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The Changing Landscape of Higher Education: What Can We Expect In the Next Decade?

Written by CB Community

Generation Z, who grew up with technology, is now headed towards higher education. These children are not like the conventional adults from back in the day – their learning methods differ because they have ready access to the internet.

Given the present COVID-19 outbreak, these learning approaches have evolved substantially as a result of online schooling. This shift necessitates the adoption and implementation of new teaching techniques as a result of technological advancement.

Moreover, technology hasn’t just taken over the education community. It has also widely impacted how organizations operate and function. Employees are now required to foster new skills to fit the job descriptions of most vacancies.

Realizing the modern-day requirements of the job market, colleges are now focusing more on practical education than theoretical.

Since students today have grown up with the comfort and convenience of technology, they are expecting the same from their educational facilities. This demand for convenience has always been present but is now necessary considering the COVID-19 pandemic. Colleges and other institutes are already indulging in perceiving these challenges as opportunities for improvement.

Continue reading to learn what to expect from the new normal of higher education:

The Forthcoming of Higher Education

The COVID-19 outbreak played a crucial role in the recent evolution of education. Students now have more power over learning outcomes rather than just following the herd.

Individuals struggling to enroll in higher education programs previously because of jobs and cost issues make the most of this opportunity.

The future of higher education holds an array of opportunities for everyone. Following are the more advances in higher education.

1. The Advent of Blended Learning

The hybrid classroom model, which got introduced to facilitate school reopening during COVID-19, will persist.

This mode of learning requires students to transit between online and on-campus learning. It will allow students to have a flexible schedule and diverse choices of education.

If students spend less time on campus, colleges can save on costs and reduce educational fees.

2. More Practical Learning

Textbook learning is no longer effective in today’s classroom. Students must think beyond the box in this day and age when everyone has equal access to all of the world’s knowledge.

Memorizing theories from books will not aid with the process. Students are now being encouraged to showcase their knowledge by using a hands-on approach.

The future offers many possibilities to unlock students’ innovative abilities by setting up practical learning techniques. By only applying what they have learned, they will fully understand the principles of the topics taught in class.

3. Collaborative Classroom Environment

Collaborative or group learning allows students to develop or enhance communication skills, teamwork, and time management skills. Individual tests cannot teach these abilities, which are necessary for the real-world workplace.

Recently, online education has brought forth many opportunities for group projects for students. The learning outcomes proved to be better than that of individual examinations. It also significantly lifted the burden from teachers’ shoulders.

4. The Mix-Up of Entertainment with Course Material

Blending entertainment with education is a tactic used to involve students fully in the learning experience. It keeps them wholly occupied and interested in the classroom, which would have otherwise been impossible

It is a modern-day necessity because students are addicted to their cell phones and other screens. Shoving their heads in books and other course material is nearly impossible without a compelling incentive.

Through documentaries, relevant movies, and intellectual assessment games, students can spend more time in the classrooms than avoid it.

5. Internships – A Route to Career Readiness

While working as cashiers and salespersons is pretty common in students, internships offer them the experience they need to indulge in the corporate environment.

Most people have a hard time during the initial months of their jobs because of all the uncertainty. Internships are the perfect pathway to implement what students learned in the classroom without having their career depend on it.

Active participation in internships can also offer future employment opportunities and beneficial connections in the job world.

Hence, internships are a great way to polish existing skills to better organizations and are more satisfied with jobs.

6. Student-Centered Classrooms

Students will have more control over their learning through the student-centered learning approach. Providing them study material and expecting students to produce the answers teachers want them to produce limits their capabilities.

Not all students are competent enough to keep up with this approach, but that doesn’t mean they are any less intellectual. The student-centric approach enables teachers to provide study material and allow students the liberty to do whatever they want with it.

They assess the students based on how innovative the students are and their divergent thinking abilities. This way, students are granted equal opportunities to explore and pursue their talents rather than sticking to the normal.

Wrapping Up

2021 is the year for students to assess their inner talents and put them into action. They have all the technological resources available to assist them.

Classrooms are more flexible than ever. They can even pursue their dream careers without having to quit education for it.

Online learning allows everyone, working or unemployed, to pursue higher education with comfort and convenience.

Hopefully, more and more institutes will timely adapt to the modern learning approaches to benefit the student and faculty altogether in the future.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.