The old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
This is true as teachers and parents continue to seek ways to keep students interested in learning, now with the added distraction of technology invading kids’ lives. While smartphones may distract them as much as sports and raging hormones do, such innovations as 3D printing have been, thankfully, pulling their attention back to learning.
Here are three trends we see in education that will bring a renewed excitement to classrooms and campuses.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) or BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) is a term coined by Intel when the company saw its employees using their own personal electronic devices in the office. School administrators are witnessing this trend as students bring their own to schools and so are incorporating devices like phones, tablets and micro-PCs into their routines. Plus, they can increase productivity with innovations like our PageScope app, which gives students and teachers printing and scanning control on the go using wireless technology via our free app. We’ll see the BYOD trend continue as the prices of personal devices decrease and schools adopt and integrate them into the classroom.
The second trend is Makerspaces, which are community-oriented gatherings of tech enthusiasts who meet regularly to share and explore electronic hardware, manufacturing tools and programming techniques. These are places where students are free to experiment and make things – on their own – as part of a productive community. Here’s where our 3D printers can help Makerspaces see their creativity come to life right before their eyes and they share that amazing experience with their peers.
Finally, technology will literally become a greater part of students in the form of wearable technology. Many students are already using these devices with video games. These wearable tools – like Google Glass, virtual reality headsets and e-bracelets – are lightweight, portable and can go anywhere with the student, increasing their productivity while on the go. They will make research easier as information will be right at hand when it’s needed and more fun to obtain. Imagine engineering students using virtual reality headsets to visit construction sites without exposure to harm, or science students walking on the moon to learn about its environment.
School-related experiences like making friends and learning will stay the same for students of any age, but exciting, innovative learning tools will continue evolving, keeping those standard experiences fresh.
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