It has taken a long time for technological advances to really settle into the classroom. Many schools are still relying on chalkboards, technology barely any different from that in use 100 years ago. The long overdue arrival of hi-tech in the educational system is turning into a digital landslide as teachers and administrators realize how the latest and most innovative devices can make them more effective and their students more successful. This article shows the top ten innovative technological trends in education in 2012.

According to a US News report on education, just the use of video lectures raised student AP calculus scores from an average of 3.59 to 4.11.

While technology is helping teachers and students make headway at all levels of education, it has had a particularly strong impact on secondary and higher education, even blurring the lines between the two. High school students regularly take advantage of the Internet and their school-provided access to it to take online courses for college credit. Sometimes their teachers are taking professional development courses at the same college! Here are 10 of the most significant trends in schools and colleges during 2012:

1.    Digital Content

An increasing number of high schools and colleges are beginning to use ebooks and digital textbooks to teach their students. Some programs are taking advantage of grant money to fund experimental and even institutionalized programs which loan ebook readers to students in English classes instead of spending money on text books every year.

2.    Mobile Devices

To support this investment in digital content, a significant number of schools have begun relying entirely on laptop computers instead of textbooks. Rather than loan out or sell expensive and heavy textbooks to students every semester, they give their incoming students a laptop and the right passwords so that they can access everything that they will need for years to come.

3.    Internet Access

Access to the Internet has gone nationwide. Now disadvantaged schools in rural and urban areas can work hand-in-hand with the most prestigious schools in the country via online connections.

4.    Open Resources

Schools are finally taking advantage of the availability of open resource platforms on the web. This impacts students both directly and indirectly because administrations can save a lot of money using free software rather than trying to replace their computer system’s software every year.

5.    Online Classes

College classes in particular have been impacted by this trend. Students are increasingly choosing to get credit online rather than travel to campus every day.

6.    Hybrid Classes

Not every skill can be mastered in an online environment. Science classes and other hands-on training can take advantage of getting lecture material across to students via the web while saving campus time for critical training and one-on-one meetings with instructors.

7.    Projectors

Teachers are nearing the point when they can completely abandon the white boards, chalkboards and overheads of the past thanks to projectors that allow them to demonstrate anything from drawings to websites to large classes.

8.    Cloud Resources

Like open source software, the Cloud is providing schools with unlimited storage for crucial data that has nearly zero risk of being destroyed.

9.    Learning Through Games

Educators have discovered the marvelous way that engaging computer games can teach basic history and language to students of all ages.

10.    Encyclopedias

There is no longer any limit to the size of an encyclopedia nor is there a limit on the number of topics covered. Online encyclopedias can now charge a fraction of what they once did and offer unlimited space for articles.

This article summarizing the top ten innovative technological trends in education for 2012 was written by Karl Stockton for the team at kendall.edu. For those interested in Chicago colleges, contact Kendall for information on colleges in Chicago.