The OECD has designed four alternative scenarios that may become reality soon, with education technology as the common denominator. These may help us prepare for the future, by identifying possible threats and opportunities. So let’s look into the crystal ball and see what may happen in education in the near future.

Educators are specifically trained to detect potential abuse and neglect in the physical classroom, but those skills may not translate so readily to the digital environment. This article provides teachers a few best practices for identifying the signs of abuse and neglect in the digital learning environment.

Edtech alone does not replace teachers’ work, and it doesn’t automatically improve the student learning experience; but when used to enhance the work of educators and to improve the quality and quantity of educational content, learners will thrive — either in the hybrid classroom or in the virtual one.

The effects of confinement and isolation are already beginning to show. Public health specialists worn about the new epidemic of mental health issues caused by isolation. Pets (even virtual) might be the help we need! Let’s make our online classes pet-friendly and help our students become more empathetic and more socially engaged.

Staying onscreen all day may not be the solution we hoped for, unless we can focus more on transforming that time into quality interactions that increase physical movement and mental engagement than on extending the minutes students are watching the screen.

Remote learning has been around for quite some time, and online instructors have some tricks up their sleeves to create engaging and cheating-free assessments. Let’s see how the most skilled teachers deal with academic dishonesty in the online classroom:

Although schools will completely reopen sooner than later, I believe they will not let go of what educational technologies and online learning environments have to offer. Blended learning is becoming the new norm in teaching. Here’s how to make the most of the assessments in each phase of the blended instruction:

There are many online tools that provide students with more choices in how to show what they are learning in our classrooms, helping them to develop essential SEL skills while in virtual learning environments. Using these options also helps with any transitions we may need to make during the year, as these can be used while in our physical classroom spaces as well as virtual learning spaces.

The role of classroom discourse should not be diminished due to our current circumstances. It is vital for students to participate in conversations that make safe spaces for opposing voices, so that they can carry those critical thinking skills into their future as citizens, employees, parents, and leaders.

Digital portfolios allow students to be more creative and use their imagination. They will need to be creative in the future professional careers, so try to stimulate them as much as possible in the classroom. Just make sure that they have the right tools to unleash their creativity and let them shine!