The development of Forest Schools originated in 1993 and is based on a Scandinavian principle that recognizes how important it is for children to come into contact with nature. Forest schools take standard learning activities outdoors for part of the day and may involve exploring the woods collecting treasures, starting a garden or creating a compost bin, building a camp or simply taking your normal lessons away from the classroom and outdoors for the day. Many school across the USA have added aspects of Forest schooling to their curriculum with an increasing number of organisations also pledging their involvement towards spreading awareness.

With technology degrees proliferating at unprecedented rates and the education sector taking more and more cues from the technologically inclined in their midst, chasing learning trends in higher education into the next year is going to lead any inquisitive mind down a path that involves computer science education in ways that just haven't been seen before. Even courses that focus on non-science topics have seen an uptick in combining traditional teaching methods with emerging blended media techniques.

Each of us carries our own thoughts and memories of what a school day involves, how long it lasts and how it feels. But have you ever thought about how different school days can be in certain areas of the world? Different countries treat education in varying ways and this can lead to some striking differences in the school day and environment. From time in class to class size, breaks and lunch there are so many factors that vary across the globe.

Research shows that project based learning, also known as PBL, works to engage students and provide them with life-long learning skills. This teaching method leads to higher retention rates and improvements in critical thinking skills. Teachers in project based learning classrooms are responsible for encouraging students to take charge of their own education rather than the teaching and testing model that tends to be the standard in schools today.

Project based learning looks intimidating to many teachers who work within prescribed traditional curriculums. It seems like quite a stretch to get there from where their teaching methods currently stand. But it doesn’t have to be as all-encompassing as you might imagine, and the changes you make don’t need to be drastic.

Plenty of educational events are held throughout the year, but only a few of them make a real difference. One of these few and my absolute favorite is the edu panel of South by Southwest. This year SXSWedu has gathered over 7,000 participants from 38 countries. With all its scope, this event gives a clear understanding of where modern education is headed. I’ve outlined two primary ideas from SXSWedu 2017 that, in my opinion, will shape the educational practices for the next few years.