Trends in Education

IIt’s been two years since the pandemic and for the first time our focus can shift away from “survival mode” towards “progress mode”. In education, the past three years were mostly spent compensating for learning loss during the pandemic and the knock-on effects it had on the emotional and social development of children. This year, the focus should be on equipping children with the skills needed to survive and thrive in a world where change is inevitable.

On local soil, the Department of Education is continuing with their pilot programme introducing coding and robotics to Grades 4 to 9 with full-scale implementation planned for Grades 4 to 6 in 2024. Whether this is the most crucial skill kids in the South African schooling system need is however debatable. It can be argued that language and mathematical skills should first be fully established before attempting coding and robotics. 

But, if you want to stay ahead of the game and equip your children for a bright future, embracing technology is not negotiable. 

World-wide the new trends in education are:

Virtual and augmented reality

Teaching children to use virtual and augmented reality enables them to learn in an exciting and engaging way. Trips to the National History Museum or exploring the human digestive system are now all possible without leaving the classroom. Because children are exposed to all sorts of media daily, they tend to understand and learn better when exposed to visual materials. Teachers too benefit by sharing information in a new way, not just with chalk on a black board.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Although this may sound like something out of a futuristic film, Artificial Intelligence will change the way we work, shop and educate. AI can specifically help to take over mundane tasks from teachers, for example grading papers, so that teachers can focus on more important things. It can also be used to collect information about a student and help to customise a tutor programme that will meet the specific needs of each student. The fact that each child is unique with a unique learning style and ability lends itself to customised learning for each child. 

Holistic learning

A child is a complex human being with many facets. Schools are now expected to develop not only academic skills, but also life skills. Children should be equipped with a skill set that will help them develop into responsible citizens. Studies have found that generally when teachers engage with children on a level beyond their academic needs, the children tend to feel a sense of belonging which carries over to their overall performance at school. 

Hybrid learning



Post-pandemic and hybrid learning, a mix between distance and in-classroom learning, seems to be a great option, especially for children in remote areas or children with other issues preventing them from attending school regularly. Hybrid learning is unfortunately only an option if children have access to reliable Internet connections and if the teachers are prepared to engage with these learners electronically.

It is evident that although technology should be embraced in education, the role teachers play are now more important than ever. Teachers should be fully equipped and better compensated to handle all the new demands of educating a child in the post-pandemic world. Having said this, parents should continue to play an equally important role. Our children may learn many skills at school, but it is still important to spend time with your child on a daily basis and help them make sense of the world we live in.