By Anish Srikrishna, CEO of Times Professional Learning
Online learning presents an opportunity to excel millions of people in India, now the challenge is to deliver on this promise and realize this potential.
E-learning, as a concept, was first introduced in the late nineties, and since then, it has been an accepted method of learning in many educational institutions around the world. In India, however, adoption was slow, until the pandemic that acted as a catalyst for changes in the way education was imparted, although it has not yet become a ubiquitous feature of our education system.
India, with its over 700 million internet users, and increasing internet usage in semi-urban and rural areas, is a ripe market for online learning to flourish. It is no surprise that the size of the online education market in India is expected to grow by USD 2.28 billion during 2021-2025. However, we must take care not to get bogged down by these statistics as these numbers also reflect the lives of real people – children, adolescents and young learners, who are looking for education as a way of employment. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that much more needs to be done to improve online education and ensure that learners are actually learning. In order to get the best possible results, there are some emerging trends in the field of online learning that deserve our attention.
technology-led innovation
Although online learning is inherently tech-enabled, developments in AI and machine learning offer tremendous promise and opportunities to personalize, scale and automate current e-learning mechanisms. Over the years, there has been an increased awareness that most curriculums are standardized and do not take into account the diverse needs of individual learners. Thus, there is a need to personalize teaching methods to ensure that every student is part of the learning process. The synergy between AI and ML can provide customization and personalization to suit different learners so that they can learn at their own pace.
AI can be used to generate reports for programs launched by institutions, analyze learner gaps and interpret data so as to provide a learning experience. AI can even go as far as creating intelligent learning assistants that can provide timely guidance and counseling when teachers are not around. Thus, artificial intelligence can create, curate, customize and personalize standard education content to assist learners with their strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, technology-enhanced e-learning can help guide everyone along the learning path, not just the select few who are the fastest to learn and best in class.
The simplification of education content and the use of technologies like augmented reality (AR) are here to stay. It cannot be denied that content such as rich text, images, audio-visuals and games provide an element of excitement, curiosity and challenge to the learning process. In addition, new-age immersive technologies such as AR, and online learning can bring a whole new level of value. These technologies aid in better retention of concepts or ‘stickiness’.
Thus, technology is essential to solve the age-old problem of lack of individualized attention for every student. Be it in-person lessons or online classrooms, India’s 24:1 student-teacher ratio has always been below average and behind many of its peers. ML and AI-powered technological tools can help bridge this gap and provide the personalized support and personalized attention that educational institutions have been lacking. Technology in education will evolve around the pillars of accessibility, customized learning, engagement and user-centred learning.
Mobile-First Learning and Microlearning
At 12GB per user, India has the highest rate of mobile data consumption in the world. Despite this, it remains an unknown territory for traditional school and college e-learning modules that are not mobile-friendly. During the lockdown, the internet was flooded with images of students peeping through pictures of notes, trying to zoom in for better clarity and understanding. Basic, yet minimal requirements have highlighted the importance of online education being geared to a mobile-first approach. Additionally, in rural and semi-urban areas of India, the cost of laptop and tablet devices for a single-income family is very high. Therefore, mobile phones are one of the best ways to deliver education in the absence of individualized instruction.
In addition to the mobile-first approach to learning, microlearning is another nascent learning technology that is being heavily explored by apps. It essentially involves learning new information in small amounts at a time. Typically, a microlearning session is less than ten minutes long and can take at least two to three minutes to complete. Often brushed aside as a trivial way of learning, microlearning can be surprisingly effective, as people typically lose 80 percent of the knowledge they learn within a month. E-learning course creators and teachers in many parts of the world are leveraging the power of microlearning to complement online learning for primary and secondary learners.
vocational education course
Education should serve the purpose of knowledge and not just act as a way of employment. However, it cannot be overlooked that in a country like India, with one of the youngest populations in the world, which is on the verge of entering the workforce, education should be seen as a way to economic prosperity . With pandemic-induced job losses and redundancies, upskilling and reskilling is imperative, now more than ever. Therefore, the online learning space is set to see a rise in professional learning courses that can equip individuals with the right skill sets required to enhance employability, and progress in their chosen career path.
Change is always accompanied by some degree of fear and resentment, however, over time, individuals and institutions tend to adapt. With 260 million students spread across 1.5 million schools, and 27.5 million undergraduate and four million postgraduate students in India, it is essential that we leverage every single tool of technology to cast a wide net and build excellence at scale Act fast to lift.
Disclaimer: Content Produced by Times Professional Learning (TPL)
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