1. Background

1.1 Education and Technology

The alliance of technology and education have come a long way, aside the fact that the former to a great extent was the offspring of the later, technology, however, has impacted education enormously. However, for the purpose of aligning strictly to the context of the course Educational technologies, technology discussed in this paper is chiefly referred to communication and information technologies.

1.2 Educational Technologies at Present

Since mid-20^th century, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has experienced a huge revolution which is referred by many as the dot-com bubble. Since then ICT has taken center stage in practically every human endeavor, most importantly, the education sector. Thus, educational establishments, educators and even students, especially in developed countries, have experiences dramatic changes in the instruction and administrative practices and this adoption of technology has improved teachers and students’ experiences immeasurable ways.

(Shahadat, 2012) pointed out that ICT has the potential to further transform the nature of education by improving teachers’ design work, enhancing the roles of students and teachers in the learning process and helping to create a collaborative learning environment, etc

Today, it is no doubt that technology is the core of all educational processes in and out of educational institutions.

2. Future of Educational Technologies (by year 2020)

Considering how technology as rapidly evolved since the arrival of digital computers some decades ago, trying to predict the future of educational technologies accurately is somewhat dicey, however in this paper I shall try to propose a few plausible scenarios based on assumptions drawn from the present trends, as antecedents for the future of educational technologies:

i. Change of teacher-students role in organized education

Almost two decades ago, Kinnaman opined that "modern technology comprises the richest sets of educational tools in the history of the world, but the art of teaching is still safely and surely the province of human teachers only." However, the role of teachers as principle authority in learning and teaching is fast becoming obsolete as many students and individuals from all work of life have taken advantage of various online platforms to disseminate information and this trend gaining an increasing allegiance from young students around the globe, because, unlike formal education, some of these platforms do not just create and push information out. They allow users to participate in the creation, dissemination and eventually consumption of any information they desire or value. Also, with the many websites such as www.skillshare.com, www.w3schools.com and www.coursera.org the role and importance of teachers and formal education system might be threatened, because these websites afford the students to learn whatever that interest them from peers and professors at a cheap or no cost, online, anytime, anywhere, thus, students can work through and finish the courses at their own pace and timing without strict lectures and examination schedules and assignment deadlines (Lepi, 2012). Also these platforms offer avenue to meet people from all over the world and the showcasing of one’s skill or idea to a larger range of audience that share same interest as them.

ii. M-learning/Remote-learning

In recent years we have experienced a leap and high rate of advancement in mobile technologies, from smart phones and tablet computers that are twice as fast as computers of few years ago to cloud computing and increased access to high speed connectivity, wifi and satellite communication. It is expected that by 2020, mobile computing will be common practice in educational technology. This will gradually replace the use of desktop computers and might even reduce the need for centralized systems where compulsory physical presence is needed. Also, as opined by Shelly Blake-Plock ( (Blake-Plock, 2009) “students will form peer groups by interest and these interest groups will petition for specialized learning using such platforms as www.change.org/”, this might in turn thrust the present strict curriculum to a more flexible system where students’ can choose most of his/her course credit from wide range of options.

iii. Increased sharing and free learning communities

Within the last decade, educators and students have welcomed the use of many open-source and free-sharing platforms. This practice is has no doubt being welcomed by students and some educators/educational institutions. However, with the increased awareness and the need for affordable education, these practice will record high support by 2020, so much that most institutions might be left with no options that to embrace such educational technologies. Also, makers of Proprietary software might be forced to offer free or very cheap educational products, as open source models will outgrow them (Heick, 2013). Also, in other to be relevant more educational institutions will offer free pre-recorded lecture videos to their students and perhaps a fully self-regulated learning in terms of pace and timing. Also, the cost of research papers might decrease. With platforms such as Creative Commons, more community friendly scholars would share more of their papers free and hopefully it shall be embraced my all and sundry in the educational institutions.

3. Conclusion

It is obvious that the future of educational technologies is not something one can predicted accurately, because of the nature of technology as one that alternates pace and is either boosted or impeded by the cultures and norms of the society. However, the predictions above are the possible trend I expect in the next 7 years of educational technology. However, one questions comes to mind, which is the present cost of these technologies and how evenly dispersed would it be in the next 7 years, for instance such universities like Stanford, State University New York, etc. have a remarkable presence in free-learning platforms[1] where renowned professors share lectures at no cost and give students a course completion certificate should they pass the courses. Conclusively, the future of educational technologies knows no bounds and Que Sera, Sera!

Works Cited

Blake-Plock, S. (2009, December 15). 21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020. Retrieved 08 07, 2013, from teachpaperless: http://teachpaperless.blogspot.be/2009/12/21-things-that-will-become-obsolete-in.html

Heick, T. (2013, 03 19). 30 Incredible Ways Technology Will Change Education By 2028. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/trends/30-incredible-ways-technology-will-change-education-by-2028/

Lepi, K. (2012, July 19). http://edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/edtechfuture.png.

Shahadat, H. K. (2012, July). BARRIERS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF ICT INTO EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: THE EXAMPLE OF BANGLADESH. International Journal Of Instruction, 5(2), 20.