We’ve seen the shift towards online education over the years with most of the leading Universities in the world offering the opportunity to study online. Many have even created free courses on a range of subjects so that price doesn’t have to be stumbling block for people looking to better themselves.
There lies one of the most promising aspects of an online school system. People who would not have access to consistent education, may now find access to some of the leading educational institutes all through an internet connection.
On top of this, with the way in which are work days are shifting, the increase of people working from home and the benefit of flexible hours; many people would choose to upskill and learn new subjects from the comfort of home rather than the time sink that can be attending college.
Take a look at the information and infographic below, constructed by The Online School Centre. It’s a fascinating insight into the shift of traditional forms of education, into the bright future online education has presented.
Education’s Evolution: A Transformation in the Classroom
From chalkboards to iPads, innovative technology has been an essential part of the classroom for centuries.
- 1890: Chalkboard
- 1900: Pencil
- 1930: Overhead Projector
- 1940: Ballpoint Pen
- 1950: Photocopier
- 1970: Handheld Calculator
- 1972: Scantron
- 1980: Early Computers
- 1985: Graphing Calculator
- 1999: Interactive Whiteboard
- 2010: iPad
- 2011: Enhanced ebook (ePUB3)
Today’s technology has made it possible for students to earn credits or a degree without ever stepping into an actual classroom.
eLearning: Reshaping Student Learning
Kindergarten through High School – Wired into Online Education:
- 1996: Only 14% of classrooms had Internet that was predominantly dial-up.
- 2009: 93% of classrooms were connected to the Internet.
- 48 states and the District of Columbia support online learning programs.
- Open Educational Resources: Resources freely available to anyone over the web.
- Provides additional digital resources on subjects such as math, science, or English.
- Increase educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning and better utilizing teacher time in the classroom.
Blended: Combination of face-to-face and online classes
- Students can access online curriculum outside of traditional classroom.
- Individualized learning that equips students to learn at their own pace.
Full-time: All classes are taught online
- Virtual schools allow students to enroll in full-time classes and receive instruction/credits solely online.
- Access to hands-on and online interactive material.
University and Higher Learning
- Online Courses are on the Rise in the US.
- 95% of institutions offer online classes.
- 20+ million college students.
- 7 million are enrolled in online courses.
- About 1 out of 3 college students take online classes.
- 17% of schools offer a full-time online degree program.
A University for the Needs of Today’s Tech
- Former MIT dean and professor Christine Ortiz is creating a new kind of college
- No more majors
- Project-based learning that focuses on a student’s passion
- No more lectures
- All knowledge will be available online
- No more classrooms
- Large centralized transdisciplinary labs and open spaces
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
- Free education via the Internet from worldwide universities that’s primarily used by adults
- Harvard Business Review research reports
- 52% of MOOC participants do so to help build a career
- 87% produced some type of career benefit
Walt Disney introduced the world to “edutainment” in the 1940s, but the ever-evolving digital world has taken educational entertainment to a new level!
Breathing New Life into Education with Technology
Gamification: We All Want to Win!
Gamification applies mechanics and design techniques that help motivate us to achieve our goals
The Gamification Loop
- Excitement to level up, gain points, trophies, etc.
- Shoot monsters, solve puzzles, and more
- Earn points, coins, improvements, or affirmations of flashy lights and sounds
Creating a Virtual World in the Classroom
Students can now connect to the virtual realm by looking into a device, moving their head up and down/side to side, and interacting with 3D images on a smartphone
Virtual Field Trips
- Google Expeditions brings Romeo and Juliet to a Chicago classroom.
- Students embarked on a 360-degree virtual tour of Verona, Italy, while viewing inspirations from.
- Shakespeare’s famous play.
- Get into the Jazz Age with Utherverse Digital’s Harlem Project.
- Students can experience a CGI/virtual version of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance’s iconic art/literature.
Virtual reality delivers the best of both worlds—online, distance learning inside the real-world classroom.
- Time and space are no longer limitations.
- Interactive and engaging.
- Gain world experience without the heavy cost.
- Teaches independence and responsibility.