One thing we know about education is that it is subject to trends. This may be positive or negative, but it’s all in an effort to figure out what works best in achieving student engagement and success. Here are some recent trends in the K-12 education system.
1. Social media used as a teaching tool
Social media has gained increasing popularity over the past year or two. All students these days know how to use a computer and the internet, and most of them are using social media networks to share their thoughts and ideas. From student-created YouTube videos to professors creating classroom focused blogs and Facebook pages, both teachers and students will continue to benefit from social media inside the classroom.
2. Game-based learning gaining popularity
Who doesn’t love a good game? Game-based learning (GBL) and simulations exist as a learning tool by helping students visualize processes they otherwise could not see, such as the flow of an electron or the construction of a city. GBL is becoming increasingly popular inside the classroom as they can promote higher-order thinking skills, such as collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
3. The marriage of BYOD and the flipped classroom
With more districts interested in saving money and more teachers interested in saving time, the concepts of flipping your classroom and BYOD (bring your own device) seem to pair up nicely. Because a key requirement to flipping a classroom is access to technology outside of the school, the marriage of the two maximizes the potential of both concepts.
4. Increase in homeschooling
Like charter schools, home schools have enrolled more than 2 million students. The decision by so many parents to remove their children from local schools and teach them at home raises many issues. Scholars say parents are more likely to switch to home-schooling if they see the academic quality of local schools decline or low-income students in those schools increase. Through home-schooling, parents are able to have more control over what their child learns. Although there is little data on home-schooling, it seems to be growing at the same surprising speed and volume as charter schools.
5. Integration of Education companies
More and more, teachers and administrators are trying to streamline processes. From software companies that offer solutions to Common Core preparation and online courses to online registration, SIS systems, managing student data, reporting, etc. schools and districts are experiencing widespread adoption to these types of solutions.
