Google Aggregates Edtech Content, Online Classes Under YouTube Learning

Google-owned video platform YouTube India has launched a learning destination to supplement curriculum learning for students and also support general skill-building.

The YouTube Learning Destination is a separate section within the YouTube app that aggregates learning content from education-focused creators. In a blog post, Google India highlighted segment will contain resources across the full breadth of learning needs, including curriculum-relevant topics in physics, math, and biology.

Besides this, the platform will also include study hacks, content for developing language skills, and interest-based content like photography, yoga and more. The platform is currently available in English and Hindi. However, YouTube is also looking to add content from other Indian local languages like Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and Marathi among others.

“So whether you’re studying for a test, want to learn a new skill, or are just curious about the world, the YouTube Learning Destination is a handy resource to supplement curriculum learning for students or general skill-building,” Google India’s blog added.

This comes at a time when almost 91% of the students are out of school, edtech startups across the world are bucking up to make up for the lost education. A similar trend can be noticed in India, where the current lockdown is being termed as the demonetisation for the edtech.

Edtech platforms in India have been noting a hike in its user, tractions and users engagement across segments — K12, Test prep and skill development and more. For instance, BYJU’s has noted a 150% surge with 6 Mn new students.

Meanwhile, Google is also looking to bring more schools on board and promote remote education. Besides this, the company is also providing free access to the premium features of Google Meet to extend enterprise-grade video-conferencing capabilities to all G Suite and G Suite for education customers, across the world, until September 2020. The premium version can host up to 250 participants in a single video conference.

To help ease the transition to remote learning in India, Google has partnered with FICCI Arise and has trained more than 250 schools across 23 states, where the tools are being used. Besides this, Google is also providing training and tips through the ‘Teach from Home’ hub. The platform is also available in Hindi, along with Chinese, Japanese, Turkish and more languages.

The hub would also answer queries like “setting up and teaching with and without video, keeping students engaged with discussions and virtual whiteboards, staying in touch with other teachers by sharing teaching resources and even making the teaching sessions accessible to children with special needs by implementing voice typing and closed captions.”