This month, we’re having a look again at among the massive updates, developments, and edTech tendencies from 2024. We’ll additionally peer into the crystal ball to think about what could be on the horizon for 2025.
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Let’s look again on what occurred in 2024
1. AI Instruments for Lecturers – 2024 noticed a HUGE growth in AI powered instruments for lecturers. Again in January I shared an inventory of a few of my favorites and though it’s not even a yr previous, this record is already old-fashioned!
2. AI Picture Technology will get (loads) higher – The flexibility to create a picture from an outline was superb, however the outcomes had been regularly fairly terrifying! 😱 AI picture technology has gotten a LOT higher. Ideogram.ai remains to be my favourite, however Gemini is getting loads higher.
3. Bard Turns into Gemini – It’s been nearly precisely one yr since Bard grew to become Gemini. Over the previous yr Google has improved its AI mannequin and added a number of new options together with the flexibility to add paperwork and create customized Gems, further privateness protections, and extra entry for college kids.
4. NotebookLM blows us away – By far probably the most stunning AI-powered software I utilized in 2024 has been NotebookLM. The flexibility to rapidly summarize large quantities of data is superb. After which I noticed a demo of the “audio abstract” characteristic. If you happen to haven’t seen it. Do it now!
5. AI Detection Debate – Do AI detectors work? It’s a sophisticated query. This was one of the vital controversial subjects of 2024. OpenAI says no. Turnitin.com says sure. I did my very own analysis and a LOT of you had ideas to share!
6. Chromebook Plus units take off – Increasingly more colleges are offering professional-grade Chromebooks to lecturers! These units answered lots of the complaints lecturers had about Chromebooks and embrace a number of cool new options.
7. Premium will get higher – Whereas Google launched a LOT of recent merchandise and options this yr, the overwhelming majority of them are solely out there to EDU Plus districts. Prefer it or not, the premium tier has been Google’s focus for this yr. Transferring ahead, basic (free) districts are going to really feel left behind.
8. Updates for the Drive editors – Google Docs received a number of new updates together with tabs, customized constructing blocks, and hand-writting fonts. Google Slides received the flexibility to Take away picture backgrounds, and Sheets obtained a number of AI-focused updates.
9. Updates for Google Classroom – Our favourite classroom administration software received a number of nice updates together with pupil teams ($), interactive YouTube movies ($), and a cool integration with Learn Alongside ($), and new grading choices.
10. Goodbye Jamboard, howdy Vids – In 2024 we stated farewell to Jamboard and howdy to Google Vids. Google Vids ($) is a video creation software that shares plenty of similarities with Google Slides. It additionally contains a sturdy AI integration for districts with the Gemini improve.
Was schooling improved in 2024?
All these edTech tendencies, options, and new instruments are high quality and nicely, however did they really enhance classroom instruction? Are we serving to college students construct fundamental expertise, pursue their curiosity, and intention for his or her objectives?
I’m reminded of the opening strains of A Story of Two Cities by Charles Dickens:
“It was one of the best of instances, it was the worst of instances, it was the age of knowledge, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of perception, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of sunshine, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
The fast growth of AI in schooling seems like a blessing and a burden on the identical time. There are a lot of alternatives, however many new challenges. Having now lived and taught by means of the introduction of the web, cell telephones, laptops, and social media, it’s exhausting to not be a bit pessimistic in regards to the introduction of recent “magical instruments.”
What I do know for sure is that each one expertise should be formed and molded by devoted, caring lecturers. Collectively we will flip these challenges into new alternatives for development and studying.
Let’s keep up a correspondence!
There’s a LOT taking place on this planet of academic expertise. Let me be you tour information this yr! Subscribe to the Google EDU replace for month-to-month updates on new, instruments, options, and lesson concepts in your Ok-12 classroom.
