Education Technology (EdTech) is transforming the education system completely with various innovative solutions. The covid-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on many industries, but it gave the edtech industry a decisive advantage and a huge boost. Currently, the education sector is dependent on technology for preparing and delivering the learning content to students. Technological advancements have changed the behaviour and expectations of the student community. Policymakers acknowledged the influence of EdTech and gave it due importance in the national education policy (NEP) 2020.
According to a report by Inc42 Plus, the EdTech market in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% from USD 2.8 billion in 2020 to USD 10.4 billion by 2025. Similarly, the EdTech players are expecting to garner 37 million paid users by 2025. These changes are not limited to only the e-learning space, but it has made inroads into the whole education sector from K-12 to higher education.
Key benefits offered by Edtech platforms beyond learning
The advantages of the EdTech platform go beyond just learning and development. Let’s examine some such benefits of EdTech.
Offers multiple learning paths: As suggested in the NEP 2020, the primary objective of EdTech is to provide learners with different learning paths. For students in classroom-based education systems, online programs are additional sources of knowledge gathering.
Improves gross enrollment ratio: As per Economic Survey 2021-2022, the gross enrolment ratio in the higher education sector increased from 26.3% in 2018-19 to 27.1% in 2019-20. Students from remote areas also can enroll in reputed colleges through the online mode. The increased accessibility of degrees or certifications in online mode has encouraged students of all regions to continue their education. This helps in increasing the overall literacy rate in the country.
Enhances peer collaboration: Technology facilitates better student collaboration. Geographical boundaries don’t matter as students can now interact with one another easily through various digital platforms to discuss their assignments, projects, etc.
Increases digital literacy: For students in the twenty-first century, digital literacy is an essential skill. Nearly all jobs that students might have in the future will involve and require knowledge of technology and the internet. Teachers can assist students in improving digital literacy by bringing EdTech into the classroom.
Go paperless: Going paperless is economical for educational establishments and is also environment friendly. Teachers can teach more effectively and save time by using technological tools like ERP software, and mobile applications. They can also print important articles and documents onto smart devices in electronic formats, which reduces the need for paper.
Advanced evaluation techniques: In the past, teachers used to take a long time to grade students’ papers. This time can be significantly reduced by using a variety of EdTech tools that automate grading and make tracking students’ progress easy.
Fosters knowledge sharing: Edtech tools encourage knowledge sharing and talent exhibition. Students can showcase their creative abilities through presentations or digital art by sharing their work online.
Broader career opportunities: By creating the opportunity to access numerous courses in the online mode, EdTech has opened up a wide range of career options for students. It allows students to choose a career in any field that interests them. Whether your interests lie in finance, IT, marketing, healthcare, fashion industry, or any other field, you can simply enrol for the relevant degree online and find employment.
Final thoughts:
Thanks to EdTech, an infinite number of tools and applications have emerged and become part of students’ and teachers’ lives. These tools are providing students with individualised learning opportunities. Apart from allowing educational institutions to provide engaging learning modules, edtech plays a vital role in improving the nation’s literacy rate and job readiness of students. It helps in making education accessible and affordable to students and working professionals irrespective of their regional and cultural constraints.
(The author is Mr. Ambrish Sinha, CEO, UNext Learning and the views expressed in this article are his own)
