How Edtech Is Preparing Students For A Better Career By Building Lifelong Skills?

"Technology can become the 'wings' that will allow the educational world to fly farther and faster than ever before—if we will allow it" - Jenny Arledge

The days have been obsolete when education was confined to textbook learning, teachers using the blackboard to students writing notes in notebooks. Today, digital education has paved its way into the education system of India and is replacing the traditional classroom training. Also, the developments which have appeared in the field of educational technology (EdTech) are empowering educators to produce remarkable learning experiences for modern young minds.It can revolutionize the learning methods while enabling new grades of standardization and democratized access. Moreover, the pandemic has transformed the ages-old, chalk–talk teaching methodology to tech-driven experience. This disruption in the education industry is compelling policymakers to improve drive engagement at scale and combating the digital divide while ensuring comprehensive e-learning solutions.

Used wisely, edtech model help students develop lifelong skills, and can alter the paradigms of education. Let’s see how:

Basic tech literacy

All kids, regardless of what they desire to accomplish in their careers, need a basic technology skillset that simply missing in a generation of K-12 students earlier. This digital literacy must be established early and fostered in ways that are attainable from home too. Few good examples of a foundational tech learning step is online learning programmes and basic code program. It focuses on involvement in technology for children as young as six years to be tech-friendly. Not only a child can access quality content and world-class resources but also can build and code. Today, several edtech platforms are providing students with code learning which aims to strengthen lifelong skills and confidence to create tech products by the application of coding, and smart gadgets.

Formative Personalized Learning System

Edtech and educational platforms are building a personalized system of learning from scratch for young kids, based on cutting edge research. They can play an important role in a child’s early learning as these early years lay the groundwork for lifelong learning and build motor skills, social skills, vocabulary development, pre-reading skills, etc. Online learning frameworks designed keeping in mind different learning abilities of different children are highly effective in bringing out the best from each student as per their individual ability. Similarly, conceptual learning as a pivotal pillar of early-stage learning and personalized learning is aiming to help kids develop their foundational learning skills. In return, it helps to strengthen holistic cognitive skills.

Critical thinking

With so much information available online, it’s obvious that young minds analyze, question and challenge what they are being told. They should stay open-minded, evaluate conditions and think outside the box when executing tasks. Hence, critical thinking is the most important quality for any student. Edtech can assist students becoming adept at critical thinking that can be crucial to develop other prominent skills like increased concentration, deepened analytical abilities and improved thought processes. The tools and formats used in the technology-based learning solution enforce deeper learning & much clearer concept understanding.  It will also help them to grow as a professional where they can effectively serve customers, develop improved products and keep them standardized in an ever-changing global economy.

Creativity

Everyone has a creative side – they just need to discover it! Edtech can play a stimulating role so that students can explore their creativity and incite their ideas. Alike critical thinking, students should be encouraged to foster and innovative ways to solve problems through creativity and innovation. The edtech learning solution repository consists of fun-based learning resources, engagement activities, quizzes etc. to create a creatively enhanced learning environment. Such skills will benefit students in not only schools but also when entering higher education or the workplace. With the help of the creative side, professionals can maintain their value amidst an increase in global competition and task automation.

Conclusion

Life skills are the fundamental building blocks in a student’s learning journey. And those skills are perfectly driven by edtech today, which are opening doors to new opportunities. Thus, it is bringing us to the point of perceiving education from a ‘Skills’ viewpoint rather than ‘credentials’. 

Kiran Dham

Guest Author The author is CEO of Globus Infocom