Nobody would disagree with the statement Covid-19 has left us all in a fix. Among all the challenges that prolonged lockdowns have brought, they have also provided us with immense opportunities in some areas. There are a host of activities such as online shopping, banking, movies, online streaming, and so on, that were carried out online by most people even before the pandemic. On the other hand, there were certain fields that were usually pursued only in a hybrid mode by many — education is one of them.
The pandemic has hugely transformed the delivery model in education. Most institutions have acted promptly and come up with innovative ideas to maintain continuity in learning. Online education has emerged as the go-to model and is constantly evolving towards a more hands-on experience for developing their skill sets. It has broadened the scope of learning across the world — making it entirely ‘borderless.’ From international faculty to flexible timelines and integration of advanced technology, institutes and organisations are leaving no stone unturned to make the study experience truly seamless, global and borderless.
Improved access
Institutions have initiated a dynamic way forward in the form of borderless learning, which is more inclusive and accessible to students from all parts of the world. Students with the passion and potential to learn and grow would no longer hold back due to the lack of resources or learning opportunities. Innovative models of curriculum delivery, pedagogy and technology-enabled programmes are increasing access to quality learning and mentorship from domain experts.
Top institutions and edtech players are leveraging technology to place learners at the core of their business models, to help them access individualised learning modules, networked learning, and personalised mentorship through their programmes. The role of an educator has also transformed from being merely an in-classroom teacher to a coach, guide, mentor, and counsellor.
Global approach
This trend has proven to be a boon for the edtech industry. On one hand, it is enabling students to learn and benefit from a global network of highly-skilled professionals, on the other, it is also expected to push other Indian institutions to raise their benchmark to match higher standards of education delivery. While such a global approach to proffering education to students has been around for some time, we see that the pandemic has proliferated its reach and accelerated its growth and development.
Each stakeholder involved — students, professionals, faculty, institutions, and even policy makers — are now on the constant lookout for easier and more innovative ways of making education more accessible, while trying to gauge how students and professionals are adapting to the new normal.
(The author is Co-founder, Great Learning, an edtech company for professional and higher education .)