The transformative impact of ed-tech and hybrid learning in shaping the future of education

Written by Guest

April 2, 2024 17:16 IST

Mohan Lakhamraju, founder and CEO of Great Learning, an institute offering hybrid courses, said accessing high-quality global education has been challenging for a large section of students due to high costs and the logistics involved. (Image: Freepik)

By Ujjwal Singh

Historically, Indian education had the royal children venturing out with their Gurus for learning. Over time, Gurukuls transitioned closer to homes, evolving into pathshalas. Then, Western influence introduced the concept of schools, prevailing today, which is largely followed till date. Overall, three critical shifts emerged in the evolution of education in India: the transition from oral to written system of learning, democratising of education to a greater level, and the systemisation of learning imparted through decided curricula. However, the classroom format of education continued, and teachers continued to shoulder the onus to spark and maintain interest in learning amongst children.

The emergence of ed-tech as a disruptor for good

Developing interest in learning is the key to transforming children into educated citizens. Human touch will always remain irreplaceable in education, but learning needs to evolve from being individual centric to individual agnostic. For the first time ever, education technologies (ed-tech) and hybrid learning drove a major departure from the traditional way of imparting learning. This essentially means your child, say a Harsh or Harshita, doesn’t have only teachers to depend upon for inculcating and maintaining interest in learning; the immersive ed-tech solutions and hybrid learning ecosystem ensure they remain engaged and committed to the learning process at all times.

The ed-tech industry has emerged as a major disruptor for good. The Indian education sector is projected to grow at US$225 billion by FY2025, while the young ed-tech industry would likely grow up to US$30 billion by 2031, a significant leap from its 2021 valuation of US$700-800 million. Hybrid learning has fuelled growth in the ed-tech sector. Educational institutions are embracing hybrid channels and developing ed-tech programs. Consequently, the online education sector is expected to grow at 20% CAGR to US$2.28 billion by 2025.

Hybrid learning – The best of both worlds

Hybrid learning is making knowledge accessible across space and time. You may recall in your childhood you would have to miss classes when unwell or in case there’s an emergency at home. In a hybrid-learning ecosystem, your child can still catch the classes remotely at a time convenient for him or her. Importantly, hybrid learning involves the best of both worlds. It combines the traditional, interactive classroom environment with the flexibility and accessibility of online learning.

Hybrid learning models provide more benefits than we can count on fingers. They offer a more immersive environment, leading to better engagement and retention rates amongst learners. They also provide access to extensive knowledge resources and avenues of extensive training and practice. The platforms are equipped with research-based skilling programs to build future skills across logical thinking, comprehension, critical thinking and maths aptitude. Hybrid learning platforms also leverage advanced digital technologies to gamify the learning process, which essentially involves using game elements to motivate learners and improve learning.

The power of personalisation

One of the most important benefits of hybrid learning is personalization. Let’s imagine Harsh and Harshita to be a brother and sister, sharing a similar education ecosystem and lifestyle. Yet, Harsh and Harshita may have completely different, or rather unique, education needs. In a classroom format, the assessment could be highly subjective, whereas hybrid learning and ed-tech solutions offer a more objective approach. Focussed attention to every individual learner is not always possible in a traditional classroom. Hybrid Learning leverages technologies like artificial intelligence and features like knowledge graphs to map and track learners’ progress, identifying gap areas and suggest possible solutions to address their weak areas.

In today’s competitive world, all these factors help in building the foundational years of learners but they also prove to be critical for providing the necessary edge in preparing for competitive exams, like JEE, NEET, CUET and others. With the focus being on highly individualised learning, the solutions leverage adaptive content delivery and real-time feedback mechanisms designed to meet the needs of learners, empowering them to optimise their best for the exams. The best part is that with the physical format of education integrated in the hybrid learning system, learners don’t lose the human connection, which is well taken care of.

Need to strengthen the hybrid learning ecosystem

While hybrid learning is growing rapidly, it still has touched only the tip of the massive Indian education market. Considerable policy-level push and industry collaboration will help in driving ed-tech benefits to reach grassroots. While the Government has revolutionised Bharat with its Digital India initiatives with over 50% of Indians enjoying internet connectivity, affordable high-speed internet penetration will push ed-tech solutions to larger masses.

Incentivizing policies for the ed-tech sector will further boost quality education delivery at affordable costs. As for the industry, there is a need for aggressive collaboration amongst key players of the sector to push for R&D and innovation to develop more advanced and affordable ed-tech solutions. The industry players also need to come-up with programs for upskilling and providing training for educators to adeptly navigate digital platforms.