Student enrollment across the world is growing. According to a recent report to the European Commission, worldwide demand for higher education is expected to grow exponentially from the current 100 million students to over 250 million by 2025. Students’ learning experience is reinvented thanks to EdTech. The traditional whiteboard is disappearing to give place to interactive digital tools that enhance students’ engagement by bringing the best out of each of them and recognizing their unique gifts, talents and abilities.

Of course, new technological advancements always come with new dangers. Bacteria shared between students on an interactive whiteboard screen can cause serious illness. Meanwhile, research has shown that short-wavelength, high-energy blue light output from interactive screens, monitors, and digital displays causes myopia and macular degeneration, which has doubled in the last 50 years to affect half of all European young adults. Thankfully, Edtech brands are working to conquer these problems by pioneering technologies that protect student and teacher health, such as Interactive Flat Panel that kill bacteria and prevent damage to eyes.

The recent Bradford Networks ‘Impact of BYOD on Education’ survey covering more than 500 IT professionals from universities across the US and UK found the following: 89% IT professionals stated that they allow students to use their own devices on campus network. Enterprising private schools and new universities are adopting this change. Examples include not just Youtube videos but also collaboration using social media tools like Instagram and office productivity apps like Google Sheets. The practice helps students integrate the technology they are already used to at home into their educational experience.

Interactive or “flipped” classrooms have now become more and more standard in schools across the globe. For example, in a traditional classroom, you would see a bunch of students sitting quietly, listening to the teachers and taking notes. In a flipped classroom, you would see students dispersed all over the room, animatedly discussing the subject amongst each other while referring to digital displays on the wall and table tops. Imagine what heightened student engagement can do for learning outcomes along with the leverage that becomes available to teachers and professors.