According to Fortune Business Insights, the market size of global ed-tech and classrooms was valued at USD 88.82 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase to USD 319.65 billion by 2029. This growth forecast is exceptional.

Throughout the world, States and institutions are investing heavily in educational infrastructure to leverage the holistic potential of the sector. Technology advancement has eased education delivery, curriculum development, and assignment/homework management.

Distance learning has improved with technology integration and has helped students in remote areas to access course knowledge. Ed-tech is helping learners and educators consummate the real purpose of education.

Today, with the inundation of ideas due to the increased usage of artificial intelligence in education, the ed-tech space will only advance. It will look forward to an improved learning experience where customized learning will break the gaps of teacher-student interaction, curriculum management will be an easy task and whatnot. 

Education is one of the spaces where technology is vastly and amicably accepted and implemented. 

With investors brewing their thoughts to invest in education, this industry is brimming to expand in a blink of an eye. 

The post Why Ed-Tech Industry appeared first on Test.Evelyn.

And why not? World economics works that way. The more resources and technological advancement a country has, the more influential and rich it becomes.

Today, it is about AI. Artificial intelligence, in its various forms, has promised an overall cost-benefit despite the high initial investment. It is why only wealthy countries can afford to bring AI into their systems, which can potentially widen the gap between richer and poorer countries.

For instance, AI adoption in automobiles is a big bet. It won’t be long before we see the widespread commercialization of self-driving or flying cars.

Artificial Intelligence in Education

The Ed-Tech industry has agreed with artificial intelligence amiably. The use of artificial intelligence to make learning more accessible, engaging, and advanced is our personal favorite.

Students are already comfortable with technology, and they are more curious to make friends with anything more advanced that might come up.

The Ed-Tech space is so vast that it can encapsulate almost every aspect of education, including curriculum development, lesson delivery, and assessments. The VR sets, merge cubes, augmented reality mobile apps, etc., all give amazing augmented reality and learning experiences.

A merge cube showing parts of the human body through the Mr. Body app. Source.

Students can learn about the universe and solar system using a virtual reality set.

China, Technology, and AI

It is no news that countries have used various methods to come up as the top power in the world. Earlier it was only muscle power with higher investments in manpower, arms, and ammunition. Now, technology is the new power weapon in this new era of computers and robots. So, countries have been leveraging this soft power to make themselves global power leaders, making other countries reliant on them.

Harvard Professor of Economics, David Yang, recently enlightened us about the US ranking of the top companies with the most accurate technology in facial recognition. Out of nearly 50 companies, the top five were Chinese companies.

                     The graph demonstrates the percentage distribution of Facial Recognition Technologies in China.

China has been making tremendous and aggressive investments in digital technology, focusing on creating outstanding AI infrastructure to compete with other more significant economies like the US.

China is already ahead in many areas, which is a no-brainer. The most used app in the world is TikTok, and the Chinese are the majority of smartphone users worldwide. 

China-based TikTok has been the most used application in the United States.

A renowned think tank, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, discovered that China leads in 37 out of 44 technologies, including hypersonics and electric batteries, and also leads the US in AIgorithms, machine learning, and many more.

China and Ed-Tech Lead

Like any other sector, China also wants to lead in implementing education technology. They want to upskill their citizens with the latest and best knowledge to take a global lead in economic development.

Many recent developments point toward this thought. China’s Zhejiang has already introduced artificial intelligence into school curriculums and made it a compulsory subject. It is also learned that the city plans to create nearly a thousand AI experimental schools by 2025.

The Chinese have also been experimenting with various tech-based products in classrooms, like the brain wave tracker, which tracks distractions. In 2019, a primary school experimented with the product and faced backlash as the headband was used to track the engagement levels of students. The report was directly used to go on the computers of teachers.

The Chinese have also been experimenting with students’ engagement levels and their behaviors, like checking phones or yawning in classrooms. This has been done with parents’ consent to research the use of AI in education. 

        A still from the video that shows AI experimentation in Chinese classrooms. 

With these research exercises, China’s way to leading into the Ed-Tech space with the advanced use of AI is clear.

Indulging in Artificial Intelligence to Improve Education

China seems ahead and determined to improve its educational space by leveraging AI, big data, and cloud computing. We have been reading about how China has set up vocational training schools that use AI to capture students’ behavior and teachers’ teaching styles. This information is later used to improve the teaching styles of educators.

The integration of AI has occurred progressively in different countries, with China leading the way, followed by India and Singapore. Information Source: IBM 

An article published last year talks about how China uses AI to reduce the educational gap within the country. It also mentions that over half the Chinese labor force needs a high school degree. 

You may also like to read: Influencing the Future of Education with AR/VR

The country has boosted many AI-based technology startups to aid the education sector. The country’s major focus on building AI infrastructure, as disclosed by the Chinese State Council, is to become the world’s top AI innovation center by 2030.

Why China may lead in AI Implementation in Education

The Chinese government is authoritarian and may not think twice before using AI technology that might compromise the privacy of the citizens. So, it has been open to widely experimenting with AI products like AI-based cameras that capture student behavior in classrooms and help teachers and parents to improve student grades. 

According to The Guardian, 48.49% of the world’s high-impact research papers were published in China in the past five years. Source.

The government has supported the firms bringing AI-based products that can disrupt education or promote them with financial incentives, infrastructure, research grants, resources, etc. China may lead in AI implementation in education because:

1. China is a competitive economy and has made an aggressive moves in almost all sectors to assert its world dominance. China holds the manufacturing units of many high-worth companies. It has pushed its country’s sportspersons to train from a very young age and bring as many Olympic medals for the country as possible. AI would be no exception as well. The country has been leading in publishing AI-based research papers.
2. The Chinese education system is organized at the centralized nature of policy-making. It is unlike free democracies, where privacy concerns and citizen discretion are given prime importance and can be questioned. Therefore, it is also about the country’s overall development rather than success in merely one sector.

All that Glitters is not Gold

Just because China has been vastly open to accepting AI implementation and experimentation in its country does not guarantee that it is leading the world. The country still faces a shortage of qualified teachers and established AI labs.

The pace of including AI in education is more straightforward in China because the country already collects a large pot of citizen data. One of the concerns shared by David Yang, Associate Professor of Economics at Harvard, is that this AI technology that might develop in China to understand people’s behavior may be exported heavily and used by other countries to accelerate their autocratic rule.

‘AI is fundamentally a technology for prediction”, he says.

Therefore, autocratic countries would always be the first ones to grab hold of these technologies that allow them to have maximum control over their citizens.

Recently, many leaders have echoed concerns about the potential unethical use of AI without proper regulations. We hope that responsible governments make conscious efforts to leverage technology, but not at the expense of citizens’ privacy or safety.

The post How China is Trying to Outpace the World in AI appeared first on Test.Evelyn.

Whenever needed, the curriculum is updated continuously to teach students what is valid and accurate. Moreover, the curriculum delivers education with the help of learning areas and general capabilities.

Aim of the Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum is focused on catering the needs of every student globally. It strongly advocates for inclusive education and firmly believes in the following principles:

1. Every student can learn; their individual needs are equally important and hold significant value.
2. Each student has the right to access knowledge as well as skills that serve as the building blocks for successful and continuous learning.
3. It is important to establish high expectations for every student. 
4. The curriculum should be adjusted in a way that it can accommodate and recognize the diverse needs of students from different cultures. 

The Australian Curriculum is designed to meet the needs of students worldwide

Three Dimensions of the Australian Curriculum

There are three dimensions in the Australian Curriculum:

1. Learning Areas
2. General Capabilities
3. Cross-Curriculum Priorities

1. Learning Areas

The Australian Curriculum is divided into learning areas and subjects. The learning areas include humanities as well as social sciences. They include history, geography, civics, citizenship, economics, and Business. Apart from this, the arts include dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts. Moreover, the curriculum also includes technologies such as design and digital technologies. Lastly, you can choose from a diverse range of fifteen languages in order to enhance your knowledge and proficiency in a specific language that is different from your mother tongue.

2. General Capabilities

The Australian Curriculum contains a total of seven general capabilities, which aims to provide necessary skills and abilities to the younger generation of Australia in order to survive in the 21st century. 

These general capabilities include:

1. Literacy
2. Critical and Creative Thinking
3. Numeracy
4. Personal and Social Capabilities
5. Information and communication technology (ITC) capabilities
6. Ethical Understanding
7. Intercultural Understanding

3. Cross-Curriculum Priorities

In the Australian Curriculum, there are three priorities that are critical to Australia’s future. This specific dimension of the learning areas allows students to experience diverse contents of learning areas. 

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s Histories and Culture
• Australia’s Engagement with Asia
• Sustainability

The Three dimensions offer teachers the flexibility to engage in personalized learning to meet the needs of individual students

Structure and Format

Typically, the students commence their learning journey by enrolling in kindergarten first. This marks the beginning of their 13-year educational journey that concludes with the attainment of the Higher School Certificate (HSC) upon the completion of Year 12. This prestigious certification enables students to seek admission to educational institutions worldwide. 

The educational curriculum is structured around Eight Key Learning Areas (KLAs), which encompass English, mathematics, science, health and physical education, humanities, and social sciences, the arts, technologies, and languages.

1 English

English is an important language considered for young Australians. It includes subjects such as additional language or dialects, essential English, and literature.

3 Mathematics

Mathematics equips students with  essential skills and knowledge for their development in their early years of education. It includes subjects such as specialist mathematics, general mathematics, mathematical methods, and essential mathematics.

3 Science

Science develops an understanding of practical concepts and processes among students and it includes subjects such as biology, chemistry, Earth and environmental science, and physics.

4 Humanity and Social Sciences

Humanity and social sciences includes 5 subjects. HASS (Australian Humanities and Social Science Curriculum), civics and citizenship, economics and business, geography, and history.

5 Arts

The arts have the ability to inspire and motivate students to think out of the box and embrace creativity . It includes dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual arts. 

6 Technologies

In the Australian Curriculum, technologies play an important role in ensuring that all students benefit from understanding how technology works. It includes design and technologies and digital technologies. 

7 Health and Physical Education

The curriculum of health and physical education provides certain types of learning opportunities that are contemporary, engaging, and relevant. It aims to equip students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding of their physical health as well as mental health. 

8 Languages

Languages are included in the Australian Curriculum to ensure that all students can actively participate in learning a language other than English. They include Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, and many more.

The Eight Key Learning Areas outline the specific knowledge that each student would gather in each subject area. 

VCE and WACE Certifications in Australia

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) are certification programs in Australia that are awarded to students who complete their senior secondary education. However, these certificates are specific to the states of Victoria and Western Australia, respectively.

VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education)

The VCE is granted to the students who successfully complete their secondary education in the state of Victoria. The certificate is administered by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). 

The VCE is undertaken over a two-year period in Years 11 and 12. When the students complete their schooling, they receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) based on their performance, which further helps them for university entrance purposes. 

WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education)

The WACE is granted to the students who successfully complete their secondary education in the states of Western Australia. This certificate is administered by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).

The WACE is undertaken over a period in Years 11 and 12. Unlike VCA, WACE candidates need to meet literacy and numeracy requirements and complete at least one senior secondary course examination. After their schooling, students receive ATAR based on their performance, which is used for further education and entrance in their preferred universities. 

Australian Curriculum 9.0

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) released version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum in May 2022. Schools have started implementing this new version in 2023 term 1. 

Also read: Reassessing Curriculum Development: Top 3 Factors to Consider

States and territories in the entire country have to adopt the updated version and introduce the students to version 9.0.

Version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum offers a more practical approach for teachers regarding crucial knowledge that students must acquire

What Modifications have been Implemented in the Updated Curriculum?

The curriculum development in the updated version are decreased content, improved coordination between achievement standards and content descriptions, enhanced connections between learning areas, general capabilities, and cross-curriculum priorities. 

The changes embraced by the updated curriculum are as follows:

1. The Australian Curriculum is being modified to ensure a more thorough understanding and education, with a 21% reduction in descriptions regarding the learning objectives of students and what should be taught. 
2. There will be a greater emphasis on phonics in English and more focus on students mastering the fundamentals of mathematics, such as its different concepts, skills, and facts.
3. The importance of developing proficiency in foundational skills and the ability to perform mathematical computations without a calculator will be emphasized.
4. The sequencing of content in mathematics will be revised, particularly in areas such as telling time, introduction to fractions, recalling multiplication facts, and solving equations.
5. Higher standards for mathematics will be set up for Year 1 regarding addition and subtraction and include multiplication facts in Year 2. 
6. In Years 9 and 10, priority will be given to Australian history, including the impact and perspectives of First Nation Australians upon the arrival of British settlers and their contributions to modern Australian society. 
7. ACARA is also working on mental health development among Australian youth. This will be taken into account in the upcoming versions of Australian Curriculum. 

The post All the Information You Require Regarding Australian Curriculum appeared first on Test.Evelyn.

Providing college education to their children is still a utopia for many American families. College affordability is the most important yet scariest factor faced by these families when their child completes their high school graduation. 

When making a decision about which college to attend, there are numerous factors to take into account, such as tuition fee, available courses, extracurricular activities, and more. However, many students find themselves stuck on the cost and perceive it as the primary determinant of their access to education.

Now, what can be done to eliminate the financial barrier to the path of acquiring an education? It appears that there may be a shortage of available resources to obtain accurate information regarding the diversity of universities, their tuition fee, and the process of applying for scholarships and grants at these universities.

Reasons for Hike in Education Expenses

According to the 2017 research report of College Board, tuition fee in colleges at four-year private and public colleges have increased by 36%.

Here are a few factors responsible for this problem of rising education costs, which are taking away the rights of students and making education a luxury. 

1. Rising Demand 

The cost of education and students enrolling into universities are two sides of the same coin. 

According to the Education Data Initiative, enrollment peaked in the year 2010 at 21.02 million students. Since then, education has gotten more expensive, with tuition fee increasing every year. 

 Rise in Education Expenses are Associated with the Cycle of Demand and Supply

In the above graph, we can see a slight decrease in enrollment numbers in the year 2022. This is because of the shift in thinking of students, who are losing trust in college education. 

Is a College Degree Worth It?

Our society is divided into two parts. One believes in the education system, and the other believes that it is a waste of money and effort. We have some really great examples of billionaires and geniuses who do not have a college degree. 

Bill Gates dropped out of college at the age of 20 and made a revolutionizing company, “Microsoft”. Walt Disney ended his schooling in the 8th grade and moved on to open the world’s eyes to see animation at its best.  

Today’s generation is inclining more toward becoming social media influencers, stock market traders, etc. They are finding it fun and a way to make money with minimal effort. 

People Losing Trust in College Degrees

According to the data collected by Morning Consult, Gen Z has the lowest trust in the education system of public colleges or universities. They also revealed that in October 2020, 62% of adults supported the public education system, and now, as of May 2023, the numbers have decreased to 52.5%.

2. Lower State Funding 

Another reason for increased tuition fee is the decreasing financial support from the states. According to the data from the College Board, there is a correlation between the state’s funding and education costs. In the academic year 2015-16, the state’s funding was reduced by 11% as compared to the last 10 years, which is the result of a hike in education expenses. 

Lack of State Funding Means the Burden of High Education Expenses Is Shifted to Students and Their Parents

At the same time, state funding is only related to public universities, as these colleges and universities are affiliated with the government. So, a reduction in state funding would have little impact on private universities but more on public universities and scholarships for college students. 

3. Operational Cost

Gone are the days when the things required to impart education were just different subject books, a professor, a blackboard, chalk, desks, and students. Now, the time has changed. Universities and colleges are no longer just institutions of learning and teaching. A classroom has become an e-classroom, with tablets on each and every desk. 

Online learning is now the primary focus, with learning resources readily accessible on the internet, surpassing the significance of traditional learning methods. 

High-Quality Education Comes With High Education Costs

Many institutions now have full facilities and services like healthcare, technological devices, counseling, research, dormitories, and institutional support. These facilities and services take a major chunk of money from the university’s budget, which in turn leads to skyrocketing tuition fee. Moreover, universities provide quality education, so they have to hire highly educated people, which means high salaries. 

You may also like to read: Challenges in the Current US Education System

Student Loan Statistics 2023

The ballooning education costs and student loans go hand in hand. According to Forbes Advisor, there is around $1.75 trillion student loan debt as of now, including federal and private loans. On average, one borrower owes $28,950. Moreover, 55% of public university students have educational debt, whereas 57% of private non-profit institution students take loans.

If we look at the statistics, student loan borrowers aged between 24 and 35 years owe around $500 billion to federal banks. Unfortunately, for some people, these loans do not leave the borrower’s side even after middle age. Not only this, people feel the pressure of repaying loans even after retirement. 

Taking out a student loan is inevitable unless you have a scholarship or come from a financially strong family.  

“Borrowing to pay for college used to be an exception; now it’s the rule.” – Arne Duncan, Formal United States Secretary of Education.

The Burden of Student Loan Remains With Individuals Even Beyond Their Retirement.

Federal Aid for Student Loan

In the year 2007, the Federal Government introduced the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) under the act of College Cost and Reduction. Under the PSLF program, people who make 120 loan repayments while working for a non-profit organization or public service institution can get a portion of their student loans excused or forgiven. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, as of May 2023, more than 6,15,000 borrowers had successfully had their loans forgiven. PSLF has approved a total of $42 billion since October 2021. 

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is one of the most brilliant programs established by the government. It supports public employees, including professors, doctors, and policemen, as well as members of nonprofit organizations, by giving them relief from the headache of the installments of student loans. 

How to Make Education Affordable?

In our January’s Industry Discussion, “How to Make Education Equitable and Affordable”, we got an amazing opportunity to invite and interact with brilliant speakers, Dr. Danny Barnes, Dr. Audrey Peek, and Lucas Kavlie. 

Dr. Danny Barnes is a renowned Data Scientist and Cybersecurity Professor from Augusta University. Dr. Audrey Peek is a Senior Government Policy and Data Analyst from ACE University. Last but not least, Lucas Kavlie is a Vice President of Western Governors University. 

All of these speakers made some really interesting points about how to make education affordable. 

Dr. Danny Barnes. Dr. Audrey Peek, and Mr. Lucas Kavlie during an industry discussion co-hosted by Evelyn Learning’s CEO and Founder Praveen Tyagi and Content Analyst Tavleen Kour

Dr. Danny Barnes gave a great idea about opening a corporate education construct in a college where students can go to work as well as to classes. So, when they graduate, they’ll have a degree as well as work experience.

 “A lot of problems are going around related to social-economic aspects, historical aspects, digital divide, etc. These problems are impacting the cost of education. There are two ways to overcome this situation. Schools should focus on e-books more which will help to cut down the cost of books from the cost of tuition. We can also guide students to take their early courses or generic courses at community colleges”.

On the other hand, Dr. Audrey Peek pointed out that there is an affordable college that’s right for every student. There are colleges that put students first and make sure they have minimal debt. 

She advised everyone to use The Federal Government College Scorecard, which helps students to make their choice among the many options that fit their budget best. 

“We have to help future students to avoid taking debt and struggling to repay it and that’s where we have to be innovative as well. The Federal Student Loan Program is broken and we need to fix it. There are some areas where a lot of improvement is needed like lowering student rate and improving student loan services. On the other hand, we want our states to increase funding to colleges or universities so that the education expense is reduced”.

Lucas Kavlie addressed that the problem of public relations is more than the problem with people being able to go to college, and there is always an ability to pursue tertiary or post-secondary education.

“When it comes to financial reasons, it should never be finance that eliminates somebody’s access to post secondary education. Individuals, who want money to attend colleges, there is money available but we’ve not done a good job of helping to guide them. We’ve figured out a way to reduce the tuition fee many decades ago in the United States by subsidizing primary and secondary education. But, tertiary and post secondary education are subsidized to a certain extent”. 

Can We Afford Universities With Skyrocketing Education Costs?   

How to Deal With the Problem of Cost of Education?

The increasing tuition costs and fees cannot be attributed to a single reason. There are a lot of factors that are responsible for this spiraling problem. Technological advancements, increasing inflation, reducing state funds, and certain economical challenges are causing this inevitable problem of the rising cost of education. 

Now that we have somewhat understood the problem, it is important to find some backup plans and other options. 

As said by Audrey Peek, students have to make their research game strong and find some colleges or universities providing scholarships, grants, or cheaper tuition fee. There is always an affordable college available for every student that fits right into their budget. Try finding resources online and gain as much information as you can.

According to Lucas Kavlie, there is always the ability to pursue education in a way that is either minimal or at no cost. 

Also, if someone is ready enough to take a student loan, there are many schemes and programs started by the U.S. government to reduce the burden of repayment of loans. The information is out there, and you just have to grab it and seize the opportunity.

Lastly, a college degree is not the only criterion for judging whether a person will be successful in their career or not. If you’re interested in acting, singing, painting, designing, etc., you can make a career out of these fields too. You just need to be passionate about the career path that you’re choosing. 

The post Why the Education Expenses are Rising and How to Deal with it? appeared first on Test.Evelyn.

 This article discusses, in detail, the points that influence the decision of its development, such as:

• Role of technology in curriculum 
• Reassessing curriculum development as per new age requirements
• Factors to consider when redesigning the curriculum

A curriculum is important for both teachers and students. It helps teachers adopt reasonable teaching approaches and it helps students study and learn in an organized manner.

As technology is infusing more and more into education and students are being introduced to different learning styles, there is a need to reassess the curriculum with regard to new age requirements.

It is also important to focus on making students career ready. There is indeed a new school of thought, which says that learning should be such that it can help students be job-ready right after high school graduation. It can be beneficial for those students who might not want to pursue higher education or may not have a financial background to support them.

Introducing technology in education is another trend that is on the rise. Everything is becoming tech-enabled. So, why not education?

Many institutions and schools are indeed welcoming technology with open arms, but many are still a bit skeptical about using educational technology. 

Technology and Curriculum Development: Correlation

Redesigning Curriculum and Inclusion of Technology: Relationship

Technology and education go hand in hand. With the help of technology, many people have access to education. If we look back at past years, we find that there were fewer opportunities for people to learn something new. Now, thanks to edtech, we can learn an endless number of things with just a click. 

In our industry discussion webinar, we had the opportunity to talk to the edtech specialist at PowerSchool, Jessica Aurilio. She shared her insightful opinions about integrating technology  in education and the need to redesign the course. 

According to her, “When reassessing the curriculum development, it is important to make sure to take into account that every student is not the same. I saw students who are performing great and getting good grades in online learning as well as those students who used to get straight A’s, but now, are not getting technology”.

Reevaluating the Curriculum by Incorporating Technology in Education

Increasing Importance of AI Education in Curriculum 

According to Forbes, 2023 is the year of AI Education. AI has entered into K-12 education. There has been a rise in AI programs with books and courses exclusively focusing on elementary and high-school students.

As science projects, students are building robots and apps involving machine learning. 

Government is also on board with introducing AI to the students. They have started introducing AI Frameworks, such as the United States AI Bill of Rights, European Union’s AI Act, etc.

AI driven technologies are helping students develop skills and succeed in the job market. Infusion of technology in education is making sure that every student receives quality education, which would help  them become career ready. 

Assessing the Curriculum as per the New Age Requirements 

Currently, a lot of moderation can be seen in the education sector. Educators are brainstorming on different methods and styles to be added to make teaching and learning more interactive and engaging. 

The biggest change that has happened in a long time is that the focus on what to teach has now shifted to how to teach. Moreover, we can also see a push in certain schools and universities towards conducting  career-related sessions for students to succeed in their future professions. 

Experts’ Opinions Regarding Redesigning the Curriculum Development to Make Students Career Ready 

Alex Lochoff and Jessica Aurilio during an industry panel discussion co-hosted by Evelyn Learning Founder and CEO Praveen Tyagi and Content Analyst Tavleen Kour

In our industry discussion webinar, we had another guest speaker, Alex Lochoff, director of Edpuzzle. He too shared his brilliant perspectives on developing the module according to new age requirements.

Alex said that the biggest change he has seen is not in the topics we’re teaching, but rather how it’s been taught and this is now formalized in many of the newer standards which come under the Common Core.

The Common Core used to cover content standards only. Now, it covers practice standards too. Content standards include all the topics that should be taught to students, whereas practice standards include everything other than lecturing. Practice standards include exercises such as explaining, reasoning, debating, and critiquing. 

These standards help students develop skills for their prospective future profession and get them ready to seize all career opportunities.

Also Read: Common Core Standards and its Significance

Top Three Factors to Consider When Redesigning the Curriculum

Considering restricted and banned content as per policy standards

In the session 2021-22, some state and national groups protested to ban and remove some books from the school courses. The books that were targeted for removal included topics such as sex education, LGBTQ+ rights, racism in American history, and more. 

According to PEN America, 674 banned books had LGBTQ based titles and protagonists who belonged to this community. Moreover, 358 banned books include the topic of sex education and 357 books address the issue of racism. 

Data from PEN America

PEN America considered this movement of banning books deeply undemocratic. It is taking away rights from students who want to learn a diverse range of opinions and perspectives. Moreover, it is unfair to all those parents who want their children to gain knowledge, be more curious, and have a freedom to read. 

Many teachers and parents are raising their voice against the book bans and asking to include the restricted content back into the classrooms. 

Emerging Technology in Education

In one of our industry discussion webinars, Alex Lochoff said that both teachers and technology  have important roles in education. However, there are some areas where edtech fits better in the curriculum. He gave a really nice example of his students. 

“I asked two of my students to make a square. One draws it quickly and the other takes out his ruler and draws it perfectly. These two types of students want edtech, so they can study at their own pace”, says Alex.

There has been an increase in the usage of AR/VR and AI in education. According to Education Week, expenditure in edtech has increased after the pandemic. Many schools are inclining more towards online learning. 

Parental Involvement

Last year, Evelyn published an industry report, “2023 Trends and Forecasts on Learning Effectiveness”, where we asked top educators and experts about the engagement of parents in curriculum design. 

53.85% of experts agree that the role of parents is essential in classroom decisions and curriculum development. Also, 46.15% of experts believe that educators have experience and they have a deeper understanding of the wants and needs of their students. 

Involvement of Parents: Different Opinions 

When talking about parental involvement in the industry panel discussion, Jessica said that educators want parents to be involved in the decision-making process. Both parents and teachers are a team who want nothing, but the best for their children. However, she thinks that curriculum development is not an area where parents should have opinions.

Insights of Edtech Experts from the Industry Discussion on Curriculum Development

As edtech is placing its foot in the education industry, educators and developers must not forget that teaching and learning is a human activity. It is multifaceted and important for child development. 

“Although in some ways, technology can do better than a teacher, in some ways, a teacher could do better. ” – Alex Lochoff, Curriculum Director at Edpuzzle.

Every student is different and has a different approach to learning. The task is to add different learning styles in the course to support each and every student.

“There are different learning styles for different people and nationalities. The task of developers is to hit all the different modalities of these styles to engage the students’ ‘ – Jessica Aurilio, edtech specialist at PowerSchool.

A Space to Think : Is Inclusion Of Technology in Curriculum Responsible for Distraction?
Students use laptops, but not for studying entirely. According to Pew Research Center, more than half of US teens claim that they are online almost every time. Moreover, the most famous social media platforms among teens are TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

In this survey, many teenagers agreed that they use social media platforms too much and claimed that it would be very tough to give it up. 

Apart from this, many parents and educators are concerned about their child’s excessive screen time, which is not good for their mental as well as physical health. In our previous newsletter, Edtech Industry’s Health 2023, we addressed the issue of excessive screen time among children and teenagers. 

Changing Focus From ‘What To Teach’ to ‘How To Teach’

Every profession, teaching, engineering, graphic designing, etc. is a valid and valuable career path. What educators can do in creating or developing the curriculum is that they can prepare students to succeed in any of the professions they choose. 

As the focus is inclining more and more towards how to teach rather than what to teach, teachers must adopt different learning styles in their teaching methods. 

For visual learners, teachers must include pictures, diagrams, and educational videos in their teaching methods. For auditory learners, it is important to add educational podcasts in the classroom. They can also record their lectures for better results. Teachers must conduct question and answer sessions as a classroom activity. It is important to add different learning and teaching styles to engage students in studies  and make them feel comfortable at whatever they are doing.

Reassessing curriculum is not an easy task. Developers work very hard to create a particular design that is enough to cover different topics and a wide variety of learning styles. A course needs to have a set number of goals and objectives. This will help learners make progress and achieve nothing, but success in their careers.

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