Technologies for enabling next generation learning at universities

Teachers today are preparing students for future employment in the global knowledge economy. In fact, many of today’s professionals are engaging into professions that did not exist only a while ago. While many believe that educators are falling behind in this area, the way educators work has changed quite dramatically. For example, teachers are now using electronic grading and attendance systems, as well as complex reporting databases. These tools provide new ways to explore student data to inform university policies and teaching practices. Teachers are also engaging in online professional development, and sharing online resources within and beyond their organisations, and even internationally. This has expanded their communities of practice and peer interactions to access a wider range of experience and gain feedback from wide communities. Communication among teachers and students has also shifted from inside the classroom to spaces outside the classroom, such as educational social networking sites and learning management systems. This has provided new ways to provide students with feedback on their work, as they are developing assessments or completing assignments. As in any organisation, many of these changes were introduced to increase teachers’ efficiency and accountability in teachers’ work. This paper identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have an impact on learning, teaching, and creative inquiry in education. Six key trends namely Virtual reality and augmented reality, Social media, The Internet of Things, Digital badges and micro-credentials, MOOCs and next-generation learning management systems, and learning analytics and big data in educational technology are investigated in the context of their likely impact on the core missions of universities.