Leading the world in AI systems and adaptive technologies, Canada provides classroom leaders ample opportunities to leverage the newest tools and technologies to modernize and transform the educational experience. - BY Daniel Perez

Canada has been an early adopter of technology and has a reputation for pushing innovation and updates out to sectors of society that have traditionally been decades behind the cutting edge. The country has streamlined how government departments and agencies use technology, upgraded infrastructure elements, and is now bringing the latest online learning platforms, adaptive learning tools, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and even artificial intelligence (AI) into the classroom. This initial effect is a feeling of modernization, allowing parents as well as students to view their education experience as being “in line” with modern standards and the modern world of work. Yet there’s much more going on in terms of preparing the current generation for the future. Understanding what’s available – and where things are heading – will help the latest transformations come into clear view.

Online learning platforms make education as accessible as any other digital workspace

Online learning platforms have made education more accessible and flexible, allowing students to learn from anywhere at their own pace, and their usage absolutely exploded in Canada during the pandemic years. For students on lockdown in city centers and students in Canada’s most remote communities, online learning platforms were often the only way to continue their education. Though a bumpy transition at times, the non-negotiable digital upskilling of Canada’s students and teachers now offers broader access to more educational tools and resources. Students have found that if they’re not learning well from their local teacher, an online tutor is mere clicks away. They can take additional classes not offered in their local districts, collaborating with classmates from around the world. Students can also use online learning platforms to pursue micro credentials on specific skills, which are now offered by more than half of Canada’s colleges and universities, according to Deloitte’s 2023 Reshaping the Student Experience report.

A further boon? Online learning platforms often provide pre-training on the kinds of collaborative interaction tools preferred by remote-first companies. Message boards, online document repositories, video conferencing systems, shared-screen white boards and live demonstrations all mimic modern work tools. As a result, students are arriving in the workplace more comfortable and confident with such tools than ever before.

AI in the classroom is the Canadian way…

Through local companies like Maluuba (now a subsidiary of Microsoft), Canada was an early adopter of computer systems able to understand and interpret natural human language. The earliest models debuted in 2011. Now, more than 10 years on, it’s not unusual to find the best schools training students to effectively use AI systems for research, ideation, and collaboration with natural language prompts.

This is a priceless advantage for Canadian students, as there’s no doubt that AI systems are going to be a part of work life for the foreseeable future. Plus, even at the advanced degree level, according to the new research from Deloitte, some 49% of students report that they don’t feel their schools career offices are doing enough to prepare them to transition into the world of work. However, students give higher marks to their classroom instructors and technology resources, implying that while support organizations lag behind, in-classroom tools are providing what students need to succeed.

AR and VR experiences bring more of the world’s creative power into the classroom

At its core, AR allows even very young students to experience digital overlays and projected images of everything from world geographies to chemical bonding concepts. Discovery Education’s Sandbox tool, for example, allows students and teachers to build virtual worlds from a blend of ancient and modern materials and then share those worlds with others for education and play. Timepod, another AR app from Discovery, allows students to wander in historical worlds, including the pre-human dinosaur days. Being accustomed to these simulation tools from a young age encourages a level of creativity that wasn’t possible before in any classroom. Bound by the limitations and risks of creating in physical space, students often lacked the materials, time, and safety nets necessary to unlock maximum innovation. Now, simulations can bring textbook illustrations to life, allowing students to visualize and interact with 3D models of anatomical structures, molecular formations, or historical artifacts. AR can also be used for interactive simulations, sped up or slowed down to accommodate individual learners, and open to experimentation on the medical front, in nuclear energy, and even in virtual zero gravity to give students low-cost previews of some of the most intensive and expensive learning situations.

The best is still ahead…

Even with its rich history as a technological front-runner and the current levels of technological integration in the classroom, Canada has more to come. The educational system, though advancing rapidly, still has a lot of room for expansion.

Particular areas of hope for the future include the expansion of adaptive learning systems and the proliferation of low-code and no-code classroom tools. Adaptive learning systems allow for truly personalized educational experiences, tweaking curriculums to suit the strengths, interests, and developmental needs of each student. These tools can also help more students with disabilities become fully engaged in the modern learning environment, unlocking multiple layers of potential individual and societal improvements. Layer in low-code and no-code classroom tools that lower the barriers to entry for today’s students to become fluent in programming and robotics applications, and there’s not much that will hold this generation of students back.

By continuing to invest in and support all of these technological innovations, Canadian businesses can ensure that the educational sector continues to modernize and transform. As a result, the entire educational experience can become something that’s as enjoyable as it is enriching, for teachers and students alike. Then, as today’s students take their skills and experiences out into the world of work, they’ll find themselves at home in the digital future and able to leverage what they’ve learned – and how they’ve learned it – to build a better Canada for everyone.