News & Updates

How the App Economy is a game changer in Education

By James MacTavish / June 6, 2015

As new technology transpires through the years, each generation has and continues to become more advanced than the last. Smartphone’s today have revolutionized learning for countless K-12 students. With endless knowledge and resources available at their fingertips, students are able to access what is essentially a second brain at all times. However this accessibility does not necessarily translate into productivity or learning. Even though students have been able to access high speed internet and competent browsers for over a decade, engaged learning is not a guaranteed result.

With smart devices, apps, and the internet of things (IoT) readily available to educators, mobile learning has the ability to replace traditional means of teaching and improve learning overall. According to a recent report by McGraw Hill Education Research, more than 80 percent of students surveyed said they use mobile technology to study, and 77 percent said that adaptive technology has helped them improve their grades.

Highlighted below are five emerging EdTech trends that both students and teachers are beginning to adopt:

1. Device Based Learning is becoming a more prominent means of education amongst classrooms and learning spaces. To ensure consistency in education, original electronics manufacturers (OEMs) are designing tablets and other smart devices customized specifically for classroom education. As a result, schools have the opportunity to offer privatized app marketplaces. The free apps hosted on these marketplaces are made to supplement current curriculum through digitalized resources, and easily comprehended videos. These specialized devices are beginning to replace the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategy as many challenges have developed for enterprises and school systems. Because many of these programs use ubiquitous Android and cloud-based platforms, it’s likely that many more developers will jump aboard to start producing apps for education.

2. Computer- generated sensory has the ability to integrate digital graphics and the real world, creating an enhanced or Augmented Reality (AR). Augmented Learning infuses the real world with various sensory inputs such as video, sound, and graphics. Additionally, learning through an augmented reality can leverage location-based functionalities to engage students to experience real life activities based on GPS tracking. The market for augmented reality is expected to grow to $1.06 billion by 2018, and is being widely used in education. Developers have already started to design courses for Oculus Rift, a virtual reality mounted head display, to further expand on different learning techniques.

3. Interactive touch screens are being incorporated as schools continue to embrace smart, collaborative devices hosting educational apps and services. Interactive boards serve as a powerful canvas in the delivery of educational content, providing both teacher and student with a more hands on, collaborative approach to teaching and learning. Sahara Presentation Systems has delivered the first education- focused large format touch screen on the market with its Clevertouch products for the classroom. Their devices incorporate highly secure app marketplaces with apps specifically designed for a school’s numerous curriculums.

4. Cloud Learning Management Systems (LMS) are online platforms used to administrate the delivery and management of learning processes. As more cloud- based learning tools are developed and implemented, LMSs will become a more prominent means to track and evaluate a student’s performance on a given platform. These online platforms create a portal containing detailed content in the form of tutorials and guides supplementary to in-classroom learning. Students will continuously reap the benefits through a network accessible at all times.

5. Keeping students engaged is an essential component in education. As device based learning is introduced throughout school systems, the quality of education based games has greatly improved. Education through gamification incorporates this new learning technique, while providing incentives to creatively engage and encourage students academically. With devices and platforms to support progressive rewards, gamification in EdTech could offer students a fresh and inspired outlook on learning.