The Future of Online Schools Infographic

We’ve already seen the rise of online options, from kindergarten to the university level, but will digital learning soon overtake more traditional methods, and will the experience be richer for the change? The advancement of artificial intelligence-equipped tools has made it possible for nearly anyone, anywhere to connect to and utilize the global network of information. The future of online schools is exploding!

We are now living in a fast-paced world in which our time is juggling between our families, our jobs, our lifestyles and, for many of us, our education. Attending school online for many is the ONLY option and, due to this, the future of online schools is growing exponentially. With so many institutions climbing on board, finding a school that fits your individual needs is not as tough as it once was.

The future of online schools is not only exciting, but necessary. Achieving an education, no matter at what level, via an online option removes barriers, redefines learning, allows for faster results, and, many times, can be obtained free of charge. Virtual and augmented reality are already taking the foundation of our educational systems by storm, but where will up-and-coming enhancements in the realm of portable, wearable, and implantable tech take us? To infinity and beyond (literally)!

Education’s Evolution: A Transformation in the Classroom

From chalkboards to iPads, innovative technology has been an essential part of the classroom for centuries.

1890: Chalkboard
1900: Pencil
1930: Overhead Projector
1940: Ballpoint Pen
1950: Photocopier
1970: Handheld Calculator
1972: Scantron
1980: Early Computers
1985: Graphing Calculator
1999: Interactive Whiteboard
2010: iPad
2011: Enhanced ebook (ePUB3)

Today’s technology has made it possible for students to earn credits or a degree without ever stepping into an actual classroom.

eLearning: Reshaping Student Learning

Kindergarten through High School - Wired into Online Education:

1996: Only 14% of classrooms had Internet that was predominantly dial-up.
2009: 93% of classrooms were connected to the Internet.
48 states and the District of Columbia support online learning programs.
Open Educational Resources: Resources freely available to anyone over the web.
Provides additional digital resources on subjects such as math, science, or English.
Increase educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning and better utilizing teacher time in the classroom.

Blended: Combination of face-to-face and online classes

Students can access online curriculum outside of traditional classroom.
Individualized learning that equips students to learn at their own pace.

Full-time: All classes are taught online

Virtual schools allow students to enroll in full-time classes and receive instruction/credits solely online.
Access to hands-on and online interactive material.

University and Higher Learning

Online Courses are on the Rise in the US.
95% of institutions offer online classes.
20+ million college students.
7 million are enrolled in online courses.
About 1 out of 3 college students take online classes.
17% of schools offer a full-time online degree program.

A University for the Needs of Today’s Tech

Former MIT dean and professor Christine Ortiz is creating a new kind of college
No more majors
Project-based learning that focuses on a student’s passion
No more lectures
All knowledge will be available online
No more classrooms
Large centralized transdisciplinary labs and open spaces

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Free education via the Internet from worldwide universities that’s primarily used by adults
Harvard Business Review research reports
52% of MOOC participants do so to help build a career
87% produced some type of career benefit

Walt Disney introduced the world to “edutainment” in the 1940s, but the ever-evolving digital world has taken educational entertainment to a new level!

Breathing New Life into Education with Technology

Gamification: We All Want to Win!
Gamification applies mechanics and design techniques that help motivate us to achieve our goals

The Gamification Loop

Anticipation
Excitement to level up, gain points, trophies, etc.
Action
Shoot monsters, solve puzzles, and more
Reward
Earn points, coins, improvements, or affirmations of flashy lights and sounds

Creating a Virtual World in the Classroom

Students can now connect to the virtual realm by looking into a device, moving their head up and down/side to side, and interacting with 3D images on a smartphone

Virtual Field Trips

Google Expeditions brings Romeo and Juliet to a Chicago classroom.
Students embarked on a 360-degree virtual tour of Verona, Italy, while viewing inspirations from.
Shakespeare’s famous play.
Get into the Jazz Age with Utherverse Digital’s Harlem Project.
Students can experience a CGI/virtual version of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance’s iconic art/literature.

Virtual reality delivers the best of both worlds—online, distance learning inside the real-world classroom.