Education

Cool Kids on the Block

An analysis of how technology is transforming education in India.

By Daniyal Talat | June 2022


“The most valuable asset you can utilize to transform the world is education.” Evolution of technologies has brought several developments all over the world. We’ve gone a long way in education, particularly in terms of educational technology. Classrooms are more inclusive than ever before because of technological advancements. The most recent technical developments in science and innovation have heralded the arrival of a comprehensive and strong tech-powered education horizon where recent advances in artificial intelligence, and connectivity appear to be rethinking and rebuilding how we interact, speak, and learn. The rise of the education-cum-technology marketplace is really a byproduct of this greater technical improvement. Teachers have discovered new methods to interact with and engage their students. Teaching is a challenging task, but technology has made it easier and less confusing. Surprisingly, the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19 accelerated the process. This means learning has been further redefined as a result of the epidemic.

India’s education system had undergone a cyclone of upheaval. The country’s educational system, which was based on British rules, aimed to generate a robotic workforce of innocent and loyal subordinates. The system was specifically created to complement and promote the British colonialist and achieve oppressive bureaucratic goal. Through state-of-the-art, slashing online learning systems, now the Edutech industry is producing an unintended impact. With the press of a button, these platforms connect, enlighten, and elevate both students and instructors. Even in the most remote regions of the country, they are disseminating information and learning at a low cost.

India’s education system has experienced a transformation, with technology playing a significant role in making learning more accessible, enjoyable, and participatory. Hybrid Learning is a blend of “traditional” learning and the use of new advances. Several e-learning systems that combine interactive tools, immersive creations and animations to stimulate creativity in young minds have emerged.

Consider a remote village in India with no power or infrastructure but students learning through smartphones provided at no cost by the authorities or an agency. This is the ultimate strength and opportunity of e-learning: extending understanding and wisdom to the country’s most rural and underprivileged locations.

India’s e-learning industry is growing at a pace of 25% every year. The predominant drivers of distance learning in this part of the world, according to a 2018 report released by KPMG and Google, is the comparatively cheap cost of on-screen education, vastly increased through smart-phone viewer base, availability to up market learning, and a higher career advancement ratio after completing an online degree. Technological advancement and the resulting inventiveness have been the most crucial factors in making online education a practical reality.

In 2018, Nielsen Primary Survey performed a comprehensive survey for the Indian subcontinent. For active content consumption, 57% of the online learning audience used their cell phones. By seamlessly delivering elementary, secondary, and higher education, Edutech platforms are ushering in a knowledge revolution.

MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is a web-based course that allows for limitless participation and open access. With the advent of Edu-Tech platforms and e-learning, the criteria for learning appear to have vanished. All that is necessary is a desire to learn and a smartphone or computer.

Classrooms that are Interactive Ed-Tech platforms provide courses for various competitive examinations like JEE, NEET, K-12, UPSC, and GATE preparation, allowing students to engage in real-time remote classroom discussions. This helps students measure their academic progress, identify areas for growth, and receive sample examinations for exam preparation.

If digital learning was the most popular information centre in town, Augmented Reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality are the coolest kids on the block. VR basically allows Ed-Tech learners to engage with their study material directly, assuring increased engagement and hence higher levels of motivation to learn. According to a Technavio analysis, the educational VR industry grew at a compound annual rate of 55% by 2021, while educational AR grew at an astounding 82%. Students may directly absorb, ingest, and experience the ever-expanding universe of information and learning with the assistance of virtual professors who encourage real-time practical observation and active engagement over antiquated theories and didactic stasis.

Covid-19 proved to be a hindrance to travelling from one nation to another for education so educators implemented various technologies to make it an easily available amenity for aspirants sitting in any part of the world. Technology is the future of education, causing it to develop in greater and better ways by making a significant contribution in all aspects of life. With the advancement of technology and innovation in India, online learning has gained widespread support among instructors, students, and the whole learning environment.