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Check out our top 4 edtech predictions, and how we think open education resources are going to completely change the game.
Did you know that 70% of college students are stressed about their financial status in school? Another study also noted that 21% of students cited 'more affordable course materials' as the most impactful thing their college can do for them, and 81% said they'd prefer more money be spent on learning support than dorms, athletics, and facilities. This is where open educational resources can help.
Open educational resources (OER) are learning or teaching materials of all formats, such as entire textbooks, single lessons/lecture slides, podcasts, etc., licensed and created for free use, sharing, and modification (in many cases). Institutions, teachers, and students benefit from expanded access to education and learning, modifications that better support learning objectives, enhanced content, improved student engagement and interaction, fewer expenses (for all!), and easy edits and improvements on resources.
Stay up-to-date on the latest with these four open education resource predictions for 2023.
Many studies show that the need and interest in online education are growing immensely. Not only was it already on the rise for the last decade, but the pandemic jump-started the trend into faster adoption and demand.
One study, in particular, conducted by McKinsey & Company, reported a 36% increase in distance-only and hybrid students in traditional colleges (from 2012 to 2019). A jump from just 300,000 learners taking online courses in 2011 to an incredible 220 million in 2021 was also observed in the study.
Since 2020, additional research has indicated a significant move to online classes among 98% of universities in the U.S., with 75% of U.S. schools having plans to create and continue having online operations in the years to come.
As a result of previous interest now fueled by alternative educational needs and advanced technology capabilities, experts predict that blended and hybrid learning will continue to make a splash in the industry, especially in 2023.
According to SPARC, there is a significant increase in OER recognition among legislators. This recognition began over the last few years as students continue to voice struggles to afford college expenses. Despite acknowledging that further education is important for career success, students demand more flexible and affordable learning to accommodate their needs better — and lawmakers are listening.
Through regularly updated state-by-state tracking, an increase in open education resource endorsement can easily be observed in SPARC Policy Tracker. For instance, the following states currently have existing OER-related policies or laws in place that endorse, allocate funds, or regulate:
New bills/policies are added or updated by the week, with 2023 expected to see more support and recognition.
Educational technology, also known as EdTech, is shaping the future and transforming how we teach and learn. Not only has it proven its use within uncertain times like the unexpected onset of the pandemic, but it has garnered many more advantages over the past couple of years: increased engagement, easy access to learning resources, increased collaboration, interactive capabilities, and customization opportunities.
These major EdTech trends support that it's not only at the heart of the education system in 2023 but for many years to come:
Interactive learning is six times more effective in helping students learn than its counterpart, with the top ten trends fuelling its growth in 2023 being AR learning, VR learning, the use of AI, mobile-first learning, interactive whiteboards, gamified learning, collaborative learning, social learning, experiential learning, and microlearning.
Moreover, educators are finding that by making learning more interactive, students are getting more collaborative and engaging more with each other over lessons. As a result, the educational environment supports better decision-making, fosters more creativity, and boosts the retention of educational materials.
Scholastic adds that interactive learning is the foundation for sharpening critical thinking skills and encouraging more student engagement during an age where students have grown up in a very hyper-stimulated environment. This is because it elicits more imaginative and logical thinking than simply memorizing information (which is never fully retained for an extended period).
Overall, open education resource predictions indicate continued importance and demand as we enter 2023. OER has already played a significant role in education thus far and is not foreseen to stall anytime soon. To ensure you're leveraging the best possible solution for your staff and students, contact Classavo to learn more about our all-in-one teaching platform.
