2023 Education Trends for a Year of Hope
The struggles in education will continue in 2023, but so will the joy.
There have been many changes in the last three years since the start of the pandemic, and although it is still a stressful time to be an educator, there are some silver linings that bring us hope.
Here are five education trends we will see in 2023.
- Technology Use and Access
While the digital divide isn’t new, it’s been recent news and will continue to be a focus for educators in 2023.
Virtual learning made it obvious that more technological devices and high-speed internet networks are needed to improve academic progress. Our Black and Hispanic students were more likely to have limited access to the technology they needed to do school from home. Another study revealed that a quarter of our country’s low-income teens did not have internet access during the pandemic.
Schools in Oakland, California, for example, a city where only 25% of students had a computer pre-pandemic, asked the city to fund an initiative to give every student access to a laptop. Today, 98% of Oakland students have a device! Similarly, organizations like the Close the Gap Foundation provide grants to schools to help them equip students with technology and seek to expand the reach of high-speed internet access.
With efforts like these, we’re hopeful that 2023 will be the year we make significant progress in closing the digital divide.
2. Teaching Reimagined
While we all know that teaching has never been an easy job, more teachers than average have left the profession lately, with even more contemplating a career switch. Districts are feeling the shortages and taking steps to remedy the situation, like raising pay for teachers and substitutes, or changing the teacher requirements to encourage those from other industries to become teachers.
Some are outsourcing with virtual teachers, especially for hard-to-fill positions in math and science. One-on-one responsive learning software, such as MATHia or Reading Assistant Plus, for example, gives students immediate feedback so they can learn efficiently, at their own pace, without needing a teacher at their side the whole time.
In 2023, more schools and districts will look for tech tools like the ones mentioned above.
3. High-Dosage Tutoring
Tutoring has become a hot topic, and many schools and districts have turned to online tutoring services.
High-dosage tutoring pairs students with one tutor, complements classroom instruction, and includes multiple weekly sessions.
Many districts, such as Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, started implementing high-dosage tutoring programs in response to COVID-related needs, and districts will likely continue to build and expand these programs in 2023.
4. School and Community Resource Initiatives
Increasing health, well-being, and social-emotional resources and services for students makes sense, given the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2021 warning of a youth mental health crisis. After COVID-era reductions, schools are once more able to offer an array of services, and they’re partnering with community organizations, businesses, and local governments to give students what they need.
When many of us lost our support networks during COVID, we were reminded that it truly does take a village to raise healthy, successful kids, and schools are calling on all available resources in creative ways to help kids — and their families — get what they need.
5. Playful Learning at All Grade Levels
While it’s long been a mainstay of early childhood education, new research suggests that middle schoolers and high schoolers also benefit from playful learning, especially when it comes to building social skills, exercising creativity, and solving real-world problems.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is an integral part of social-emotional and academic development, specifically in the school environment. Continue to see this trend stay strong in 2023.
For the full blog post on trends, check out the link below.
