Navigating Digital Era In Education: Empowering Learning

ARUN KUMAR Jun 12, 2023

Technology has become an integral part of our lives and has transformed various aspects of society, including education. With the arrival of more edtech players since the pandemic, learning methods have become hyper-personalised. However, traditional educational institutions must evolve to keep pace with the disruption created by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, the cloud and big data. The future of learning is set to be heavily reliant on digital models; providing an interactive and engaging digital environment is imperative to create equal learning opportunities for everyone. It can help traditional educational institutions modernise their education models and policies, driving reinvention.

With educational institutions, the IT infrastructure manages all on-premises communication channels and enterprise data. While some Indian universities, schools, and educational providers in tier-1 cities have started adopting technology to foster remote learning, manage student and faculty records, handle service requests, manage and secure campus endpoints, etc. Many educational institutions in tier-2 and tier-3 cities are still behind in providing IT facilities and infrastructure for their students and staff.

For instance, when the pandemic hit, educational institutions had to suddenly reimagine how to operate remotely and still provide the necessary infrastructure, distribute content and deliver support to students, professors, and campus employees. The leaders who invested in tech prior to the pandemic or at its earliest stages were able to use intelligent systems, connectivity and IT infrastructure solutions to overcome the limitations of the lockdown while those that didn't struggled to make the shift to remote learning.

Rethinking IT is essential, as it is one of the first steps toward digital transformation in the education sector. When the IT process inside a campus is unified, educators can deliver ubiquitous knowledge to all their students.

Rising cyberthreats to education establishments

Educational institutions are becoming the new favourite target of ransomware attacks, the number of attacks increasing tremendously over the past few years. Research shows that the education sector is the most targeted for cyberattacks in India, with an average of 1,605 attacks per week, a 75 per cent increase from previous years, according to the Cyber Threats Targeting the Global Education Sector report. In the Q1 of 2022, there was a 20 per cent increase in cyber threats to the global education sector compared to the same period in 2021.

To overcome these challenges, IT leaders must revamp their IT infrastructure and implement a comprehensive digital growth strategy that provides high-quality security with better code and vigilance systems and create modern connectivity that is resistant to modern threats.

The need for a holistic education ecosystem and how a unified IT revamp can help

With the preference for online learning rising among students and parents in India, educators are rethinking traditional learning processes; they are democratising IT infrastructures to provide flexible ways to share knowledge and foster skills. This increase in demand has paved the way for the learning experience globally. Traditional institutions need to stay ahead of the curve by creating new learning models and design programs. But universities don’t need to reinvent everything; they just need to develop end-to-end solutions for students, staff and other stakeholders by coordinating better with their IT vendors or the IT team.

A unified endpoint management solution can help educational institutions offer pervasive and holistic education. According to a global study by ManageEngine, IT at work: 2022, the key to succeeding in the future is to use IT to collaborate and innovate; 88 per cent of decision-makers, including respondents from the education sector, said that collaboration between their IT department and other teams has increased in the last two years.

There are new drivers of learning emerging in the industry as well. AI is already a game-changer for creating tailored and personalised education for students across geographies. Education leaders understand the importance of integrating physical classrooms and virtual learning environments - the future of learning is intelligent and connected.

IT leadership in educational institutions is critical for its success

Effective IT leadership in educational institutions is critical, enabling them to develop the necessary infrastructure, tools and processes to support and integrate technology into teaching and learning. Strong IT leadership can also help create a culture of innovation and collaboration, foster digital literacy among faculty and students, and ensure that the institution's IT policies align with its educational goals, allowing institutions to adapt to the changing landscape of education and prepare their students for the demands of the modern workforce.

As the Indian education sector continues to grow, there is an opportunity for educational institutions to adopt digital transformation and advanced technologies, creating a comprehensive educational ecosystem. Achieving this requires educational leaders to work with their IT departments to prioritise network security and prevent cyberattacks. It's also important to provide quality infrastructure to teachers, students, and partners, especially in smaller cities and towns where technology adoption is limited. By following strong security practices and investing in tailored security solutions, educational institutions can achieve global standards and create a safe, innovative learning environment for students.

By having access to the right infrastructure and technology, educational institutions can develop new learning models that combine traditional and hybrid learning, offering students more opportunities to learn and grow. As the Indian education sector is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, it is essential to embrace digital transformation and invest in the right resources to create a thriving learning environment for all.