How Edtech Platforms Are Finding Takers In This Ever-evolving Industry Edtech has not only escalated the game to a whole new level for educators and universities but is also anticipated to be the future of learning

The technological progression in India is changing the landscape of the education industry, especially as the sector integrates the latest advancements with the system seamlessly. With the pandemic catching the country off-guard and on-site education models coming to a halt, virtual classrooms and tech-enabled learning are catching pace. Aligning with the new normal, tech-enabled learning is reforming the education culture for the millennial learners.

Edtech has not only escalated the game to a whole new level for educators and universities but is also anticipated to be the future of learning. The paradigm shift in the education sector is proving to be a necessary intervention as it's on its way to making learning more accessible and transformational for everyone alike. Tech-enabled learning might be leaning onto digitisation, tech-automation, AI and ML learning methods, however, it is not entirely devoid of mentorship and a human connection.

The recent industrial revolution is further empowering the education industry and has enabled it to introduce Education 4.0. The system represents a desired approach to learning that aligns itself with the emerging fourth industrial revolution that strives for smart technology, artificial intelligence and robotics. These tools have now become a part of students' daily lives and are escalating the graph of edtech in the country. This is also seen impacting students' will to learn and their inclination towards their favourite subjects. Observing the most-loved subjects, it is not a surprise to know that learners are intrigued with science and maths.

The millennials are accustomed to technology being integrated in their routines seamlessly and thus, edtech incorporating a combination of tools, will only serve to be productive at the mentor-mentee front and help students to explore their highest potential. Students respond more actively to digital learning and with the support of teachers alongside virtual learning enhances the impact of contemporary pedagogy. Route learning might have been at the top of the chart in former times, however, that method stands redundant now, especially after weighing the foundational requirements of millennial learners and their power to interpret and absorb new concepts on tech-enabled educational portals. The first brick of the new learning system was laid nearly two decades back when people started fathoming the concept of digital learning being more efficient. For example, in 2002, American educators saw better participation, ideation and retention power among students. This is the primary reason that entrepreneurs started investing in edtech. They realised how conventional methods alone would not be enough and stand null without a digital intervention. They understood how it was time to look for something more engaging and stimulating for young minds. If you could actually bring a dinosaur, come alive into a room full of kids, analyse and experience its anatomy bit-by-bit, it would be a sight to see in a classroom bustling with energy.

The edtech space has also made excellent use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a smart learning tool. Intermeshed into the learning outcomes, AI-enabled edtech tools are constantly evolving, matching pace with the users' needs. Bridging the gap between the learners and the lesson, it enables them to have an individualized learning experience that is tailored as per their comprehension power. This further resolves interpretational issues for self-paced learners. In the global educational market, AI is estimated to reach $3.68 billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 47 per cent. Even if we refer to STEM learning, the AI-driven tools ensure the basics are never compromised in the learning outcomes, while the algorithm facilitates personalization. The core objective of these tools is always a "student-led learning approach'.

Students are spreading their wings and being innovative with their careers. They will soon be living the dreams they have woven, exploring new jobs and professions that we might not be aware of at the moment. To pursue their passion, they need to be conditioned from an early stage and that is where pedagogy plays a crucial role. Edtech is contributing to the same and encouraging creativity and boosting gamified learning as an efficient medium. It is helping learners to develop intuitive problem solving via games and puzzles. The development of edtech followed by the learning front is the reason why investors have scaled up their funding brackets in the past decade. While Europe started to warm up to the idea, it has been major in the UK, Asia and Nordics.

In addition to the above-mentioned factors, edtech also caters to the needs of differently-abled children as well. It is becoming an immersive style of learning where introverted or less social or specially-abled children find their own pace to learn and explore. Other than the fact that geographical proximity is now no more a barrier, it also eliminates the infrastructural needs that a conventional system requires. Therefore, for a country like India, where education has not found takers in remote regions, this approach is working wonders. Owing to the smartphone revolution, edtech is flourishing enormously as every home has a phone to play videos, listen to music and regional language podcasts.

Tech-enabled learning is bearing fruits and making the young learners globally competitive as they get access to international ways of learning and a productive pedagogy that focuses on education rather than rote learning. This new method of learning has also opened new vistas for educationists and promises a better learning and fair grading for students' growth.