The future of Edtech: How 2021 will bring faster tech adoption

in the education sector

The edu-tech or ed-tech industry is currently booming as all

educational institutions small or big, are adopting a hybrid approach
to learning. Necessity is the mother of all inventions.

The pandemic accelerated some major shifts that are already taking place in
global economies. It pushed most of the businesses we know on the digital
platform.

However, it also highlighted how underprepared our economies were to tackle

a global pandemic. This was reflected particularly in the education system,
which had been stagnant for decades in a brick-and-mortar setup. This was
even more true for Higher Education where Gross Enrolment Ratio is just
27.4% in India.

The year 2020 was a pivotal year when employers understood the importance
and relevance of work from home as well as learn from home. On the other
hand, learners realized that upskilling or reskilling is the only way to grow
and continue to have a sustained career.

Plus, the shift to digital even for Degrees as envisaged in the National
Education Policy (NEP 2020) all align extremely well with emerging tech and
give me hope that finally, we shall see a huge surge in digital adoption in
education.

This will be the focal year for that and could be the catalyst for higher GER in
Higher Education and more outcome-led and inclusive education.

As soon as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, governments across the world

announced complete lockdowns. This also meant an acceleration for the need

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to shift away from brick and mortar and towards a digital form of education
and learning. While this stage was initially difficult for all the stakeholders, it
marked one of the most drastic developments in the education history of the
world, let alone our country!

2021 is the year of change and evolution. The edu-tech or ed-tech industry is
currently booming as all educational institutions small or big, are adopting a
hybrid approach to learning. Necessity is the mother of all inventions.

The need of the hour is to adopt tech-based education, in order to move ahead
and keep up with the global trends.

Following are some ways that can help in building a better, advanced
technologically developed education environment in 2021 which will also see
a huge focus on Higher Education due to the recent policy changes under the
new National Education Policy 2020.

We shall see a huge jump in people seeking Degrees or certifications via online
mode versus growth for offline. Essentially, people will measure ROI on time
and money when they choose to learn a new skill or get a new edge in their
careers.

Career-oriented or outcome-based learning

The economic repercussions of Covid-19 have still not been assessed properly
around the world.

However, the effects are more significant on unemployment levels, which did
see an increase. This has led to an accelerated shift towards Career-oriented
learning, up-skilling and reskilling using online platforms.

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The ubiquitous presence of mobile data and the scalability of high-quality
learning using digital platforms enables better quality education to be
delivered across the length and breadth of this country.

People are resorting to much faster and more ROI-led means of acquiring
these skills and experiences that can help them to secure employment or even
grow in any industry. Players like Talentedge have stepped in to help our
entire populace to have access to outcome-based learning, certifications, and
even career advancement while sitting in your own town or village!

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The influence of AI and Machine Learning in EdTech is predicted to grow by

more than 47 percent in 2021. The capability of these technologies to
automate even the most basic activities like grading, communication, queries,
feedback, evaluation, and progress improves the overall experience of users.

We shall see more and more adoption of AI in regular day-to-day learning as

well as life. It is a phenomenal new leap as it allows for the personalisation of
learning way beyond what was humanly possible.

Increased investments and adoption

As discussed above, there is a vast unexplored sea in the tech-learning world.

Therefore, more companies are going to dig out ways to innovate, invent and
implement in the segment of e-learning. As the ed-tech industry continues to
expand, the adoption of tech is facilitated even further. Hybrid learning is the
key to education in the near future!

AR and VR will finally become more mainstream

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are already popular and in
motion. With the help of AR, interactive learning platforms empower and

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enable both students and teachers to enjoy the classroom experience. With
the help of this technology, educationalists can expand the world of a
classroom by adding videos and graphics, making it interesting and
interactive for the students.

Whether the teachers bring the historical figure to life or bring a whole
simulation of the business world into the learning spaces, they will always
have more possibilities to explore than ever before.

Mobile as a key to boosting learning capabilities

Till the beginning of the year 2020, we all believed that mobile phones are the
main cause of disruption in a learner’s life.

But now, it is believed that by 2025 more teachers will be leveraging mobile
devices to deliver as well as assess learning.

The year 2020 taught us that learning can be equally engaging and fun when
it is done via devices and apps. These apps can also be used to conduct tests,
assign work and submit assignments, and even assess the delivery and final
understanding.

Classrooms will eventually develop

The introduction of technology in educational institutions will drastically

change the classroom environment. In the coming few years, these
institutions will evolve to accommodate the technology.

For example, students working on robotics will have their stations equipped
with advanced but suitable tools. With such a setup, classrooms will become
more interactive and students will get opportunities to engage better with the
domains of their choice.

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The landscape of education has changed drastically worldwide, especially in
2020. Education powered via technology as an enabler is becoming more
multifaceted, flexible, inclusive, and affordable.

We are currently at the pivotal point for EdTech and the move from here will
determine the future of technology in education. The year 2021 should bring
positive momentum in the digital transformation in education. Technology
will support efficient, transparent, personalized, scalable, and accountable
systems which will provide the best learning experiences.

Although 2020 was a milestone year in EdTech, 2021 will be a year when the
disruption in education becomes the new normal and the future of EdTech
will truly be defined.

Article by Mr Aditya Malik, MD and CEO, Talentedge.

Source:https://www.indiatoday.in/education-
today/featurephilia/story/the-future-of-edtech-how-2021-will-bring-faster-
tech-adoption-in-the-education-sector-1798301-2021-05-03