World Students’ Day is an occasion that is celebrated on 15th October internationally to acknowledge the efforts of APJ Abdul Kalam towards students and education. This day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of our former president Kamal, who has contributed immensely to the aerospace department of India and set our nation on the path of progression. This day symbolises his work as an educator and all the efforts he has put into making the life of students better.
Every sector is adopting technology to make their work simpler and easier. Even classrooms are not untouched by reach. The evolution of technology has brought a revolution to the education industry. During the time of subsequent lockdowns, the need for a hybrid model of education came to light. This eventually led to the expansion of the e-learning market and education app development market. The days when only schools used to be the means of education are bygone, now digitalisation has made education easier, more affordable, and more accessible to all. The tech industry is growing rapidly with increasing demand for online education. On this World Students’ Day, this article will walk you through the different aspects of edtech and how it has revolutionised the old education system.
Growth and Future of the Edtech Sector In India
Education sector is the main pillar that supports the development and growth of the nation. Reports claim that India has become the second-largest e-learning market with a market size valued at $6 billion and by 2025 it is expected to grow to $10 billion by 2025. Due to lack of audience and funding, edtech startups were struggling to thrive in the market. But today, we have more than six unicorn edtech companies that are successfully running their businesses while educating lakhs of students. Edtech companies came into the limelight during COVID, when the mass of students shifted to online platforms for learning and started to utilise the features and services provided by edtech companies. With such a significant demand, entrepreneurs are investing in the education app development sector and trying their best to pioneer the remodeling of the education business model.
Benefits of EdTech
The e-learning model has proven to be beneficial not only for students but also for their teachers. Both edtech tools and edtech players are improving the educational system and enhancing the future of our country. On the one hand, edtech tools make classrooms more engaging. On the other hand, tech players are trying to fill in the gaps in the educational system. Here are some major advantages of edtech that impact students directly:
Cost-effective and Quality Education
The best future for their children requires parents to invest a fortune in their education, but many parents can't afford to pay such high administrative fees for schools and colleges. The advancement and development of edtech companies have successfully resolved this problem. Now, different types of learning programs are readily available on various platforms with minimal charges and even for free. As experts in the field have crafted all the courses, there is no compromise on quality in these programs. Some edtech companies have come forward and undertaken the responsibility of supplementing underdeveloped schools with edtech tools to support the e-learning model. Online Education has given people the right to education in its truest sense.
Easy Accessibility
The issue with the conventional classroom system is that if a student misses a class for a day or more for any reason, they risk falling behind the rest of the class. However, the worry of missing out on crucial lectures and notes has vanished thanks to technological advancement. Students can get access to their notes, timetable, grades, textbooks, and even the classroom environment digitally with the help of IoT devices and cloud-based software. Various apps have been developed that help students ask doubts from teachers without hesitation. Some school systems use tools that allow parents to see their child's growth.
Personalised Learning Experience
Edtech has opened up new doors of learning for students of all ages. Personalised learning helps educators craft a learning plan for each of their students based on their strengths, skills, interests, and prior knowledge. It breaks the conventional “one fit for all” plan that is prevalent in most schools. Video content tools provide the feature of rewind and repeat, which helps students grasp and understand the concept at their own pace. Instead of taking stress-inducing tests to measure academic performance, educators are now using apps to consistently measure the overall aptitude of students.
Interesting and Engaging Learning
Interactive smartboards and other gadgets make learning interesting, and now students no longer have to sit through boring lectures while half asleep. Animated videos and a good explanatory PowerPoint presentation allow learners to better understand and even save teachers time and energy. Thanks to edtech, teachers are freeing up and moving into more facilitator roles. Gamifying problem-solving and introducing interactive AI in classrooms are the best innovative examples that boost productivity and make learning enjoyable.
Concerns Due to EdTech
It is undeniable that technology has upgraded education and made it simple and flexible; however, it is also influencing students unfavourably. Now let's look at a few of the negative effects of educational technology:
- Technology is making students very sluggish. Instead of using their own knowledge and creativity, they became dependent on the devices to complete their assignment. And this habit can jeopardise their future.
- It is observed that The level of distraction among students has increased with the use of laptops and tablets in classrooms. Rather than paying attention in class, the majority of students are found scrolling through social media.
- When children surf the Internet, they can easily run into invalid or inappropriate content that can be very dangerous for them. Parents and teachers must impose strict restrictions on students when it comes to technology use.
- The trend towards online education is affecting the health of students. Spending hours and hours sitting in front of a screen is creating health problems like bad eyesight, headaches, bad body posture, obesity, etc.
- Today, advancements in technology have hindered the interpersonal growth of students. Mental health issues like depression and anxiety among students are increasing day by day because, instead of socialising and discussing their problems, they prefer to stay isolated with their gadgets most of the time.
Final Thoughts
The influx of technology has provided students with the convenience of learning at any time, anywhere. Even though it makes studying easy, we should remember that excess of anything can have a harmful impact. The ultimate goal of education is to ensure the overall growth of students. Education system should be improved in such a way that it can prepare students for any challenges whether they are related to their careers or personal lives. If you want to be a part of this change for helping students then making an educational app would be an expert thing to do. You can hire an experienced education app development company to develop a robust educational platform that can transform the lives of thousands of students.