Knewton, the maker of test prep app that also provides analytics data about student performance, has released a thought-provoking infographic contending that the time is ripe for Web technologies to disrupt the education space. The graphic cites rapidly rising dropout rates in the U.S. as an indication that the status quo in education is failing, and it uses signs of growing adoption of Web technology to argue for that as the basis of a new approach.
The infographic mixes analyst projections about future digital content trends with current usage data, as well as opinions from educators. Its point is that the old one-size-fits-all education model is not as well suited to growing up in the Web age as the custom fit that new technology allows. Yesterday, we wrote about new tools for enhancing lifelong education with Web technologies. This infographic describes the trends behind these developments.
Knewton’s graphic doesn’t make a causal case that Web technology makes learning qualitatively better, but it highlights the alignment of a few telling trends showing that the shift, for better or for worse, is certainly happening. The growth rate in online learning is 14 times that of overall higher education, according to Knewton. The graphic also makes an economic case, citing a 40% reduction in cost of instruction by going digital. Over 90% of educators surveyed said that they believed online tools improve education for their students.
What do you think of these trends? Let us know in the comments.
Created by Knewton and Column Five Media
