5 Biggest Educational Trends of 2023

Deciding what’s “trending” is an important part of digital publishing and social media interaction. Facebook articles, Google News, Apple News, trending hashtags on twitter, and even our own websites all depend heavily on statistics. It’s easy to have a problem with this concept philosophically–namely, the most popular isn’t always the most effective or the best. So what are the most popular educational trends? Here are 5 of the most common educational trends from the past year.

1. Blended learning. This training method combines traditional in-class, instructor-led teaching with eLearning content to create a more flexible learning experience. By blending these methods, learners can benefit from the guidance and interaction of an in-class experience while having access to dynamic and flexible learning opportunities outside the classroom. The classroom offers an opportunity for role-playing with immediate face-to-face feedback, while online learning offers personalized, self-paced learning with eLearning components that lend themselves to interactive media. In the past decade, teachers at higher and lower educational institutions have organically adopted blended learning as a meaningful learning tool in and out of the classroom.

2. Social-emotional learning. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities.

3. Game-based learning. Game-based learning asks students to work toward a goal by choosing actions and experiencing whatever outcomes those decisions lead to. When students make educated and informed decisions, the positive outcome moves them forward in the game. When they make guesses or uninformed decisions, they reap the consequences and must continue to practice to improve their results. Constantly thinking about advancing in the game allows students to be active rather than passive learners. This is one of the more fun educational trends from 2023.

4. Personalized learning. To get an idea of what personalized learning is, try to picture a classroom that doesn’t have a “one size fits all” approach to education. The teacher doesn’t lead all students through the same lessons. Instead, the teacher guides each student on an individualized journey. The what, when, where and how of learning is tailored to meet each student’s strengths, skills, needs, and interests. Students may learn some skills at different paces. But their learning plans still keep them on track to meet the standards for a high school diploma. Kids learn in different ways and at different paces. Personalized learning is a teaching model based on that premise. Each student gets a “learning plan” based on how they learn, what they know, and what their skills and interests are.

5. Sustainable teaching. Our educational system continues to hold teachers to often unrealistic expectations, encouraging self-sacrifice and demanding overwork. With the impossible challenges of pandemic teaching, educators have been stretched so thin, many to the point of breakdown and burnout. Teacher sustainability involves teachers identifying, pursuing, and being intentional about maintaining the conditions that help them nurture self-compassion and compassion toward others, find joy in their personal and professional lives and remember their humanity, learn and grow as a teacher, and have a voice in decision-making processes at their schools. It is designed to help teachers take care of themselves and stay in the profession.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services