New technology and ongoing innovations are driving changes. Schools have been taking place in physical classrooms since their conception. Internet access and improvements in technology have taken learning outside these walls and made education more accessible.
In 2006, Salman Khan started a non-profit website called Khan Academy. The goal of the online learning institute was to provide free education for students everywhere. The website features thousands of resources, including useful videos, lectures, exercise problems and more.
Shai Reshef started University of the People, a non-profit, tuition-free online institute. Today, it provides tuition-free higher education to more than 1,500 qualified and curious students from 132 countries.
The only costs students need to pay are the $100 USD fees accompanying each course-end exam. Completing an undergraduate degree with an average of 40 exams costs a student about $4,000 USD at this school. Compare that to the $100,000 USD or more that the average student forks over at a US college. Suddenly, higher education becomes a whole lot more attainable for students all around the world.
In 1999, Sugata Mitra conducted a simple experiment called the Hole in the Wall. He placed a computer into a kiosk in a slum in Delhi, India. The kiosk was built into a wall and could be easily accessed by local children. Mitra installed the computer, granted the children free access to it, and left. He wanted to prove that children could teach themselves easily with simple computers and no formal training.
Mitra found that the children were able to become computer literate on their own. They learned to use computers and the internet to complete useful everyday tasks. They learned to search the internet for answers to questions and even improved their mathematics and science scores in school. They were able to complete academic work and answer exam questions aimed at students several years older.
Sugata Mitra has a new dream called the School in the Cloud. He wants to create digital schools where students can gather by themselves to learn from teachers online. Mitra believes that having retired teachers, experts and mentors enables children to get the best possible education.
Mitra built the first School in the Cloud in 2013 and has since opened four more. At these schools, children direct their own learning. They are motivated not by one teacher but by guiding questions that ignite their interest.
Some post-secondary classes are delivered through videos. The students watch them at their own time and learn at a pace that is comfortable for them. It makes it possible for students to multitask and make good use of their time. The videos can act as a supplement to their course load too. This way, students can access resources from anywhere around the world. Students don't have to be on campus every day. They can instead only go to campus for faculty office hours or other tasks that have to happen in person. The structure of education can be decentralized with technology.
What do you think education will look like in the future? For some innovators, they believe the future of education will not only be online, but there will be a focus on problem-solving and resource gamification. Those who enjoy video games can attest to how difficult it can be to put down a game. The students will solve problems on a game-like platform. They may go on quests, earn points, and collect badges. The goal is to keep learners engaged, motivated, and allow them to learn in a fun way.
Some teachers think that the traditional grading system will be replaced by AI assessments. Grades will be based on students' ability to understand and complete certain tasks. A lot of expenditure has been spent on improving technology. Perhaps even human teachers will be replaced by fully automated robots.
Technology in the education world can allow learning to be more immersive. With techs like VR and haptic feedback, it won't be long until students can experience historical events firsthand! What do you think learning will be like in the future?