Ever since the year 2020, the world has moved at a different speed. Due to the pandemic, the world almost came to a standstill.
But then it got back on its feet again and started progressing at a faster pace to make up for the lost time. Some of the intrinsic social institutions like health and education have been most influenced by such drastic changes.
Certain trends have emerged and solidified in the case of education and these are going to be quite noticeable in 2022.
1. Technology as a factor
First and foremost, after staying cooped up in our rooms for too long, humans were forced to take up interaction with the rest of the world through virtual media.
Even kids are being deprived of their basic right to social development in a more open and public atmosphere, as they have to attend online classes.
Although Generation Z is born in the digital era, studies have indicated that such a drastic and paradigmatic change has affected children psychologically.
Children staying at home all the time has made work-from-home slightly difficult for adults. Moreover, the added dependency on gadgets to get an education has extended their screen time exponentially.
But this new trend came with a silver lining- it made kids tech-savvy at a very young age. To make up for lost public time and space and to make social distancing bearable, new software applications have been developed.
Some of them are devoted to instilling a sense of patience and concentration in kids getting into the new habit of getting a school education from home.
2. Social grooming
Human beings are social animals. Let’s just say, we have learned a new way of being social amidst the norms of isolation and social distancing.
Developing soft skills is a major part of the social and cognitive development that kids partly learn from school, and partly at home.
Now the space we call home has to serve as both public and private, figuratively speaking. In a way, the pandemic has turned the world into an even smaller global village.
Fortunately, digitization has made it possible to attain the closest experience to real-life socializing.
Class presentations are still held for students on virtual platforms. Children can choose to indulge in group study projects through social media apps under their parents’ supervision.
3. Vocational engagements
After a few months into the Coronavirus pandemic, it became clear that time and tide stop for none. Once the governments of various countries started getting some level of control over the situation, the education sector also started reopening avenues virtually.
Soon developers on new virtual platforms realized that this was their chance to take advantage of the study-from-home culture.
Courses began getting more and more job-oriented. Even websites known for finding job placements began offering certificate courses that would make one more eligible to apply for a particular vocation in the future.
Understandably, a lot of the vocational skills are offered through these courses that last for a shorter duration. They are meant to prepare the new generation for work-from-home jobs since the pandemic has changed some things in a near-permanent fashion.
4. Going beyond the syllabus
Another very popular trend that has emerged amid the pandemic is students enrolling for different courses from foreign universities.
Since traveling across borders has now become more complicated due to COVID, grabbing every opportunity for distance education can be counted as a smart move.
The internet has made it possible to introduce new and unconventional courses into the mainstream curriculum. Educators can now virtually assess and discuss the progress of a student with their parents.
Students can also resort to technological aids for self-assessment, through data algorithms which means that the process is more objective and self-sufficient.
This can, in turn, provide a self of self and purpose. It can drive kids to learn and develop skill sets that go beyond the prescribed syllabus.
5. Studying abroad is still as desirable as ever
The idea of studying from anywhere virtually is taking hold but data suggests that college enrolments abroad have only increased in the past year.
The reason is perhaps that a college education doesn’t only include the syllabus but also the community, lifestyle, and campus life that all add up to overall personality development.
Studying abroad remains as desirable as ever for Indian students wanting to get the best higher education.
FAQs
What are the new trends in education?
The new trends in education include increased of technology, higher number of online classes, reliance of education-technology to teach in classrooms and going beyond the usage of books and reading material.
What are the trends in Indian education?
The growing trends in Indian education:
- Gamification
- Introduction of soft skills and hard skills
- Use of technology in classrooms
What is the importance of trends in education?
New and improved trends in education are important to deal with the changing world. For instance, the introduction of online classes helped thousands of schools and parents cope with the changing world. It allowed students to continue their education unhindered.
Conclusion
An optimistic way of looking at the changing trends in higher education in 2022 is acknowledging the fact that digitization has acted as a catalyst in changing the face of academia itself.
The pandemic has wreaked much havoc but it has also prepared us for a brave new world.
