What will learning look like in the future?

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many people wonder what we could see for the future of education and educational technology. As many schools transition from virtual learning back to in-person classes, many teachers and parents want to know what comes next.

The world is evolving, and we need to be ready with new technology designed to handle what the future might hold.

We're here to speculate on what the future of educational technology might look like. Check out some exciting trends below to see how the future can be a click away.

The Future of School Safety

As students return to on-campus learning, so too will the threat of school shooting incidents and other school safety concerns.

After all, we kept students at home and away from their friends for over a year.

There is no knowing exactly how the pandemic affected them until after they return to school. It is possible that students could have gaps in emotional development.

That is why it is important for us to help make schools more secure in the future. One new device that is shaping the future of school safety is the RhinoWare barricade.

This device keeps classroom doors secure against thousands of pounds of force. Plus, they are simple enough that anyone, even small children, can activate them.

They also have built-in communications to get ahold of law enforcement immediately. This could save time and lives in the event of emergency situations.

The future of school safety depends on finding new ways to protect our students and staff.

We can hope that, one day, such precautions will no longer be necessary. For now, enhanced safety locks and facial recognition cameras can help us catch and stop dangerous people on school campuses.

Educational Devices

With more of student learning taking place online, the need for student devices is increasing. Students in the future will need to have access to these devices both in and out of the classroom to tackle their educational needs.

Students of all ages are now required to log in to their classes and complete work online. While most students will return to traditional learning this fall, many schools are permanently adapting the way they offer instruction.

Many schools offer school-managed Chromebooks to their students. This allows them to access online learning platforms such as Blackboard, Canvas, or Google Classroom.

These devices work well for older students, but not so well for kindergarten and elementary school students. One new device that works especially well for young children is the TotSpot.

This rugged tablet has a built-in hotspot for kids to connect to the internet using cellular data. It can also be pre-programmed by schools to only include the apps that children need to use for their education.

Educational technology, including personal student devices are the way of the future. In a few years, future tech can allow students of all ages to use school-issued devices both in and out of the classroom.

The applications for this technology are limitless. Hundreds of educational websites now exist for every subject. This offers teachers plenty of new ways to keep students engaged in their learning.

Equity in Educational Technology

Along with the increase in digital learning platforms comes an unexpected problem: many students around the country can't do their homework. This is because many students do not have internet access at home.

No internet access at home for these children means that they are not able to do the same assignments as their peers during virtual learning.

This causes students in higher-income families to perform better, and lower-income students to be left behind. During a year when at-home learning was mandatory, this learning gap was especially wide.

One solution to this problem is the ConnectED Bus. These school busses have built in Wi-Fi. This gives rural students internet access on the way to and from school, so they can make the most of long bus rides.

In the future of educational technology, we could see every school bus have its own Wi-Fi or cellular hotspot. This way, we can bridge The Digital Divide that many low-income students face due to a lack of home internet access.

Grants for School Technology

In the future, we could see schools applying for and obtaining grants to push technology to even higher limits. There are many cutting-edge technologies in the works right now to make education even easier and more exciting.

Careers in computer technology and IT have been increasing over the past decade, and more jobs in the future are going to be technology-based.

Already, many schools offer coding and robotics programs as elective classes. We can offer these and other classes at more schools in the future thanks to educational grants and better technology in schools.

Chatbots are AI programs designed to guide students on e-Learning platforms and online classes.

These cutting-edge AI programs can boost student memory with handy reminders. They can also reply to student questions, easing the email burden for teachers.

In the future, some schools may even offer Virtual Reality headsets to help children explore new horizons and ponder the universe. Getting a grant for these kinds of programs can push the boundaries of education.

Looking Ahead

Technology is always changing. If we want to stay on top of the changes, we must learn to adapt to the new challenges students and teachers face each day.

With the right ideas, there is no limit to how far educational technology can progress. And with school security systems, we can work smarter to keep kids safe while they learn, too.

When we work together, who knows what could happen.

The future is looking bright, (and it's not just the LEDs). With all the new programs and devices designed for student engagement, we have more and more opportunities to help students learn.

If you want to learn more about the ways that technology can help students succeed, you can call us at 281‑667‑0404. You can also schedule an online meeting about how we can help you rise to new challenges in education.