Giving Compass' Take:

• The author found that in 2018, higher education staff needed more support when it came to teaching with technology. Fortunately, the author believes that edtech in 2019 will be more collaborative and supportive for teachers. 

• How will increased collaboration ensure that teachers can sustain new edtech products in the classroom?

• Read about other edtech trends that experts say colleges should prepare for. 

As we look ahead to the future in edtech, we see an industry marked by significant change and stubborn challenges. Within this framework, what significant developments might we expect to see emerge over the coming year? While it’s always risky to make predictions, I believe there were several strong trends from 2018 that suggest the shape of things to come in 2019.

Higher ed is being transformed by growing numbers of first-generation, nontraditional learners who are often working adults with multiple priorities. And, of course, students are bringing more devices to class. The convergence of these challenges is making it much harder for faculty to engage students in traditional lecture-style classes.

To adapt to these changes, professors need to be better equipped with the resources, technology or otherwise, that facilitate better interactions and useful feedback to students. The most innovative institutions are responding by proactively involving faculty and even students in the decision-making process when purchasing new technology.

At education conferences, we often hear discussions about new teaching models and faculty who are engaging students in experiential learning, authentic assessment and team-based approaches. Instructors are innovating, and technology could serve to drive cross-departmentally and cross-institutional sharing of best practices, which, in turn, could fuel massive improvements in learning outcomes.

Carefully designed technology that focuses on better communication and classroom collaboration will be key to supporting students as higher education continues to evolve. Our faculty survey shows that faculty have more understanding for how technology can actually reduce distractions and increase student engagement before, during and outside of class. With adequate support, training and tools, instructors can provide students with better feedback as a means of supporting active learning and creating an agile classroom.

Read the full article about edtech trends for 2019 by Eran Ben-Ari at EdSurge