In the last few years, education in the country has had a complete makeover with e-learning. The entire system has slowly but steadily changed. Traditional classroom learning has given way to a form of coaching that is online and instant making it a more personalised experience with smartphones, laptops and computers, says Pavan Chauhan
Effective education warrants constant learning and is constantly evolving. In fact, the face of education has experienced a complete makeover in the past decade. Once characterised by the traditional classroom model, education today has metamorphosed into learning that is instant, online, self-driven and on the go.
According to a census, over 32 per cent of the 1.1 billion population in India is between the age group of 0-14. India is fast emerging as a knowledge-based economy, and human capital has now become its major strength. The journey of education in India has been dotted with innumerable milestones, starting with a boom in e-learning and evolving into mobile learning.
According to The Ken Research Group report, India’s E-learning Market Outlook, the e-learning industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4 per cent over the period 2014-2018. The key drivers for this are:
• Increasing Government initiatives to promote e-learning
• The growing adoption of technology
• Shortage of quality education
• Convenience and affordability — the hallmark of any e-learning solution.
The application of e-learning is slowly but steadily traversing the boundaries of school and college education to include Internet-based coaching for competitive exams. Technological advancements have made it possible to deliver digitised education through contemporary platforms in the 3G environment. New and improved delivery modes like tablets, the iPad and mobiles are setting the stage for the next revolution in this industry.
For children today, it is impossible to imagine a life without smartphones, tablets and touch pads. According to latest reports, mobile Internet users in India are going to reach around 160 million by March 2015. The rapid adoption of mobile technology is going to play a major role in the way the entire digital experience is valued and consumed. The mobile ecosystem — devices, carriers, app markets etc has become the fastest growing industry ever recorded. Adoption of tablets in education is likely to grow at a rapid pace. Some of the distinct advantages that education has through mobiles and tablets over a conventional learning environment are:
learning on the go: Gone are the days when a child could clarify a tough concept with an expert only at a pre-appointed time and place. Today, mobile learning ensures that students can look up the details of a concept any time, any where. This ensures that their learning is always constant, uninterrupted.
Personalised learning: E-learning revolutionised education by making it a personalised experience. The use of smartphones in education helps take this to the next level as unlike a desktop or PC or even a laptop, this is an education portal that people can take with them wherever they go. Further, with scientific assessments as a basis for online learning solutions, it offers a customised experience that clearly helps students focus on their weak areas.
Engaging and interactive content: With a game-based learning approach, education today is a lot more enjoyable and fun. No more dreary textbooks and no more having rely only teacher’s notes; mobile learning is set to change all of that.
Availability of education apps provide students the much needed flexibility: A young online population is pushing organisations to develop apps to allow them to interact anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Nearly 50 per cent of educational institutions too plan to increase their spending on mobile apps and middle-ware in 2014.
No more heavy bags: With education going mobile, a student will no longer have to lug around a pile load of books to study. Doubts that remain from classroom lectures can now be addressed in the comfort of one’s own home.
(The writer is MD and co-founder, Meritnation.com)