There has long been a call for change in the American education system. Learning methods have changed little over the last century, during a time when other specialty areas like healthcare have developed rapidly. However, where the philosophy may lag behind, the technology is making leaps and bounds. When we consider education in the 21st century, there’s no doubt that any significant disruption will be caused by our technological advancements.

In fact, the last decade has seen a fast progression of technology adoption in the classroom. As an institution, it appears education is poised to see a transformation similar to that of the publishing or music industries. But it is only when schools and universities embrace change that true disruption will occur.

With that in mind, it’s interesting for us to think about what the future of education might look like.

Here are some of the emerging trends that we will see develop over the coming decades.

The Development of Cloud Learning and Real-time Engagement

More and more, classes will not be limited by in-class attendance. Videos and lectures are already available on-line in many learning institutions, and cloud based learning management systems are being put to use. A recent article from the Globe and Mail, imagines one scenario: “On the first day of class, you got a list of possible topics the course could explore. You ranked them, and the instructor customized the course accordingly. But instead of the professor teaching he assigned students to research topics then take turns teaching. You’ve never met the student teaching today, who recorded the video at home in India. You won’t meet any of your classmates, who watch this lesson from five different continents.”

And if that same classmate uses a word you don’t understand, you pause the lecture, look it up, and then flag it on the video, so your other classmates from around the globe will have the definition right at their fingertips. This level of integration and immersion in education is not science fiction, either. A similar technology is already being developed by teams from the University of Essex and Arizona State University, in collaboration with the University of British Columbia. There really couldn’t be a better example of what global collaboration can achieve.

Widespread Adoption of MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have already become a huge industry. Online courses have been released and embraced by even the most prestigious of universities, and this won’t be a passing fad. The question becomes: How can they be monetized without alienating their diverse and international audience?

A 2011 survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 75 percent of adults believe college is too expensive for the average American to afford. It is this costliness combined with an unstable domestic job market that’s pushing youth towards alternative methods of education.

Universities are being forced to reconsider their position in society. Whilst traditional credentials still hold merit in the wider workforce, there will continue to be hundreds of jobs in the new world, from freelance translators to writers to graphic design artists, where the knowledge and skills can be attained and practiced online.

Analytics and Individualized Learning

With the integration of big data and future analytics programs, there will be potential for a more customized learning experience. Imagine a situation in which children, throughout their schooling, take a variety of digital tests that provide educators with key information about their strengths, weaknesses, and how they can best learn. The result would be an optimized experience in which analytics could help determine what type of content will best suit the individual child.

A Shifting Student-Teacher Role

The learning by teaching method has long been touted as the most effective form of absorbing knowledge. It then goes without saying that more and more education tools will utilize multimedia to allow students to teach each other, as well teach the teacher. What role will technology play in this redefined role? Hopefully, creative programs will allow new ways of collaboration and communication between students and teachers–in a way that allows students to learn how to discover information and sift effectively through the vast amount of digital content available to them.

These trends are just the start of what could potentially be an educational revolution. The move towards a multidisciplinary based education is here, and the variety of next generation tools, from virtual reality headsets to Google Glass, mean that the methods of delivering higher education will only be increasingly diverse and exciting.

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