data for student transfer
• Data exchange for a scholarship  

These technology trends in higher education have drastically altered student-teacher collaboration. Entire lessons and courses can now be delivered through blockchain. Technology has the potential to change the way curriculum is managed.

10. Nano Learning

Students across the globe are using digital media to improve their learning experience. Educationists use the devices to explain concepts and formulas in an easy-to-understand way. Nano-learning is one of the methodologies that is changing the style of learning. The technology is new, but it has already been adopted widely in schools. Other than learning using hardcopies, they use their screens to learn new things. 

This is a learning technique of breaking down complex topics into small digestible bites. An instructor is not needed as learning takes place through the use of electronic media. Learning sessions consist of multimedia-rich tutorials of just a few minutes. This helps to ensure quick understanding and learning of subject topics in short, fixed periods. Technology is already proving to be effective in various ways. 

Sharing information in simpler formats

When information is delivered in simplified formats, understanding it is easier. Students understand complex things without pressure. 

Encouraging self-learning

Students no longer need to wait for the teacher to learn. They can learn ahead of the teacher, which improves their understanding. 

Accessibility

Students gain access to resources from any place at any time. They are not required to be in a classroom to learn. The student can learn while commuting, resting, or walking. 

Learning in an engaged manner 

Content is delivered in various forms, including videos, podcasts, audio, PDFs, and word processors. The different forms make learning interesting and entertaining. 

Conclusion

These ten technology trends in higher education will affect the next generation of students. EdTech has many benefits when using it for the right purposes. It’s mainly because it can change the entire education sphere. Technology needs humans to develop it, so it doesn’t automatically solve all problems. But with the right initiatives, it can be transformative. It is still important for students to learn from humans who know how to use technology trends in higher education in the best way. 

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