Facilitating quality education is one of the most compelling tasks for the future development of any economy.
For example, India’s employability concerns point towards an education system still relying on theoretical knowledge which also serves as the basis for skill evaluation. However, the need is for a curriculum based on skills of tomorrow and practical knowledge of those skills. With the rise of Edtech startups employing technology and adopting Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and IoT for curriculum development and teaching methods, the educational landscape is undergoing dramatic changes. Facilitating quality education is one of the most compelling tasks for the future development of any economy.
For example, India’s employability concerns point towards an education system still relying on theoretical knowledge which also serves as the basis for skill evaluation. However, the need is for a curriculum based on skills of tomorrow and practical knowledge of those skills. With the rise of Edtech startups employing technology and adopting Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and IoT for curriculum development and teaching methods, the educational landscape is undergoing dramatic changes.
The new national and global employment standards demand conceptual understanding from students, which can help them develop their skills. This emphasises the importance of outcome-based coursework in providing students with top skills for future growth. With the new National Education Policy of 2020, India is rethinking school education, but it is equally important for the country to revamp higher education with the idea of instilling practical skills in young students.
Outcome-based education allows students to learn at their own pace and in their environment, eliminating the one-size-fits-all framework of the classroom.
It allows students to master concepts in their own time while learning how to think critically, conduct research, and form their own opinions. By providing value-added courses and technical training, outcome-based learning prepares youth for the workplace of tomorrow and helps reduce the training and employee onboarding costs for companies. Furthermore, outcome-based education promotes economic growth by attracting more skilled newcomers to the workforce, increasing employment and employability.
While we do now realise that outcome-based education is the need of the hour, it is still vital to understand what all needs to be done to effectively and efficiently implement this shift in our educational system. First, we need to ensure that the curriculum’s emphasis is always on understanding rather than memorizing information within a given timeline. Second, students require conducive learning resources ranging from the most recent technological advancements to mentors who can assist students with personal and professional development. But most importantly, we need to change the assessment methods because there is more to a learner’s life than just the competitive desire to be labelled a “topper.”
With the nudge of technology and rapidly changing educational trends, Edtech startups have started playing an essential role in education. It would not be incorrect to say that the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the resulting restrictions have increased the use of technology in education. In this global crisis, Edtech startups, on the one hand, empowered the students from rural and remote areas to continue their education through the use of eLearning apps. On the other hand, Edtech startups actively assisted various institutions and training centres in bridging the gap between their teaching methodologies and technological advancements.
With the primary goal of simplifying the learning process, facilitating inclusive learning, and making the educational system more efficient, Edtech startups are also promoting skill development on a holistic level. By teaching industry-oriented technical skills while also pursuing soft skills for overall personality development, the curriculum most edtech startups are following is helping bridge the gap between teaching and understanding, thus creating a cohesive learning environment.
This new curriculum is regulating and adapting modern educational programmes to societal needs and patterns. And with the current situation forcing one to reconsider the definitions and goals of education in the wake of a new normal, it is safe to say that Edtech is the future of education, and is already bringing about a huge change to the employability of millions of students in India through outcome-based education.
