Feb

EdTech Trends

Stanford Consulting

Over the past few years, we have seen rapid growth in EdTech applications focused on young adult learning.

Here are 3 key trends for EdTech players to keep in mind:

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The shift toward personalized learning will continue to fuel AI integration in learning tools. Over the last few years, we have seen a rapid acceleration of AI application in learning. The biggest challenges for educational AI come from equity issues, model biases and a potential overreliance on technology. However, it’s evident we are amidst an AI revolution — to move forward, it's important to not resist change completely. Adapting school systems and traditional methods of learning to work with AI-based tools like ChatGPT can prove beneficial in the long run. For example, companies can partner with education stakeholders on the ground to consult, design, and test products that support student learning without violating core education values.
Companies should continue investing in the widespread accessibility of education. Online learning has risen dramatically. According to Oxford College, online learning has grown over 900% since its inception, with projections of continual growth. Students enrolled in virtual school have also risen drastically due to COVID-19. However, we are still seeing unequal access to online learning platforms. Businesses should consider actions to address this equity gap, whether it be through affordable pricing models for services, nonprofit partnerships to reach underserved populations, or offline accessibility in products (i.e., to enable access without internet).
The increase in shortened student attention spans represents an opportunity to design products catered to consumer needs. The digital revolution has dramatically changed the way kids grow up. Students experience prolonged exposure to a world of games, click-bait titles and short-form videos (i.e., TikTok). A study from Microsoft in 2015 revealed that the average attention span has dropped from 12 to eight seconds due to the mobile revolution. This will impact younger generations’ learning, which is also a window of opportunity to engage in new, innovative models of education like micro-learning or nano-learning, as leveraged by brands like Duolingo, Coursera, and Quizlet.

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Some great sources to learn more about the latest education trends