MindShare Learning is a Canadian company specializing in educational technology. They provide consulting services and resources, host events, conferences, and webinars focused on educational innovation and technology integration. Overall, they aim to promote excellence and innovation in education through the use of technology.
Every year, they use their magic lense to provide insights at what is awaiting the edtech sector. Here are their 2024 picks.
1. Digital Equity
An accelerated trend toward digital equity and accessibility to provide every student with mobile devices, access to stable internet, single sign-on apps, and online learning resources to help all students thrive. With this comes an increasing awareness among edtechs to be interoperable, offering seamless, stable technology and respect student data privacy.
Resources:
- Embracing Technological Innovation: UNESCO advances SDGs through inclusive education for learners with disabilities
- Equity should be at the heart of international higher education
2. Personalized Student Learning & On-Demand Teacher Professional Development
The notion of nano/microlearning is emerging through sophisticated learning platforms infused with AI to meet the learner’s needs, skills & interests. Teacher professional development (PD) and new initiatives are offering seamless and On Demand PD. Faculties of education will play a great role in supporting teachers in keeping pace with innovation in education.
Resources:
- D2L: How to Personalize K-12 Teacher Professional Learning (Part 2): Modernizing Systems to Support Personalized Pathways
- Developing a Nano Learning Mindset: Enhancing Your Learning by 20x or More
3. Integration of Generative AI
These technologies are reshaping the EdTech landscape, students using AI as a ‘study buddy’, and streamlined lesson planning & student assessment, thereby giving teachers back time to focus on authentic teaching & learning.
Resources:
- C21 Canada, The Future of AI in K12 Education
- CoSN AI Tool Kit for K12
- Canva For Education
- Contact North AI Tutor Pro for Post Secondary
4. Creative and Inspirational Learning Environments & Makerspaces
Classroom of the Future, offering Integration of Mobile Devices for Students, interactive flat panels, maker tools and comfy moveable seating, is becoming increasingly cost-effective. Edutopia research suggests this impacts student success by up to 16% when you have the right learning environment.
Resources:
- Learning Crossroads at University of Ottawa
- Steelcase Classroom Report Designing Ultimate Learning Environment
5. Greater Student Engagement through Challenge-based Immersive Learning Solving ‘Real-World’ Problems
Embracing gamification, esports, AR, VR, and STEAM education to align with students’ natural habits. Providing real-world problem-solving experiences infused with design thinking challenges, entrepreneurial spirit, and computational thinking mindset.
Resources:
- Esports Canada
- DELL Data Dunkers
- Let’s Talk Science STEM
- Minecraft Education
- Code to Learn
- Schools of the Future Contest
6. Global Competencies Coming of Age to Future Proof Students
Today’s students are growing up in an increasingly complex world, where the state of well-being continues to be a crisis amongst many students. Global Competencies are no longer an option, but rather ‘Essential Skills’ (7Cs C21 Canada, or ISTE’s 4 C’s). Greater student agency, communication, problem-solving skills, promoting self-care & well-being is becoming infused or embedded throughout the curriculum through play/physical education/promoting greater balance and awareness of screen time allocation.
Resources:
- C21 Canada, 7 C’s SHIFTING MINDS Imagine a new generation, SHIFTING SYSTEMS Imagine the possibilities, The Learning and Innovation Inventory.
- SOURCES OF STRENGTH BUILD RESILIENCE IN WSD STUDENTS
7. Cybersecurity & Safety Vulnerability and Awareness
Educational institutions are taking proactive measures to engage students to be agents of change through CyberTitan initiatives, Media Awareness/Media Smarts/learning about students being cyber-safe/ Digital Citizenship and career pathways. Student data privacy protection is top of mind, with edtechs taking a greater leadership role in keeping kids safe.
Resources:
8. Digital Storytelling Telling Comes Full Circle
The infusion of modern digital media tools has revolutionized the way students can demonstrate their learning through digital storytelling. A growing trend toward teachers leveraging formative assessments with emerging AI tools to automate the process.
Resources:
- Digital Storytelling: Benefits, Examples, Tools & Tips in 2024
- Explore the power of digital storytelling!
9. Online and Hybrid Learning Coming of Age from K12 to Lifelong Learning
The notion of online learning is taking many forms, thanks in part to the mass innovation that occurred during COVID. Students no longer desire a three-hour lecture or 30-minute lesson. The teaching and learning methods must be mirrored to match the way Gen-Z and Gen Alpha live, and seniors should be encouraged to embrace social learning through mobile learning tools, video consumption, gaming, and peer social learning.
Resources:
10. EdTech Industry Consolidation and Growing Strategic Partnerships–It Takes a Digital Village to Raise a Child in the 21st Century
This past year saw a sharp decline in the EdTech industry sector, thanks in part to a slowing economy and a post-COVID edtech hangover with massive amounts of edtech tools and apps purchased, but not utilized. Reminiscent of the Dot-Com crash in the early 2000s, we’ll see a continued contraction, collaboration, and consolidation of the edtech sector through M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) activity. What’s emerging is greater strategic partnerships and alliances with a focus on accountability & interoperability. Organizations such as 1EdTech, and Canadian EdTech Alliance will continue to grow and evolve to ensure that impactful edtech organizations continue to thrive!
Source: MindShare Learning Newsletter