Despite being a year of global upheaval, 2020 saw many significant advancements in digital education solutions, including broad use of online schooling, an increase in the usage of apps, and hybrid learning. For the foreseeable future, digital technology will almost certainly be used in education. New problems and innovations accompany this.

So, what are the expected teaching trends for the coming year?

1. Nanolearning

With the information age came a decrease in attention spans and an increase in screen fatigue. Every day, our minds are flooded with distracting alerts and messages. They raise the stress hormone cortisol in response to these messages. As a result, we are unable to concentrate and comprehend enormous volumes of data on a physical level.

So, how do we address this issue in the classroom?

The answer might be found in nano learning.

Nano learning, in a nutshell, is a bite-sized learning solution. It entails giving pupils smaller bits of knowledge over a shorter period.

Short bursts of learning have been shown to improve our ability to absorb and remember knowledge. You will be far more likely to boost your pupils’ productivity, attract their attention, and aid their capacity to learn if you provide them with short, “pellet”-like chunks of knowledge.

The following are the four keys to effective nanolearning in the classroom:

1. Determine the pupils’ requirements.
2. Determine your learning objectives.
3. Select your material, such as videos, applications, and podcasts.
4. Keep it short; 2-5 minutes is advised.

2. AR and VR

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are making their way into classrooms.

A VR headset is necessary for immersive VR experiences. This device features a digital interface that projected visuals, allowing users to observe and interact with a real or virtual environment. There are also gesture controls and instructor controls that are simple to use. While some VR headsets are undeniably costly, Google Cardboard and comparable solutions provide a cheaper VR experience by requiring the user to only connect their smartphone to the viewer. AR, on the other hand, is easily accessible by smartphone or tablet.

Similarly, the technology uses the device camera to project pictures, sound, and video onto the screen. Instead of immersing the viewer in another world, it overlays these pictures on top of what is shown on the camera. For instance, a Google search might show you different animals in your area, so you could be staring at a panda sitting next to your workstation! Try searching for “panda” on your smartphone.

Students are drawn to digital technologies such as virtual reality because they encourage them to think outside of the classroom.

So, how can you bring augmented reality and virtual reality into the classroom?

• Field tours — useful for art, geography, and history classes, among others, virtual reality may take students on a virtual tour of the world’s top galleries, museums, and cities without ever leaving the classroom.
• Virtual careers – Students may learn about a variety of occupations using virtual reality. It essentially puts the learner in the shoes of another person, allowing them to have firsthand experience with various vocations.
• High-tech instruction — VR and AR may present real-life training for students considering careers in the military or medical. It can, for example, demonstrate the anatomy of the body from the inside out to the pupils.
• Language immersion— Total immersion is the most effective method of learning a language. VR may immerse pupils in a foreign language by placing them in the center of a virtual world where they can only hear their target language.

3. Learning via projects

Project-based learning is a teaching style in which students are actively involved in real-world initiatives. Students are supposed to ‘learn by doing,’ with professors serving as facilitators.

The goal is for students to research and reply to a real-world, interesting, and challenging subject or issue. They will learn critical thinking, creativity, cooperation, and communication skills, all of which are in great demand among companies in the twenty-first century.

Here are some project ideas for your students:

• Identifying and resolving a local environmental issue
• Alternative energy sources are being developed.
• Photographic or photojournalistic analysis
• expressing one’s thoughts on a hot topic

So, how does project-based learning function in a classroom setting? This method can be used to lead a class by:

1. Make groups of four or five students.
2. Encourage them to come up with some project ideas.
3. Gather feedback from the class and decide which one they will focus on.
4. Next, have students collaborate to research their subject area.
5. And then, have them create a digital presentation to practice using design and technology.
6. Finally, have students present their projects to the rest of the class and solicit feedback and discussion.

4. Experiential education

Disengagement among students is on the rise. Teachers frequently observe kids on their phones, zoning out or conversing with acquaintances. However, a new approach to dealing with this is gaining traction: experiential learning.

This learning method, which is now widely used in schools throughout the world, includes immersing pupils in real-life scenarios. It provides hands-on opportunities for them to practice planning, decision-making, collaboration, and other skills.

Although this may be done outside of the classroom, such as visiting museums or traveling to the zoo, it is expected to migrate online in 2022.

So, what are some examples of online experiential learning activities?

• Collaborative activities – assign students to groups and urge them to brainstorm ideas and solutions to a topic or dispute. This may be a philosophical discussion or a simulated commercial challenge to get them thinking about various options.
• Role-playing – Allow kids to act out various scenarios through role-playing. Students can learn how different actions and behaviors affect results by putting themselves in a hypothetical situation.
• Fieldwork – Students are asked to collect data in the field. This might be accomplished using online quizzes and surveys, which could then be presented to the class.

5. Online education

The most popular educational trend for 2022 is online learning, which was established out of a need in 2021. Of course, as tech advances, this is becoming more feasible on a broad scale. Schools have been obliged to experiment more with online learning as a result of the epidemic. So, what makes online education so popular? It is not only adaptable and cost-effective, but it also makes learning more accessible to a larger spectrum of students by eliminating the idea of ‘place.’ As a result, it may be viewed as breaking down educational barriers and allowing access to a larger pool of pupils.