Key points:
2024 has been a transformative year within education. From the rise of technology use within education to the adaptation of free tuition programs at schools like MIT, the education landscape is set to continue to change even more in 2025.
We’ll be seeing some exciting shifts within education that will leverage technology to
transform learning and assessment in meaningful ways.
Shift towards digital testing
Following the SAT’s transition to a digital format in 2024, the ACT is now set to go digital in 2025.
This shift isn’t just about moving assessments online–it’s about making tests more efficient and accessible for students. According to the College Board, 84 percent of students and 99 percent of staff reported a better experience with the digital SAT Suite compared to the paper SAT Suite.
Digital testing can help level the playing field, reducing logistical hurdles while allowing for adaptive question formats that better gauge individual abilities. There is a growing misconception that, because many colleges have adopted test-optional or test-blind admissions policies, SAT scores are no longer relevant. This simply isn’t true. Even at test-optional schools, submitting strong SAT scores can significantly enhance a student’s application. Acceptance rates are often higher for students who submit test scores compared to those who don’t even at “test-optional” universities.
Integration of AI-driven learning tools
AI-powered tools are quickly becoming indispensable to the education landscape,
especially when it comes to providing scalable and personalized support. These tools
can serve as virtual tutors and study partners, enabling students to receive targeted
assistance based on their unique strengths and weaknesses.
It’s likely that this technology will empower students who may not have access to private tutoring, allowing for equal opportunities to improve and succeed. According to a research review from the Annenberg Institute, tutoring can increase student
achievement by around three to 15 months of learning across grade levels on average.
Though online tutoring still has a ways to go before it can reach its full potential, it’s
definitely a worthy investment for schools to take time to perfect.
Focus on personalized learning
Education in 2025 will prioritize the unique needs of each student more than ever
before. With data-driven insights, schools can customize learning experiences to support each student’s goals, learning style, and pace. This shift is about more than technology; it’s about recognizing that one-size-fits-all approaches no longer meet the demands of modern classrooms.
Students will have increased engagement and motivation with personalized
learning techniques, and they will also increase their ability to be collaborative, resilient, self-reliant, and even reach higher academic achievement.
As we continue to see these advancements, the future of education will be more
flexible, inclusive, and tailored to prepare students not only for college but for lifelong
success.
