We’ve seen technology changing different parts of our lives over the years. Technology is evolving so rapidly these days, which is why it is not surprising to find new inventions and tech being used in different industries and fields. In fact, we’ve had some very interesting developments in 2016 alone.

In this article, however, we’re going to focus on the interesting tech that will undoubtedly elevate education to new heights. What are those techs and how are they being used in education? Let’s find out, shall we?

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

The two hottest tech jargons in 2016 would have to be VR and AR. VR stands for virtual reality, a concept that has been around for years, but hasn’t really been implemented the way it is today. Through the use of VR goggles and controllers, a user can enter an entirely virtual world and interact with the elements inside it.

AR, or Augmented Reality, on the other hand, takes that same virtual technology and combines it with real life. Instead of seeing into a virtual world, users can see virtual elements being added to the world around them.

AR and VR are already being used in education. VR, for instance, allows students to go on virtual tours, explore areas that are normally unreachable – such as space or the ocean – and enjoy educational content in a completely different way. AR simply follows suit, thanks to AR-enabled smartphones and the likes of Microsoft HoloLens.

Online K12 Learning

Another interesting development in education is the many online resource centers students and teachers can now visit to get help, find study materials and perform other tasks. Known as Edtech, many providers in this space enable students to use a vast array of resources online from home or school.

When students need to prepare for a test, for example, they no longer have to go through hundreds of pages of mock tests. They can actually take the mock tests online. There are some advantages to the online approach too. For starters, students can take tests in situations similar to that of the actual exam.

The results of online preparation tests are analyzed so students can quickly identify which areas they need to improve in order to ace the tests in real life.

3D Printing

Similar to VR, 3D printing is a concept that has been around for a while, but wasn’t accessible on a consumer level until a couple of years ago. Mini 3D printers are now available that home users can buy at affordable prices. Of course, schools and universities use a wide range of 3D printers to allow their students to be extra creative.

3D design can be printed directly into a working prototype. Some 3D printers can even print moving parts in their assembled forms, enabling students to create working prototypes of design ideas and concepts in a matter of hours. This, in turn, pushes students to explore their ideas further. Some of the latest tech inventions are actually students’, proving how far technology improved education.