Why School EdTech will Dominate in a Post Pandemic World

Amit.Shanbaug@timesgroup.com

The Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown had prompted most schools to identify technology based innovative solutions to create a relevant learning ecosystem for all students. From a complete brick and mortar kind of a learning, schools during the pandemic resorted to e-learning to continue student learning despite closure of the schools.

SUMEET MEHTA, Co- founder and Chief Executive Officer, LEAD

Experts believe, that in a post pandemic scenario, when schools reopen, the trend would be towards higher adoption of technology and systems so that schools can not only weather disruptions better but raise their standards of learning outcomes.

HELPED GAIN ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION

The introduction of technology tools has helped democratise access to high quality education and facilitate student engagement. Satish Bommala, School Owner, Greatwoods High School- Hyderabad stated that as the world is getting transformed due to the adoption of technology, it has also helped students get access to better quality of education now. “Technology today has helped schools to increase the speed of learning and bridge the learning gaps among all students,” he explained.

SATISH BOMMALA, School Owner, Greatwoods High School- Hyderabad

PANDEMIC HAS RAISED THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL LEARNING

The education system in India had been very traditional, thus pushing the need to design a holistic curriculum with job creation as the objective of the future.

“The education reforms are therefore focussing on how to make education more universal in the country and more inclusive,” Ramanan Ramanathan, Former Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog said.

India is in the top 48 of the global innovative indices and to enter in the global top 10, bringing large scale educational reforms and leveraging on digital technology to impart learning is going to be crucial.

RAMANAN RAMANATHAN, Former Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission and Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog

OPPORTUNITY TO REINVENT

Technology has empowered the teachers in India to adopt a multi-modal form of learning which is a combination of audio-visual along with textbooks and experiential kits. This has enabled them to deliver learning solutions at global standards.

Gouri Gupta, Lead, Education Technology, Central Square Foundation stated that reintroducing learning through a hybrid model will help in the recovery of the learning loss and help the transition back to school.

The quality of education which we all worry about in affordable private schools or government schools, can be addressed with the use of technology,” she said.

GOURI GUPTA, Lead, Education Technology, Central Square Foundation

Sumeet Mehta, co-founder and chief officer of LEAD explained that schools have traditionally been following a linear format where students are tested and given certain marks but carry forward their learning gaps without remediation.

“There is a need to move towards a spiral format where technology can help. With the help of the student’s data which can be collated at a very granular level, technology can inform the teachers on the areas of improvement and the remedial action to help the weak students,” he said.

Mehta explained that the purpose of the school needs to grow from exam preparation towards life preparation. “Schools have a decision to make: Do they revert to their pre-pandemic traditional self, or do they use this disruption to raise the bar? I believe Integrated School Systems such as LEAD offer a great way to schools to become world class & future ready – something difficult to do by themselves” he added.