The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • How to Implement Flipped Instruction into Your Classroom

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kentucky

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kansas

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters W-Z

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Illinois

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Iowa

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letter V

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Idaho

  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters U

  • 6 Tips Administrators Can Use to Work Through Staff Conflict

EdTech & InnovationTrending Topics
Home›EdTech & Innovation›A Digital Future: What Will EdTech Look Like By 2117

A Digital Future: What Will EdTech Look Like By 2117

By Matthew Lynch
April 9, 2017
Spread the love

Rapidly changing technology continues to make its mark on K-12 learning. Let’s take a look at the future and see how technology will improve education in the next 100 years. What will be the new innovations in EdTech? What will future classrooms look like?  Will the need to study medicine, law, and science disappear when robots start working in these professions?  What about art? Sure, no robot can be better than David Bowie, Leonardo Da Vinci, or Shakespeare (not yet), but with the number of innovations we see every day, we can’t be sure it won’t happen. While these innovations could have some detrimental side effects (such as job loss, impacts to the economy, etc.), they also have their advantages. It is up to us to use these innovations with caution and maximize their benefits. Here are the technologies that I believe will transform education by 2117.

Horizon #1: In the next year, or less.

Widespread use of makerspaces: Imagine the hands-on fun and learning that happens at play stations throughout a preschool room, then add some really cool edtech tools like an earthquake table, cutting laser, high-tech microscopes, or 3-D printer. Then give the students real-life research to complete. Now you have imagined a makerspace, a blended workspace growing in popularity.

A makerspace is a shared learning experience long used in the Maker Culture,  but now being honed for classrooms. They combine DIY crafts, manufacturing, engineering, and technology. Makerspaces are not limited to K12; Colleges are developing maker spaces to prepare students to solve real life problems. These stations can be mobile and shared, to decrease the cost.

Makerspaces fit well into the growing trends of Project Based Learning and Deeper Learning. Project-based Learning is learning which happens as students complete authentic projects. Deeper Learning is the process in which students meet and work with other students from around the world (Global Collaboration) as well as with experts in the field, through the use of technology.

Blended Education is another technique that will grow in significance. Classrooms will see an increase in the use of technology blended with traditional student-teacher interaction. Driven by algorithms; students will be placed in groups and given assignments. Students will often work collaboratively, broken into groups through a calculation of strengths, weaknesses, and interests.

Horizon #2: Within two to five years.

Widespread use of personalized learning: A tech-created schedule will move students through the day according to progress, focus, and interest while integrating each person’s needs with the needs of the class as a whole. Teachers will float from group to group as the face-to-face tutor and coach and periodically teach a lesson. NPR reviews this type of classroom this report, Meet the Classroom of the Future. Do you see it?

Adaptive learning will personalize learning in our classrooms. Adaptive education, at its best, is using technology to measure a student’s strengths and weaknesses and then adapting their education accordingly. When the goal of adaptive education is to develop the student, not meet pre-established standards, then real education can take place.

Horizon #3: Within ten years.

Interactive surfaces while working in groups will become a reality. The trend in education is to have collaborative group learning. We are currently at the point where every child has his or her own electronic device. As the group learning model improves, it will be harder for children to follow courses separately on their personal devices.  What would happen if the desk they sat at was itself a computer? That way, the group can use a multi-touch interface and collaborate better, with less time comparing what is on each device.

Interactive surfaces are already a reality, but the costs are still big. Just a few decades ago, computers were expensive and considered a luxury item, so it’s safe to predict that these interactive surfaces will become more affordable as time passes and will be used in schools for everyday basics.

Horizon #4: Within twenty years.

Tracking every student’s move will become a reality. Student tracking is already a reality in some schools. In the future, it’s entirely plausible that all schools will track students and teachers using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). There is currently one obstacle: costs. Once there is a cheaper way to replace lost or stolen RFIDs, it will become more common to track when students attend school and their trips around the open classroom. This way, by knowing where and when students are, more time can be spent giving instructions and explanations.

Many parents would argue that it is not fair to track their child’s every move all the time. On the other hand, this can greatly improve safety in schools. In modern schools with more than 1,000 students in a classroom, it could be very hard to locate missing child without tracking.

Horizon #5: Within fifty years.

Students will become teachers. Teachers will become facilitators and children will teach each other based on their own interests. While this concept seems strange now, it has a significant probability of becoming a reality one day. Even younger children are capable of finding their own path, and by allowing them to follow their individual interests while they are growing up, we will have more satisfied people in the future.

Horizon #6: Within 100 years.

There will be many new tools. Educational tools are evolving, and it will be interesting to see what happens in the future. We can predict that instead of using pens and pencils to write on paper or keyboards to write on computers and tablets, one day, children will use Google glasses (or its successor) to transfer their thoughts and notes on a computer. Other futuristic thoughts include new tools to protect devices from viruses, Cloud Learning (which would eliminate paper), increased use of e-communities, hologram lessons, and international collaboration.

Conclusion

Imagining the edtech reformation of education we will see by 2117; you may feel like you are falling through the rabbit hole. But don’t be frightened, just buckle-up and enjoy the fall into the brilliant future of edtech and education. In coming posts, I will take a closer look at each of these technologies and their implications on K-12 learners. Which do you think will have the greatest impact?

 

 


Spread the love
TagsEdtechedtechchatEduleadersteachers
Previous Article

Using Forums and Discussion Boards to Create ...

Next Article

Pass or Fail: Social Promotion in Schools ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • EdTech & InnovationEquityMatthew Lynch

    Technology and Graduation Rate: A Direct Correlation

    March 10, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Uncategorized

    Here’s what will change with the new SAT

    February 1, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Education LeadershipMatthew Lynch

    Entrepreneurial Skills Required in Educational Leadership

    February 27, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationTeachers

    Using EdTech to assess small group instruction

    January 1, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Education LeadershipPolicy & Reform

    Are wealthy donors influencing the public school agenda?

    April 1, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech

    How to Use Gamification to Help Struggling Students

    April 6, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

3 comments

  1. Anthony Nelson 15 April, 2017 at 06:12 Reply

    Thanks Mathew for such an interesting article technology has transformed the education sector among many other industries. Giving us a glimpse of the future of education is something ver educative and entertaining. I feel that I am experiencing the same things at the moment, I can vividly relate to this topic.

  2. Stephanie Chan 15 April, 2017 at 10:05 Reply

    Thanks Mathew for the update on the future of edtech. The approach was futuristic and a clear analysis of the whole subject. I appreciate your in-depth research and excellent background information.

  3. 7 Ways Holographic Technology Will Make Learning More Fun - The Tech Edvocate 1 November, 2019 at 05:40 Reply

    […] to truly engage their students in the not too distant future. Holographic technology is just one of many technologies that will transform education in the coming […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial Intelligence

    What will AI Mean for Higher Education?

  • Artificial Intelligence

    Schools Are Using AI to Track What Students Write On Their Computers

  • Artificial Intelligence

    How Artificial Intelligence is Boosting Personalization in Higher Education

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Implement Flipped Instruction into Your Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kentucky

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 15, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Kansas

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 14, 2021
  • Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters W-Z

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 14, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Illinois

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 13, 2021
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • The Dark Side of Educational Technology

    By Matthew Lynch
    October 15, 2016
  • Transformational vs. Contemporary Leadership Styles

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 28, 2016
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students - The Tech ...
    on
    January 15, 2021

    What Universities Have the Highest Rates of Sexual Assaults Per Capita

    […] security remains a ...
  • Europeans Reveal What 72 Things Weirded Them Out While Visiting America In This Viral Thread
    on
    January 12, 2021

    18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    […] www.theedadvocate.org ...
  • Implementing Digital Literacy in the Classroom – MarkerSpace America
    on
    January 11, 2021

    8 Essential Digital Literacy Skills That Students Need

    […] of resources, tools, ...
  • Teaching Your Child to Read – Pedagogue
    on
    January 11, 2021

    Reading Tips for Reluctant Students

    […] do they do ...
  • Is Accreditation Necessary For Private Schools? – Pedagogue
    on
    January 11, 2021

    Should You Teach at a Public or Private School?

    […] there are many ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    How Can We Improve Teacher Training in the World’s Poorest Countries?

    Spread the loveAccess to education is a basic human right and a subject of importance in every part of the world. The desire and dedication to go to school are ...
  • International Education

    How COVID-19 is Creating a Global Education Crisis

    Spread the loveWhile the novel coronavirus has brought the entire world to a standstill, it’s the education sector that will suffer the most consequences. Almost all across the globe, the ...
  • International Education

    Which Countries Provide Free Education At A University Level?

    Spread the loveAlmost two dozen countries provide free or nearly-free university-level education to their citizens. Some even allow students from other countries to participate in their free education programs; some ...
  • International Education

    Teachers’ Pay Must Be at the Heart of Global Education Reform

    Spread the loveWhile most in the education field believe they are underpaid for the work they do, there are many people who argue that teachers’ pay is fair. Some of ...
  • International Education

    Innovative Approaches to Global Education Challenges

    Spread the loveGlobal education is an ideology that deals with the enhancement of individual perception of the whole world. It is an approach that helps us to become global citizens. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodParenting

    40 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Child’s Preschool

    Spread the loveIn six months or so, we plan to move my 4-year old son Matthias to a new preschool. We are looking for a location that is close to ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodModern ParentingParenting

    Should You Choose a Play-Based or Academic Based Preschool For Your Children?

    Spread the loveAs parents await their child’s first school years, it is unclear what they should expect when they finally send their three- to five-year-old children to a preschool. Many ...
  • Early ChildhoodEquity

    The Foundational Principles of Anti-Racist Early Childhood Education

    Spread the loveFor children to have an anti-racist early childhood education, many steps must be taken by parents and educators. Some of these steps occur before children even set foot ...
  • Early Childhood

    Growing And Guiding Early Childhood Education Leadership

    Spread the loveEducational leadership is vital in any school whether it is elementary, middle, or high school. Depending on the school’s age range it is important for the leadership (which ...
  • Early Childhood

    Reducing The Role Of Implicit Bias In Early Childhood Education Settings

    Spread the loveImplicit bias is defined as the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. While bias is inescapable, that does not mean ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Working With Twice-Exceptional Students

    Spread the loveTwice-exceptional is a term used to explain kids who have exceptional talents in some educational areas and challenges in others. In some instances, a twice-exceptional learner could theoretically ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Implementing Curriculum Compacting in Your Classroom

    Spread the loveAll educators agree that differentiating instruction for students is very important. Yet, many districts cannot put this policy into practice. An almost unlimited amount of remedial curricular content ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What Does Academic Enrichment Involve?

    Spread the loveAcademic enrichment activities in the class can take numerous forms and do not always involve prescribed lessons from the curriculum. Enrichment encourages learners to take a more expansive ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What is Academic Enrichment?

    Spread the loveSome learners struggle to keep up in class. Other learners have the opposite challenge. For some learners, their learning moves through content too slowly, causing a lack of ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Cluster Grouping

    Spread the loveCluster grouping is a method educators utilize to meet gifted kids’ educational needs. If cluster grouping isn’t practiced at a certain grade level or a certain school, contemplate ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of American’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.