Let’s brace ourselves for the new era, backed by technology to pave the way for creating levers for a stronger education system in the future
The education sector is all set to go through a massive change in the coming years. There will be a shift from marks-based academic curriculum to life-based overall development. This formula aims to reduce the large gap between what students study and what the industries expect of them. Technology will serve the objectives of the New Education Policy (NEP), which is aimed at making education affordable for all. Its focus areas include providing free education for girls, developing a world-class industrial workforce that strengthens the higher education industry partnership, holistic education that ensures literacy life skills and employability and helping students, who do not have the necessary funds.
Let’s take a look at some of the education trends that will thrive in 2020 and beyond:
Augmented reality: AR is being used in education with an aim to impart knowledge of abstract lessons that are difficult for the students to grasp. AR changes the timing and location of learning, which keeps dullness at bay that usually settles in an environment that students are subjected to on a daily basis. Time and again professors and teachers have stated that theoretical knowledge alone cannot help in acquiring practical skills. AR helps students break from the mould of passive learning. It helps them perform in virtual practices, engages students with highly interactive exercises as well as shows real time examples with the help of digital modeling and augmented simulations that make for situation-based learning.
Gaming in education: In recent times, the world of gaming in education has exploded with amazing apps and online programmes that cater to every educational concept under the sun. It provides the students the best of both work and play. Video games and educational simulators teach skills like computer programming, flight training as well as breaks down trick algebra and trigonometric questions into engaging practices. Learning through games not only aids students in leveling up their knowledge but makes the whole process of learning fun and efficient. It also helps students imbibe technical skills with reality games that provide an immersive experience through a rich combination of digital technology, real world game play and strong narrative. Moreover, high definition gaming allows students to build things and look closely at their final outcome to understand what they did right and what went wrong.
Interest-based learning: This form of learning refers to students pursuing subjects that they are inclined towards. For example, if a student is more into mathematics than science, then he/she will be encouraged to learn more about that subject so that he/she can excel and not be scolded for doing that well in other subjects. This type of education taps into the inherent passion that the person has for that particular subject.
Social and emotional learning: This refers to that form of learning that helps improve a student’s behaviour as it is all about ingraining a positive outlook towards society and its members include fellow students, teachers and parents. It fosters better motivation towards learning as well as deeper commitment to school activities. By making everyone feel a part of the group, it encourages them to participate and share ideas and their beliefs.
Self-paced learning: Technology has enabled users to study at their own pace and grasp contents with personalised learning. This removes the pressure of matching their peers and instances of rote learning as students are not studying only for exams but for comprehension that will make their understanding of the subject quite deep. Many institutions have come up with courses and certification programmes that are exclusively taught in online mode, which enables students to view recorded lectures, participate in live sessions and study from any location.
While there has been an increasing trend for e-learning content, most available content has been ineffective in engaging the students and improving learning outcomes. It is here that parameters to evaluate the content will have to be set. The role of Government bodies is paramount in promoting such initiatives.
(The writer is founder and CEO of a leading online platform that is helping the youth to become employable)
