Featured article by Larissa Wong
Learning new skills has never been easier thanks to the sheer scope of the internet. From appreciating the nuances of the German language with the help of an online tutor to obtaining a digital degree in business management, educational technology is undoubtedly here to stay. However, it should still be mentioned that a number of future challenges will need to be overcome. Some of these are predictable while others have yet to be fully understood.
Let us therefore take a look at a handful of possible scenarios before moving on to discuss the ways in which educational technology can adapt in accordance.
Growing Pains
Many industry analysts estimate that the global value of this type of technology could reach an amazing $404 billion dollars by the year 2025. This equates to a growth rate of roughly 18 per cent per annum. Although this is excellent news for the sector as a whole, challenges still await.
As with any industry massive amounts of growth may lead to a future “bubble”. Perhaps the most well-known example in recent memory can be seen in the housing crisis of 2007. What goes up can and must come back down given enough time. This has some experts worried that the educational technology market may outpace itself.
Furthermore, we need to remember the simple principle of supply and demand. Assuming that the growth forecasts mentioned above are realistic, will the demand for technological products and services keep up with the supply? If demand slows, it is inevitable that suppliers will suffer and growth will stagnate.
The other effect of a booming industry can relate to traditional educators such as teachers. Will this job market continue to shrink and if so, what options are available in terms of alternative forms of employment? These are some of the questions which will now lead us into the next section of this article.
Adaptation and Improvisation
It is impossible to deny the fact that educational technology is here to stay. The recent global health crisis clearly illustrates this point. Virtual classes and remote learning are now becoming commonplace and the majority of analysts feel that these techniques represent the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This is the very same reason why jobs such as chief learning officers and technical support analysts are currently in high demand. In other words, future professionals will have to possess a fair amount of knowledge within this sector if they hope to succeed.
The good news is that educational technology has already existed for more than two decades. The younger generations are already familiar with its intricacies and as a result, the learning curve should be ablated to an extent. Furthermore, this technology is being released in increments. This makes adoption a much easier concept. It is still a fact that the entire sector will have a knock-on effect in terms of the notion of “business as usual”. It is also a foregone conclusion that the associated benefits will far outweigh the potential risks.
