Every year, there are new trends in EdTech. It can be hard to keep up with all the new and exciting things happening in the world of EdTech. As soon as you’ve caught on to one hot topic, it seems to become old news.

But for all the trends that die out quickly, there are some that stick. After all, EdTech is a quickly developing field. Brilliant new ideas come around all the time and make a lasting impact. These are four of the EdTech trends we think you should be paying attention to:

1. Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is taking the EdTech world by storm. This trend is thanks in part to Google. Google Cardboard has made virtual reality affordable and accessible. Teachers around the world are using Google Cardboard, and other VR technologies, to take students on virtual field trips and create experiences that would be impossible without virtual reality.

2. Digital Citizenship

Now that digital technology is a part of everyday life, it’s important for students to know how to use it in a way that benefits society. Just like Kindergarteners learn to share, say please and thank you, and generally be kind to one another, today’s youth must learn digital manners. More and more schools are implementing digital citizenship courses where students learn how to be on their best behavior online. These programs also cover online safety for kids and teens.

3. Gamification

Making learning fun has been the goal of educators for decades. With technology, it’s easier than ever to turn a boring lesson into something that feels more like play than learning. Gamification turns learning into a video game. Apps like the popular language-learning program Duolingo give students the opportunity to level up and earn badges or achievements as they complete lessons or skill practice. Today’s students have been playing video games for as long as they can remember, so this type of reward system is engaging and meaningful for them.

4. Artificial Intelligence and Personalized Learning

Artificial intelligence and personalized learning go hand-in-hand and make up one of the biggest EdTech trends right now. This can be seen in the form of programs that measure what students know and offer tutoring tailored to meet the needs of each student. These virtual tutors are far cheaper than actual human tutors and provide highly personalized instruction for every single student. One example is the company Cognii’s Virtual Learning Assistant, but you can expect to see more programs like this soon.

What EdTech trends are you most excited about? Did we miss one here? Let us know!