Education

For students who begin higher education programs, the dropout rate is greater than you might expect. In Latin America, it’s estimated that only half of the students graduate. One study shows that one in five Australians will drop out of their undergraduate programs. In the US, 25.7% of first-time undergraduate degree seekers drop out of their degree programs. Regardless of why students don’t finish their degrees, a learning institution’s retention rate will impact its reputation and financial stability.

Learning is about much more than facts and figures. As we encounter new situations and information, our perspectives are likely to change—or at the very least—be influenced by what we’ve learned.

According to research from the World Health Organization, about 15% of the global population experiences some form of disability. Disability takes many different forms, and individuals experience conditions regardless of whether or not they have been diagnosed.

While it’s impossible to predict the future, we can confidently say that the workforce will continue to develop and change. The advent of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) continues to change the way organizations provide goods and services. Jobs are restructured or—in some cases—eliminated altogether, and the changes aren’t stopping any time soon. Researchers predict that as much as 50% of the workforce will need to be reskilled by 2025.

It doesn’t matter if you’re instructing preschoolers or Ph.D candidates—all educators know that the most meaningful learning happens when students are highly engaged. Body language and real-time conversations make it easy to know when learners are actively engaged during in-person courses, but what about when learning happens online?

Organizations are ramping up their education technology efforts like we’ve never seen before. In 2021, EdTech investments hit $20 billion, three times the pre-pandemic amount. EdTech became a necessity when the world locked down, but as we make the return to face-to-face interactions and instruction, it’s clear that EdTech isn’t relinquishing its seat at the table any time soon.

Living in a digital world means embracing digital tools. Fortunately, more and more organizations are taking the plunge into online learning to provide flexible, convenient training platforms for employees that encourage ongoing education and development.

As the world demands more skilled professionals, education must evolve and provide the knowledge that people will need when entering the job market. Not everyone wants to (or can afford to!) join a full-time program or enroll in a degree that will take them at least three years to complete. Demand from today’s learners is shifting towards a shorter, more precise, and skill-based learning experience: microcredentials.

Online teachers should be open to learning new technology and be excited to provide individualized feedback to students.