The Role of Digitization and Technology in Shaping the Education Sector in India

Business

Technology has left an indelible mark on all facets of our life, whether it’s the way we communicate or the way we work. Needless to say, it has left a significant impression on India’s education sector as well. Even before the pandemic struck, education was making a steady shift from classroom learning to virtual education. The recent scenario has only accelerated the adoption of digital learning. Schools and colleges have been forced to adopt online classes in order to ensure the continuity of education.

So how will digitization shape the way we learn and teach? Let’s understand the role of technology in shaping the education sector in India.

Enhanced Accessibility

The rapid adoption of technology has revolutionized remote learning to a point where students can now complete entire degree programs without ever stepping into the premises of a college. All they need is a good internet connection and a device to start learning. This holds the potential to permanently change the way we learn and teach – be it K-12 or higher education. In fact, technology is also proving to be a very helpful tool for students preparing for competitive exams.

Students no longer need to keep up with a teacher scribbling on the blackboard to jot down notes. They can access study material anytime, anywhere. The live classes conducted by online learning platforms such as Unacademy help students learn at their own pace as per their convenience. Learners can access live classes as well as pre-recorded sessions on the topic of their choice and then attempt mock tests and gamified contests to ascertain their level of preparation. As India’s largest learning platform, Unacademy offers courses in over 50 categories in 14 Indian languages and the chance to learn from the country’s foremost educators. But none of this would have been possible without the technology that the platform uses to curate the high quality of interactive content that it offers to its students.

Not only has technology enhanced the value offerings but also blurred geographical boundaries and made it possible to access high quality education from any part of the country.

Improved Learning Outcomes

Rote learning and reliance on printed material are a thing of the past. Digitization has ushered in an era of new learning methodologies. Visual elements – videos, graphics, AR/VR-based learning- are taking centre-stage as students no longer have to restrict themselves to textbook-based one-dimensional education.

Gamification is also revolutionizing learning.By employing elements like points, scores, badges, and leaderboards,it introduces a spirit of competition to education. Not only does this offer motivation to learners, but it also improves retention rate and makes learning more dynamic.

Both visual learning and gamification, among other techniques, are known to help students learn better and retain concepts.This inevitably results in better learning outcomes.

Wrapping Up

With newer, more nuanced technological tools being developed, the education sector has changed irreversibly for the better. The only question now that needs to be answered is how well can technology make up for the reduction in the human interface.