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How Edtech Can Fill Gaps In Quality Education In Tier-3 Cities?
- A majority of young Indians, mostly belonging to Tier-3 cities, are deprived of quality education due to a lack of accessible educational infrastructure and resources
- Lack of committed educators, unavailability of textbooks, and a dearth of credible coaching centres are among a few of the problems underserved Indian students have to deal with on a daily basis
by Divya Jain
While there is some merit to heeding to your relatives’ advice of devoting more time to “self-studyâ€, for a large number of students across the country it happens to be a singular necessity and unfortunate compulsion. A majority of young Indians, mostly belonging to Tier-3 cities, are deprived of quality education due to a lack of accessible educational infrastructure and resources. Lack of committed educators, unavailability of textbooks, and a dearth of credible coaching centres are among a few of the problems underserved Indian students have to deal with on a daily basis.
The absence of quality coaching centres in Tier-3 cities in India is a major reason why multiple youths preparing for competitive examinations like UPSC choose to migrate to Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities like Delhi, Nagpur, Pune, Jaipur, Mumbai, etc., in search of better learning prospects. However, in addition to offering greater learning resources and opportunities, and an improved lifestyle overall, the expense of living in metro cities also puts a magnified financial burden on to these students. Besides paying the fees of the institution they join, the basic outlay of living (surviving) alone, which includes food and rent of hostels or PGs, becomes unmanageable for all youths not belonging to the affluent class. Add to this the expenditure of buying study material and conveyance, at the minimum. All of these expenses together end up causing the students to go in debt.
The financial aspect aside, the teaching institutes and coaching centres accommodate a very large number of students and the curriculum in these places is designed to cater to those who are either fast-learners or those who have already had a solid academic foundation. A lack of individual teaching approach aimed at educating each and every student based on their individual learning abilities and sensibilities causes a majority of at-risk students to struggle with mental health problems. Impersonal teaching methods of the teachers bent upon drilling information into the students’ heads further adding to the tribulations of most of these students who find it difficult to cope with the vast and fast-paced nature of the syllabi.
It is here that EdTech presents itself as an impeccable solution to all of these problems.
By providing a personalised learning experience to students, EdTech platforms enhance their methods of self-study and self-assessment. Since most of the EdTech platforms contain video lectures on the same topic by multiple instructors, a student can choose to watch the video most agreeable to his or her style. The most empowering featuring of video lectures when compared with in-classroom lectures is that a video can be played, re-played, and paused as many times and as per the convenience of the viewer. Thus, a student can watch and re-watch a lecture until they get the wholesome understanding of a concept, something that is not possible in real-time.
This feature comes as a boon for shy students who find it difficult to engage in discussions during a lecture. For most youths, the overcrowded classroom atmosphere can feel overpowering and even suffocating. E-learning tools can solve their problem by letting them hold one-on-one interactions with senior students or subject experts over the cyberspace. In this way, online engagement gives a student a way out of the limiting classroom environment to get their queries resolved on their own terms as suits them best without them having to follow rigid classroom schedules that run on express speed.
In addition to these facilities, most EdTech platforms also leverage advanced AI-based technologies like data analytics, machine learning and deep learning to map a student’s learning journey and produce recommendations accordingly. The e-learning platforms can then use this data to come up with personalised test series and assessment plans for individual students. Simultaneously, students can also utilize this facility to make self-assessments and accordingly work upon their weaknesses and strengths with respect to each subject.
EdTech is already disrupting the education sector the world over on the back of its exceptional accessibility, efficiency, and unparalleled convenience. For students belonging to a developing country like India, EdTech comes as both a welcome extension and a much-needed alternative to the existing educational infrastructure.
Source: http://www.businessworld.in/article/How-Edtech-Can-Fill-Gaps-In-Quality-Education-In-Tier-3-Cities-/11-01-2020-181523/
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