In response to the rapidly changing world and the influx of educational technology, educational institutions must unite stakeholders, invest in innovative approaches to learning, and advocate for strategic funding to bridge gaps in access and equity, improve learning outcomes, and prepare learners for the challenges of the future.
The world is changing rapidly, becoming more digital and polarised. Adding to the environmental and political challenges, geopolitical conflicts, and economic and technological disparities are the inequalities arising from geography, economy, technology, and ideology. This transformation is affecting various aspects of life, thus screaming the need for revolutionising the educational realm. It necessitates today’s educators to reevaluate and redefine the state of education.
Influx of technology in education calls for a need to identify the challenges that comes with it and address them. Undertaking this exercise will help institutes equip learners with relevant skills and knowledge to align with future job requirements, attain equity and inclusivity across communities, discover new methods of dispensing and delivering education, and pave the way for the emergence of a new paradigm.
The pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformations, thereby increasing the scope of technological innovation in education. Today, boundaries are blurred, and learners can acquire knowledge and training from tutors of their choice from any part of the world.
They can connect globally at their convenience from the comfort of their rooms. Such arrangements allow learners to gain more exposure to international tutoring styles and build networks enabling them in their future pathways.
Educational technology fulfils the needs of a fast-changing, multi-tasking society. It facilitates flexible modes of asynchronous learning for educating training and upscaling those eager to learn worldwide. However, educational technology faces several challenges that can impact its effectiveness and implementation. Besides scaling infrastructure and privacy concerns, the major challenge lies in the proper training of educators and technology integration.
For instance, a lack of well-designed teacher training and professional development programmes may lead to a gap between educators and technology, as they may not be equipped with the necessary skills and training to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum and teaching practices. Additionally, the varying level of digital literacy among students and educators may lead to disparities in their ability to effectively use educational technology.
Provost,
Anant National University.
So, what strategies can an institution employ to address the challenges?
Actively contributing stakeholders in education, such as thought leaders, academics, policymakers, administrators, innovators, scholars, investors, and entrepreneurs, need to unite, deliberate, and converge ideas to design better learning environments conducive to future educational technologies. Such an environment will also empower individuals, be inclusive, reach learners regardless of time, place, and price and engage learners.
There is a need to imagine and realize innovative approaches to learning through embedding deeper learning strategies into the curriculum. This can involve integrating critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills through collaborative project-based learning and real-world applications.
Public and private investments need to be encouraged to improve learning outcomes, teacher preparation and programme design. This includes advocating for funding opportunities and collaborations with policymakers, philanthropic organizations, and industry leaders. Strategic investing by households, institutions, enterprises, and governments should be promoted to ensure the effective design and delivery of future learning.
By implementing these strategies, educational technology can be harnessed to bridge gaps in access and equity, improve learning outcomes, and prepare learners for the challenges of the future.
