EdTech, the future of education

Ubiquitous technological advances are changing the world and our role within it. Modern technologies surround us on all sides. Education is no exception to this topic.

What is EdTech?

EdTech is a combination of modern technological tools (software, hardware) and innovative pedagogical processes and methodologies aimed at increasing the effectiveness of teaching. In the simplest terms, it is all technology for education, in the form of tools and solutions that aid the student directly, as well as the teacher and educational institutions.

EdTech is actually a response to a needs of the modern world. The 2020 pandemic has greatly accelerated the development of educational technology, but it is not the main reason. Keeping up with development on various levels is an important part of making sure that current and future generations have an education that fits the world they live in. There is no denying that each generation has its own characteristics, which are influenced by many factors. Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2012), is the generation for whom the natural environment is the Internet, social media, apps and all kinds of technology. If we add to this the scientific progress that helps us understand learning processes, we get an increased awareness of the importance of the right approach to learning and how much this translates into better learning, less student fatigue and positive results. Albert Einstein knew about the importance of the right way to impart knowledge.

"Learning in schools should be carried out in such a way that students consider it a valuable gift, not a heavy duty."

- Albert Einstein

It is also worth noting that the currently hospitable environment for creating startups, which are the main drivers of ideas in the field of educational technologies, is also of great importance. The EdTech industry consists mainly of startups.

We can divide EdTech solutions into:

Software:

• e-learning platforms and online courses placed there,
• Educational mobile applications,
• webinars, video conferences, educational podcasts,
• virtual classrooms, rooms and meeting rooms in the metaverse,
• Clouds in education,
• instant messaging,
• complete systems for managing schools or colleges and educational processes.

Hardware:

• interactive whiteboards,
• computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones,
• VR/AR glasses,
• cameras, microphones and headphones,
• various educational toys and gadgets, including robots.

So what does EdTech have to offer?

High personalization characterizes most solutions addressed to the student. This opens many new doors for those who need an individual approach. At the same time, it improves the work of the teacher, who without the help of technology would not have time to guide each person in a slightly different way, tailored to the specific student. Personalization, for example, enables matching the number and range of repetitions of the material to a particular student.

Gamification is an important element that increases the motivation of learners. It enables learning through play, which makes both children and adults more willing to learn. Positive associations definitely have an impact on increasing the assimilation of knowledge in a broader sense.

Nano learning means serving knowledge in "small portions." This is especially relevant for Generation Z, who grow up watching short videos on social media such as Tik tok or Instagram. It has been known for a long time that small portions of information are much easier to remember than long ones. Ideally, they should be presented in an interesting way in the form of fiches, images, videos or audio.

Greater autonomy is definitely a greater focus on the learner and to go through learning with a guide (teacher) but also putting their work into it. This empowers the student to be more involvedin the learning process, which translates into a much more positive approach.

It is predicted that the EdTech industry is just entering its highest growth stage. Investors are becoming more and more intensely interested in EdTech, and the market value of this sector is increasing every day. One thing is certain and inevitable - EdTech is already an integral part of education in many areas, and is fast becoming so in many other sectors.. It has a lot of important functionality to offer that cannot be obtained any other way. Generation Z and the next generation will also not want to learn through outdated methods when they have been interacting with technology since childhood.

To stay up to date on this topic, we recently visited London and an event dedicated to EdTech, the Bett show 2023. We encourage you to read a short report there.

As a software development agency, we have already had the opportunity to work on projects in the EdTech area, such as Bergakademie. We are also no stranger to back-office solutions used in schools and universities

Feel free to contact us if you are looking for a software service provider for your company, we may be able to help you as well.