We are continually seeing new trends in education technology. In 2011, we saw the prominence of social media, QR codes, and the use of iPads™ in the classroom. So when twelve months roll around and a fresh year begins, we can’t help but wonder what developments will arise in the near future. This is an important thing to ponder considering our desire to keep our classrooms competitive! With this said, we would like to reference five ways to have a digital classroom in 2012.

Bring your own device (BYOD): While this trend has been around for a short while, it will continue to gain popularity in 2012. Allowing students to bring their own device to school for learning opportunities is an effective and inexpensive way to incorporate digital elements into lesson plans. In particular, mobile learning will become increasingly abundant as more and more students will become connected through mobile phone usage. Some other BYOD include tablets, e-readers, laptops, and iPod touches™.

Privacy and security: With the ever-present use of social media in education these last couple years, much attention has been turned towards the issue of student privacy and security. Expect to see more awareness and ways to keep student secure online. In fact, use 2012 as another opportunity to teach about digital citizenship and cyber-bullying in the classroom!

The concept of blended learning has gone viral on the Internet and in classrooms. For those who aren’t familiar, blended learning is a method that takes traditional in-class teaching and interlaces it with an online element. The beautiful thing about blended learning is that it prepares students to be digital citizens, which is vital in a society full of technology. One vital element to digital citizenship, and what is considered to be a 21st century skill, is the ability to communicate effectively. To be a great conversationalist, students must learn the ability to participate in deep, authentic discussions, and learning to do so online is just as important as face-to-face dialogue.

Blended learning is a fantastic approach to building online communication skills. However, teachers often find it very challenging to boost student engagement and “get the ball rolling” in online discussions. So here are some thoughts and ideas on managing an online student discussion:

Pearson, the world’s leading provider of education tools and content, has commissioned a survey with OnePoll¹ that found that over 25% of parents do not have clear insight into their children’s progress at school. With the backdrop of these trends, Pearson launched Imagine, a new cloud-based software suite incorporating Pearson’s e¹, a Management Information System (MIS), and the Fronter Learning Platform. The on-demand software enables increased student and teacher access to learning resources, parental engagement and easy access to student attendance and achievement data.

Pearson has recently commissioned two separate surveys into teacher and parent attitudes to student learning. Pearson commissioned a survey with the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER)², which surveyed over 1,500 teachers in the UK on student learning as part of its Teacher Voice omnibus survey in November 2011. The NFER survey revealed that 85% of primary school teachers mainly communicate with parents in person, but only 16% of secondary school teachers do the same. Both parents and teachers struggle with time constraints to discuss student learning, and there is clearly a need for parents of secondary school students to interact with teachers and access information about their child’s academic progress in alternative ways.