11 EdTech Trends To Expect In 2025
Dhwani Shah
December 31, 2024
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8 min read
ChatGPT—the talk of the tech town. What once started out as a basic chatbot has grown into a full-blown productivity tool with multilingual capabilities, the ability to analyze PDFs and spreadsheets, and even have a full-blown human-like conversation. All of this in the span of just over a year.
The AR and VR market is expected to nearly double between 2024 and 2028. By 2027, both AR and VR are expected to have over 100 million users globally.
Technology has been evolving at an unimaginable pace, but nothing compares to the accelerated growth we’ve witnessed over the past few years. We are literally in the midst of a technological revolution, with every sector set to undergo major metamorphosis. Education has been at the forefront of this technological revolution.
Since the pandemic, trends in educational technology have been redefining how we absorb and retain knowledge, with each year bringing forth new technological advancements to meet evolving learning needs. With 2024 setting the stage for learning trends to revamp the world of EdTech, 2025 promises to build on this fierce foundation, introducing innovations that will further reshape the learning landscape.
Here are 11 educational technology trends to look forward to in 2025:
As a child, working on school projects meant spending hours reading through books and articles in the library and sifting through magazines to find the relevant images. Sometimes, you’d even have to take out those untouched art supplies and put your artistic abilities to the test.
Enter generative artificial intelligence, an artificial intelligence that can create any type of content, be it text, images, audio, video, in a matter of seconds. A simple yet detailed prompt on ChatGPT could summarize content from an exhaustive search spanning millions of pages of information, while Dall-E and Midjourney will produce any image you want. Whether it's detailed information on the Pyramids of Giza, case studies to understand an economic concept, or questions about the universe and beyond, these algorithms can do it all.
But GenAI doesn't just help students access information faster, it extends this benefit to teachers as well. From using CustomGPTs to create innovative resources and assessments to developing detailed syllabi and lesson plans, GenAI makes life easier for educators, addressing challenges such as teacher burnout and allowing them to devote time to what they love most: teaching.
As we step into 2025, GenAI is set to empower more learners and educators and transform how we approach teaching and learning.
A couple of days ago, I happened to look up some options for running shoes online. And of course, every time I’ve opened Google or Instagram since then, I’ve been bombarded with ads for running shoes. I’m sure this has happened to us all, and while we may find this intrusive, it’s also an example of AI using data analytics and machine learning to recommend relevant offers and deliver personalized experiences.
In the realm of education, adaptive learning platforms powered by AI are playing a crucial role in supporting learning by analyzing and tailoring learning plans to suit each individual’s learning style, pace, strengths and needs. Further, by analyzing student progress in real-time, AI powered systems can also offer detailed feedback and help students stay motivated and on the right track.
Platforms like Khanmigo are providing AI-driven tutors and coaches to assist students in their learning journeys, and this is just the beginning. 2025 will witness a great boost in AI powered personalized education, with similar platforms breaking away from the one-size-fits-all approach to meet the diverse needs of students, something which may be difficult for teachers managing classes with large strengths. Such systems not only free up valuable time that can be utilized by educators to plan classes and provide extra support for students who may need it more than the others, but also democratize knowledge.
The vast majority of Americans—98%—now own a cellphone of some kind. About 91% own a smartphone. The average person spends 4 hours and 37 minutes on their phone every day. That's the equivalent of over 1 day per week or 6 days per month.
While mobile phones are viewed as distractions and devices that hinder the process of learning, the coming year will see the ‘smart’ use of smartphones by leveraging mobile apps for the very same process. The biggest advantage of mobile apps is that they allow learning to occur outside the traditional classroom, anytime, anywhere—whether at home, on the commute, on vacation, in the midst of family and friends. Educational apps, e-books, online courses and more are all available on the small screen we hold in our hands, providing learners the flexibility to learn at their own convenience and the accessibility to lifelong learning.
Think about the application of mobile learning apps in the realm of language learning—students could practice on Duolingo, listen to podcasts in the target language or watch a Netflix movie with subtitles in the target language, all on their cell phones. Khan Academy has great video lessons and practice exercises when it comes to math, science and more, while Quizlet lets you create your own study sets.
The proliferation of newer models of smartphones will only continue in the new year, providing a platform for more e-learning apps and making mLearning (mobile learning) even more convenient.
With the growth of mobile devices as a popular mode of learning comes the rise of nanolearning and microlearning. Reel culture, with its short, fast-paced videos and quick transitions, is leading to an alarming decrease in attention spans. Micro and nanolearning provide a modern solution to this problem, boosting learner engagement for those who lose interest fast and find it difficult to focus for longer periods of time.
Both microlearning and nanolearning break down knowledge into shorter, bite sized chunks—could be in the form of short videos, infographics, quizzes or other gamified activities—helping learners understand and retain information quickly and more efficiently. Nanolearning is the shorter version of microlearning, with information condensed into even smaller bits; while microlearning sessions typically last around 5-10 minutes, nanolearning sessions last less than 3-5 minutes.
Both modes of learning have the added advantage of being accessible, cost-effective and personalized—you can study what you want, in the way you want, whenever you want, even if you have only a few minutes to spare. As attention spans get shorter and routines busier and more stressful, microlearning and nanolearning will allow learners of all ages to integrate learning and training effortlessly into their daily routines and foster a love for lifelong learning.
The Meta Quest 3S VR headset promises mixed reality experiences starting at $299.99 USD. Yes, mixed reality, the blend of the physical and digital world, is no longer sci-fi; it's something well within our reach, for as low as 300 dollars.
AR and VR are already being incorporated into school and university curriculums and lesson plans, and 2025 will further advance the trend of immersive, interactive educational experiences that bring learning to life. With MR hardware like VR headsets and AR-enabled smartphones becoming both more affordable and more advanced, complex and abstract topics can be made tangible and explained with more clarity, be it walking through the ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, visualizing the structure of an atom in real-time, or performing surgeries in simulated environments. This hands-on approach not only boosts learning and retention, but also makes the process interesting and enjoyable. Further, mixed reality experiences also make learning more accessible for learners with disabilities, opening up a world of possibilities for students with different needs. AR and VR are poised to penetrate more classrooms and transform the way learning takes place, revolutionizing the world of EdTech.
Gone are the days when work meant being chained to a desktop or laptop. I’ve created documents on my laptop and later worked on them on my tablet and phone. I've made changes to spreadsheets only to effortlessly revert to previous versions. My colleagues and I, located in different cities, have reviewed and edited multiple documents simultaneously. All thanks to cloud infrastructure.
The cloud is transforming the way we store and manage information, enabling us to access resources on demand over the internet, irrespective of the device they were originally created or saved on. Cloud computing allows teachers and students to store and access educational data and resources on remote servers hosted on the Internet. As opposed to physical servers, they minimize the risk of losing valuable data due to system failures. Cloud computing is a scalable and cost-effective solution for schools and other educational institutions, reducing infrastructure costs and making management easier and more efficient. Whether it’s students accessing learning material, teachers uploading assignments and grades or administrators managing enrollment data, cloud infrastructure allows teachers and students to collaborate anywhere, anytime, regardless of physical location. Owing to the multiple benefits it offers, more schools are poised to adopt cloud-based systems in 2025.
You know how Amazon recommends products based on our past purchases, or Netflix, movies and shows based on our watch history? It’s all data analytics. Thanks to the internet, huge amounts of data (so huge, it's literally called ‘big data’) are collected every minute and then analyzed and organized to make sense.
Data analytics finds applications in almost every sector. Big data analytics in education allows us to analyze large, complex data sets that would otherwise be difficult to do with traditional data processing tools, to improve teaching methods and learning outcomes. Data analytics allows teachers to track attendance, participation, progress and challenges, to subsequently develop plans and tailor lessons and teaching strategies for students with different learning styles.
For educational institutions, learning analytics provides valuable insights to make data-driven decisions about curriculum design, resource allocation and more. By analyzing large data sets, educators can identify warning signs and areas for improvement, and eventually focus on and allocate resources to those aspects. The coming years will see advanced analytics tools providing actionable insights into student performance, attendance, and engagement, helping educators make informed decisions to enhance teaching outcomes and administrative efficiency.
It's been 5 years since COVID 19 reshaped the education landscape, making online learning an eminent part of the learning experience. While social activities have resumed since, the shift towards online and hybrid learning still remains a dominant approach. Hybrid learning models provide a flexible approach to teaching and learning by combining the best of in-person and online education, allowing students to access learning opportunities without compromising on quality. 2025 will see improved tools to manage hybrid classrooms for seamless transitions between online and offline activities, to ensure a balance between flexibility and social interaction and student engagement.
With the growth of hybrid learning comes the rise of digital tutoring. Tutoring has always been a valuable support system for students, but the rise of affordable and easy to implement EdTech tools has made access to additional help more accessible than ever. Platforms like Khan Academy offer video lessons, additional practice questions and study material, and real-time feedback while others like Preply and Chegg allow students to connect with online tutors from the comfort of their homes. As more schools integrate digital and hybrid tutoring solutions, students will certainly receive the boost they need to stay confident, engaged and successful.
Blockchain technology has already started making waves in the field of EdTech for its secure, tamper-proof way of storing and sharing student records. The digital decentralized ledger eliminates the need for intermediaries, such as universities, to verify academic credentials and qualifications. By safely storing degrees, diplomas, certificates, letters of recommendation and similar documents, which can be accessed by students, educational institutions and employers whenever necessary, blockchain technology allows for the easy acknowledgement of educational efforts across geographies. In this way, blockchain technology reduces the risk of fraud and manipulation and ensures transparency and legitimacy. With the rise of digital learning and online learning communities, blockchain will secure itself as a reliable way of controlling educational records.
Almost everything about the human race, since evolution (survival of the fittest, right?) has revolved around competition. And competition isn't necessarily a bad thing; it taps into our intrinsic motivation and pushes us to bring out our best. Anytime we’re lured with play and prize, we instinctively become more engaged and motivated to achieve mastery. This is the principle that the gamification of education is built upon. In fact, the global gamification market is projected to grow from $9.1 billion in 2020 to $30.7 billion by 2025.
By incorporating game-like elements—badges, leaderboards, rewards—into educational tasks, gamification encourages student participation and knowledge retention in a fun, exciting way. Gamification tools and apps like Duolingo, Kahoot, and Arcademics, among many others, are transforming the educational experience for teachers and students alike, turning passive learning into active engagement.
With the proven success of gamified learning, 2025 will witness more gamification tools becoming mainstream educational aids for a rewarding learning journey.
While educators and educational institutions have traditionally relied on the big software companies for their technology needs, the growth of edtech startups is providing fresh, cutting-edge solutions to address challenges in the realm of education. While companies like Udemy or Masterclass offer students online courses on various topics, platforms like TPT help teachers access lesson plans and worksheets. The edtech industry is expected to reach a valuation of $348.41 billion by 2030 and strategic partnerships with edtech startups will offer the perfect tools to streamline administrative operations, address educational challenges and enhance the learning experience.
EdTech companies like Classcard are designed to streamline administrative tasks and processes for educational institutions, helping them save time and effort, which they can dedicate to nurturing students and helping them excel. If you’re an educational organization looking to up your game this coming year, check out Classcard’s feature-packed class management software that effortlessly lets you schedule classes, manage bookings, track student attendance and payments and much more!
As we step into the new year, we’re also taking a step towards the transformed future of learning. 2025 promises an exciting year of innovation and growth for EdTech, where we, together, champion change, progress and success!