Education Marrying Technology: How Digital Innovation Is Bridging The Literacy Gap

Technology has touched every aspect of society and changed it dramatically, including the educational system. India has an enormous appetite for quality education and the introduction of online learning has changed the scenario of the Indian educational system. As people, we have moved a long way from conventional learning since the advent of internet.

Now, we can access knowledge online to keep pace with the latest developments. Even though rural India woke up to the online learning trend quite late due to lack of stronger mindset in smaller towns and infrastructural challenges, this issue has been gradually resolved. In the technologically ripe society, students who shaped their career by joining distance coaching classes have attained employment in top-notch companies.

In India, where mobile penetration is counting a billion people with over 200 Mn connected to the internet and is expected to reach 550 Mn by 2018, we have immense potential to digitally educate the masses. In fact, the past few years have seen a substantial rise in digital and live online interactive classrooms at different levels of learning. With the evolution of technologies such as cloud computing, data centers and virtualization and its integration with the education industry, education and coaching institutions are witnessing a rapid rise in enrollments and added revenue.

The digital mode of learning has transformed and acquired a modern dimension in its approach. Instead of facing constraints of going online and self-learning the courseware, the new age learner seeks more from e-learning. Live Interactivity with professors or academicians, World Class Learning Pedagogy and High-Quality Content are the new buzzwords. Getting instructions from specialized instructors through live broadcasts at home or attending the recorded lectures increases students’ involvement and learning at higher levels of education.

Video Content delivery, student-to-student interactions via video conferencing and virtual updating of textbooks are some of the unique advantages of digital learning that provide personalized attention to all students. Another advantage for people living in smaller towns and cities is the access to the best possible learning resources from across the world at extremely affordable prices. This developing wave of adaptive learning facilitates students with various levels of intellectual capabilities to garner vital skills at their own pace.

Going offline is yet another digital innovation in our education system which allows students to access content offline or even in internet connectivity as low as 100 kbps. Not every student from the smaller cities or remote areas has the luxury of using internet for coaching with a tailor-made solution for their needs. For such students, offline study material is available at a certain price wherein students can avail individual modules in respective subjects. In case the students from tier 2-3-4 cities are unable to afford the offline study material, they have the advantage of scholarship programs offered by these coaching centers that can further encourage them to adopt the digital education platform.

Ultimately, whether it is online or offline, it is up to the learners to identify and prioritize their needs in order to choose the best medium for their requirements. The fact that offline coaching centers are making a move online shows that the category is going to be very important in the future of education as well as in bridging the literacy gap. Moreover, as the number of Internet users in India continues to escalate, this market will only grow bigger.

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