-
The start of the decade saw a rise in learning management systems (LMS) such as Blackboard and Moodle. Learning management systems primarily serve to centralize and streamline the creation and delivery of online educational programs. An example of a modern equivalent to such programs would be Canvas. -
-
It was reported that in 2011, more than 1.5 million teachers and more than 30 million students worldwide were using SMART Board interactive whiteboards. These interactive whiteboard allowed teachers to display digital content and enhance lessons for students. -
MOOCs are free, online courses that offer students structured learning experiences that allows one to gain new skills. Examples of MOOCs are Coursera and edX, with universities such as Harvard and MIT offering courses through edX ranging from humanities to engineering. MOOCs saw a rise in popularity throughout 2012 as people sought to learn new skills for greater employment opportunities. -
Learning tools like ClassDojo and Kahoot! introduced ways to make learning more interactive and fun. Points and leaderboards served to motivate students and increase engagement, all while going hand-in-hand with the increased use of iPads in classrooms. -
Adaptive learning platforms refer to software systems that personalize learning and adjust content according to a learner's performance and progress. Examples include Pearson MyLab Mastering and McGraw Hill's ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces). The adaptive learning space received increased popularity in 2014 after a number of grants were received from the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. -
In 2015, the 3D printing market in the United States grew 20% in printer shipments, and higher education institutions saw a particular rise in the use of 3D printing. Florida International University even opened the CARTA Innovation Lab that allowed architecture students to use the printers to reimagine buildings. -
In 2016, it was reported that Chromebooks sales surpassed 51% in the U.S. K-12 nationwide market. Chromebooks are relatively inexpensive and offer teachers and students ease of access, personalized learning, and collaborative tools. -
In 2017, the use of artificial intelligence to automate simple tasks began gaining increased popularity in education. Most notably, Turnitin launched "Revision Assistant," which allowed teachers to see more of the writing process after the company acknowledged that students would make a quick changes to their assignments in order to avoid plagiarism. -
In 2018, it was reported that VR and AR in the education market was expected to reach a 19.6 billion annual growth by 2023. The use of VR and AR in education provides students with immersive, hands-on experiences that allow them to use certain simulations. -
While nationwide 5G coverage was still years away from becoming more readily available, in 2019, it was reported that 5G could support more than a million connections per square kilometer. 5G connectivity is particularly important in education because it enables quicker personalized and immersive learning experiences, such as VR/AR. -
Of course, the timeline would not be complete without mentioning the COVID-19 pandemic that brought dramatic transformation to the education technology space. It was reported that in 2020 alone, U.S. education startups raised $2.2 billion in venture capital. Moreover, the use of Zoom as a mode of virtual classroom instruction also saw 350 million daily meeting participants by the end of 2020.