Education is one of the sectors that has undergone the most significant changes in recent years. It’s a sector currently experiencing a major digital transformation, undergoing rapid and significant changes that are shaping a new landscape for higher education.
Therefore, in this article, we’ll reveal three higher education trends you need to know about in 2024:
1. Hybrid education models are here to stay
The demand for online education has experienced significant growth since 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19.
This growth has highlighted a key reality: many students are interested in educational formats other than the traditional in-person model.
Even so, forecasts indicate that 2024 will see a slowdown in the growth of 100% online education compared to previous years. This forecast does not signal the end of the online format, but rather a global transformation of the sector: the consolidation of hybrid education.
This new educational format is here to stay and is transforming the traditional educational model.
The hybrid model, also called blended learning, combines digital and human interactions. This "in-person" interaction can be more or less frequent and take different formats (small group meetings, workshops, group work sessions, etc.).
This scenario implies that higher education institutions must be able to adapt their educational model and infrastructure to incorporate this new format into their educational offerings.
Otherwise, they will lose a huge potential pool of students who will opt for other educational institutions better suited to the new educational realities that are emerging.
This paradigm shift in the educational model also implies greater competition for the entire sector. Now, any educational institution can have students from anywhere in the world. This means that geographical limitations are eliminated, but also that any institution from anywhere in the world can become your competitor.
This is an opportunity that cannot be missed, and at the same time, it adds a new layer of complexity for admissions teams in their process of recruiting candidates and prospective students. process of recruiting candidates and prospective students.
2. Accessibility and technology are a must.
In a world where geographical limitations are no longer a barrier and your students can be from anywhere, accessibility is non-negotiable.
Educational institutions must be equipped to offer tools and systems that work anywhere in the world and on any device. They must be easy to use. And, of course, they must be accessible wherever the student is, primarily on their mobile devices.
Virtual campuses, intranets, and shared workspaces are no longer enough. Technology has become a must, especially for younger generations. Therefore, the digital environment your educational institution provides also plays a key role in their choice of school or program of study.
Virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and the metaverse will be more than just words in the not-too-distant future.
And they will not only make headlines for facilitating the completion of assignments or exams for students, as is happening at the beginning of this year with artificial intelligence tools such as Chat GPT 3.
3. Gamification
Most people believe that gamification in education simply involves integrating games into the teaching process so students have fun. But the reality is that gamification’s potential is much broader.
It’s not about turning a theoretical lesson into a game by, for example, adding a Kahoot quiz at the end of a session and calling it a day.
Rather, the possibilities offered by gamification require going much further to provide a better learning experience for both students and the educational institution.
And this requires a significant preliminary analysis that defines a series of questions such as:
What are the objectives of implementing a gamification strategy at the school? What achievements will students gain?How will these achievements be made visible? What is the short-term strategy? What results do you expect to obtain as an educational institution?
Undoubtedly, gamification will be a great ally for education, both now and in the future, and the sector must prepare for it.
The benefits it will bring to the center are countless:
- increasing short- and long-term academic motivation,
- reducing the current dropout rate,
- enhancing the skills and abilities of each student for the benefit of the entire community,
- improving student engagement with the center.
But of course, these benefits will only be achievable if a gamification strategy with a clear student-centric focus is developed.
Are you ready to transform your school?
At UNIFIT, we are an edtech company that offers a management, communication, and engagement platform for higher education institutions at every stage of the student journey: prospective student, student, and alumni.
If you would like to learn more about our products or the trends described and how to adapt your educational institution to these new trends, please contact us.
