For my Trends in Adult Education Blog I have chosen the topic of online learning and educational technology or “Ed Tech”. I found this article posted on Dec 31 2021 by Nick Morrison on the Forbes website entitled “Five Ed Tech Trends to Look Out For In 2022”
The article highlights the following 5 trends: Personalized learning, closing the gap in access to devices and broadband, teacher-student relationships, blended/hybrid learning and gamification. What stood out to me was topic of teacher student relationships, I found this to be a very applicable topic right now as I find myself in the role of both educator and student.
Online learning and technology have been rapidly increasing especially the last 2 years during the government shutdowns. These learning trends have brought with them both positive and negative outcomes in relation to education. When the government shut the schools down, we had no choice but to offer our program virtually. “Pretty difficult” would be an understatement when you are trying to teach a practical hands-on trade like Culinary Arts. Our department rose to the challenge and did an amazing job quickly adapting to online technology to give our students the best education we could under the circumstances. But nothing can replace human connection, hands on training and student application.
Online instruction and technology may have saved us during the government lockdowns, but is this really the “new normal” that the government and media are trying to sell us? These are some important questions to ask as a Canadian Citizen, Student, Educator. Living our lives solely inside the digital “matrix” is not sustainable, just look at the devastating consequences in the news of increased loneliness, depression, suicide, and drug overdoses. The truth is that we are all born for real human connection. During the lockdowns I was introduced to another new term: “face to face” learning, imagine that! Have we advanced so far that we had to come up with a new term for real human interaction?
Jack Lynch, CEO of ed tech company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acknowledges the past 2 years as “the biggest experiment in remote learning ever conducted”. And the lesson that was learned? “The importance of the teacher-student relationship”. Lynch also states; “Remote learning was isolating and unengaging for many learners, and I predict educators will embrace software that can blend the best of technology with the best of the classroom experiences and tools that extend the capabilities of the very busy teachers by helping them personalize the learning experience.” Its refreshing to here a Tech CEO acknowledge the undeniable importance of real human relationship. (Even though his answer to the problem is more technology LOL)
It’s undeniable that the trend of online learning and technology has and will continue to have many implications for me as an instructor. Education technology is a big business and one that is growing. According to the world economic forum’s website “Even before covid-19, there was already high growth and adoption in education technology, with Global edtech investments reaching US$18.66 billion in 2019 and the overall market for online education projected to reach $350 Billion by 2025. Whether it is language apps, virtual tutoring, video conferencing tools or online learning software, there has been a significant surge in usage since covid-19”.
The rise of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
In our capitalist society, education is a commodity and there will always be new educational tech products for sale in which to enhance learning. For educators these new technologies can be useful tools, but also run the risk of straining the student teacher relationship. The more time students and educators spend in the digital matrix, the less time we spend investing In human connection. So as I sit and stare at my computer screen I ponder these questions; when do these trends in online teaching and ed tech become a positive tool and when do they become a hinderance?
ChefJames Groot 
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