There are a variety of lessons we can learn from the educational landscape that pushed itself to the surface. We saw the uptake in blended learning practices, the rise of Chat GPT, and the push towards personalized learning.
However, can we make the argument that one was the most impactful to students and the educational landscape as a whole? We can definitely make the case that each has made its mark.
Blended Learning: The use of blended learning practices has transformed the way we look at learning. Learning has become much more than sitting in a classroom and simply looking at a teacher go through slides filled with blocks of text. The option of remote learning has allowed students to create flexible learning environments where they are able to interact with technology and digest information in ways that are helpful for them. DigitaliSed learning has its limitations as it has its benefits. Being able to access a classroom from home allows students to take some of their learning into their own hands and establish initiative toward learning and become more practical. However, young people can be as inspired when partaking in online learning as easily as they can become distracted. Therefore, creating online programmes that involved a mixture of engaging learning tools (Active Learning) and Passive Learning. Both is necessary.
Personalised learning: A big criticism perpetually made against schooling systems has been the criticism of “lack of personalisation” in curriculums. Over-standardisation naturally disengages students as well as failing to connect with different student’s different processings of information. Personalised learning approaches will likely to continue to gain traction in 2024. Technology will play a crucial role in tailoring educational experiences to individual student’s needs, abilities and interests. AI-systems and adaptive learning platforms will be utilized to provide customized learning paths and targeted feedback, allowing students to reach their full and unique potential. The ability to easily access online learning bridges the gap between the necessary digital skills students need in this technology-driven world. Fostering online learning will have students look at their learning in much more than a linear path kind of way. They can envision where they see their future and easily identify their personal strengths through the unique feedback they’d be receiving. Developing student self-monitoring skills becomes easier as the world or remote learning grows. Students are able to self-track their performances and have direct access to their most recent test scores. Instead of getting reports monthly reports or end of term grades, students are able to accurately measure their performance whenever they want. This kind of agency allows students to feel they have ownership of their learning and set goals they see fit for themselves.
ChatGPT / AI Tools: Is it really that bad for student imagination? Anything which we feel makes the process of learning “effortless” has the potential to be harmful towards a student’s learning. However, are we looking from it from an ignorant lens? Could it be that Chat GPT has created a more inspired-like way of learning? Students can sometimes feel repelled from asking questions ‘outside of the norm’ but would be beneficial for them to know and further their learning. It gives a sense of confidence when seeking answers, opening their pathways to a quicker and more modern way of learning. On the other hand, AI tools that make it easier to access educational materials enables a lack of thought processing for students to rationalize and come to their won conclusions which is an important life skill. The ability to solve problems with your own rationale is needed even outside the classroom, but in all areas of life, so does the persistent use of something like chat GPT cause a lack of imaginative students that rely on “quick fix” answers.
To conclude, we had a plethora of different educational trends that made noise this year and it’s our jobs to take the good with the perceptive bad and use its benefits to further student-led learning. You may have your own takeaways as educators this year, therefore it's important to use those findings for the next academic year.
