India has witnessed dramatic changes in the history of education from the ancient Gurukul system to British imposed system which continued to serve until 2020. It prominently seems like the pandemic has paused everything .However , it has made some sectors time travel a decade ahead. If 2010 is known for e-commerce then 2020 is marked for the emergence of the EdTech Era of Education. It started out of compulsion during a pandemic where every teacher or trainer had to move their profession online overnight. A taboo then has now turned out to be a choice of convenience as both the learners and teachers have adapted to the benefits of online learning. People have grown digitally smart with smart EdTech based classes .
While 40% of Indian startups are on the verge of shutting down on account of covid-19 pandemic, EdTech startups in India have become the only sector which attracted investors from global investors. Indian EdTech industry stands as the second largest in the world after the US. The big question now is , will the EdTech sector continue to boom post pandemic ?
The benefits of online learning are many, including costs, ease of access, self-paced learning ,flexibility and easy access to high quality content. The geographical boundaries now are no more a barrier for one to learn anything. When it comes to peer interaction , learning ambience , mannerism and discipline in learning , the conventional in-person interaction everyday stands undebatable.
EdTech holds a lot of promise in transforming our traditional models of education. While it is unlikely to ever replace traditional formal models of learning, the two can co-exist in tandem to enhance the quality and accessibility of education. While things are in the transitional phase , the best of both worlds can bring valuable changes ahead.
