Education and the future workforce are part of a cycle that is continuously changing in terms of the infrastructure of the economy. Job markets are becoming dominated by tech jobs and American classrooms are being dominated by edtech. So, here are some of the ways that the classroom is preparing K-12 students nationwide for the adult workforce.                                           

“Makerspaces and Affective Computing are two of six key developments the Horizon report lists as modern technologies—along with six trends and six challenges—having a big impact on teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in colleges,” according to Fast Company.

“All are very likely to achieve widespread adoption over the next five years and significantly alter the workforce of the near future.”

Interestingly enough, Makerspaces are already being introduced into K-12 classrooms as well. Students are getting hands-on opportunities to create 3-D printed objects that inspire creativity.

The introduction of robotics to the classroom is also setting students up for careers in engineering and technology. Today, students are matching software with the robots they build as they also learn how to properly integrate such software with the functions they want the robots to carry out.

In addition, Virtual Reality has now become a part of the classroom, and it might just be one of the best ways for students to explore the world without actually have to travel. Of course, travel is enriching and the global marketplace holds job opportunities all over the world. With the introduction of VR headsets, students can gain appreciation for other cultures and countries in case their tech career takes them outside of their homeland. Then, there is also the matter of data analysis for students.

“This technology is about Big Data and how it’s used in higher education to analyze student learning to more clearly see what is working or not working in order to create more effective pedagogy,” according to the report.

“It includes new software applications that track student learning in digital environments.”

These are just some of the ways in which technology is preparing students for the future workforce. As adults, we know that having the proper preparation when it comes to your job is a major key to a successful career. With these advances in technology, students will have a much richer understanding of what they will be facing in the future.

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Article by Navindra Persaud, Education World Contributor