The 21st Century combined with COVID-pandemic has expedited applications of technology to deliver education. In fact, prior to the pandemic nobody had expected smartphones and internet facilities to penetrate into hinterlands of India in such short time. A stable internet connection is now becoming a regular feature within households whether urban or rural.
The establishment of e-Learning and remote classes have laid a strong foundation to improve our education delivery, which has been stagnant for decades. Just as the pandemic forced government to improve bare-minimum benchmark of health infrastructure, a silent revolution is transforming the Educational Landscape for better.
In coming years, this COVID-19 pandemic shall be considered a chief disruptor that brought game-changing developments within the education sector.
Quality of Education
It is clear that going forward ‘digital’ will drive education delivery. The lockdowns have boosted new forms of learnings. eLearning has provided a shot-in-arm to development of collaborative learning and imbibing diverse teaching mechanisms. New technologies are overwhelmingly facilitating ease of outreach and providing positive support for implementing quality education protocols.
The government has begun implementation of its far-sighted National Education Policy 2020. Unleashing education reforms by allowing greater collaboration with foreign universities, turning India into a research hub & approving autonomous degree-granting colleges is aimed at increasing the independence of institutions. Utilizing the strengths of learning through one’s mother tongue and expanding its scope into higher education will bring hitherto non-English speaking students within the purview of higher education. EdTech organizations are working to ensure multi-language features within eLearning.
Train educators
Teachers are the source of knowledge transmission. Within classrooms, professors are better aware of student-involvement and can dynamically change delivery of a module. However, such flexibility is non-existent within a virtual classroom. Training the educators to overcome their shortcomings could improve quality of knowledge delivery. As we close-in on digital learning, effectiveness of educators in transmitting knowledge requires a relook. Frequent trainings, sharing of best practices, learning from each other’s experiences will help optimize efforts of the teaching class. Feedback from students and seniors alike, sharing insights and dynamic assessments will ensure an effective student interaction. Every educator must be explained benefits of focusing on these key areas.
e-Learning platforms
Today one of the key tasks for any educational institution is to shortlist the right eLearning platform. Senior academic members and decision-makers must emphasize on opting for a product that helps them gain a distinct advantage in the long run. No wonder, EdTech ecosystem has been in demand over last decade. Personalized eLearning solutions have sprouted within this domain and is a key achievement.
Educational institutions within developed countries have implemented Learning Management Systems (LMS) to impart education since early 2000s. In fact, Business School has successfully dispersed academic curriculum to its student-base through the implementation of Blackboard application for over two decades. It helped achieve a smoother transition into the lockdown induced ‘compulsory’ eLearning phase. Simultaneously, there has been a rise in students engaging in Online Certifications to uphold a competitive edge over their competition.
Education should empower
No matter the level of education, a student’s aim should be continuous improvement. Education is crucial if it empowers a student to gain a foothold within the job market. Thanks to eLearning platforms, prospective graduates can utilize their free time in equipping themselves with certifications related to marketing analytics, sustainable finance, programming etc. Typically, students should avoid pursuing certifications in an ad-hoc manner. Rather, these certifications should complement their job profiles. Apart from enhancing one’s probability of being selected for an interview, networking interactions can help develop one’s soft skills, an essential trait as one walks up the professional ladder.
(Nilesh Gaikwad is Country Manager at EDHEC Business School, France)
