The COVID 19 situation has led to the development of a number of solutions for various areas of our lives, especially given the strict lock down that was enforced by our country and its government. We live in a country that is still not very well connected in terms of technology and education. These are two areas that come into play when we speak about EdTech. But what exactly is EdTech?
The various forms of technology that have been adapted to make e learning a reality for a wide section of people, especially those in under served areas, is known as EdTech. This technology is here to stay thanks to the fact that it connects more students with more teachers. It is a reality that has been propagated by our government and a number of not for profit bodies, for a very long time – in fact, even before the lock down. There are a number of Indian portals and websites that make these kind of services and resources available for students.
Post lock down, there has been an increase in the activity and number of these portals, so that free resources can be made available to students at all times. Education technology depends on a number of factors including the availability of devices and connectivity in even the most remote areas. There are many villages in India that are yet to get even electricity – so how can education technology reach these quarters in the middle of a lock down when no schooling is available?
This is the challenge facing a lot of educators and the government’s education department as well. As per a study, students are willing to spend over $7 Billion dollars on education abroad. And these are figures for higher education aspirants in our country. This directly points at the fact that the demand for higher education is growing by leaps and bounds. Yet, a complete lack of EdTech is pushing these students to foreign shores due to lack of college campuses that help them innovate with the right faculty to guide them and incubate their ideas.
The burning question here is not about when the EdTech scene will catch up – the question is whether or not it will. Are we willing to let go of the demand for higher education, since students clearly are suffering in urban regions as well. The lack of proper EdTech is also creating lack of support for academicians and teachers who are all out to help the students. And at the same time, while learning and studying online has become the new norm, will we be able to digitize resources that can be made available to teachers so that they can efficiently guide the students?
These are questions that need to be answered and addressed so that EdTech grows in India. While students are already missing out on labs and practical training as well as the social side of campus life, there has be a focus on at least providing them with the right guidance and hassle free resources that they can tap into, during this lock down and the pandemic!
