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Betteru Education Corp. $BTRU.ca The Power of Digital Learning #adtech $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:22 AM on Monday, November 26th, 2018

SPONSOR: Betteru Education Corp.  BTRU: TSX-V Connecting global leading educators to the mass population of India. BetterU Education has ability to reach 100 MILLION potential learners each week. Click here for more information

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  • According to a joint Whitepaper on the Digital Learning Market in India by Technopak and Simplilearn, the online professional education market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30% to reach US$5.7bn by 2020, from the current US$2bn.
Parinita Gohil
Co-Founder, Learning Delight
November 23, 2018 4 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You’re reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Meet Nisha. A 13-year old student from a small village near Ahmedabad. She was recently introduced to computers and digital learning concepts at the government school she attends, and it piqued her interest. So much so, that it inspired her to create an app of her own, which opened up a whole new set of opportunities for her.

That is the power of digital learning.

In layman terms, digital learning is learning that’s assisted by computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. While traditional methods of teaching are still in practice, digital learning can help make concepts easier to grasp and implement. This is in no way a tool to replace teachers, but instead to assist them in imparting their knowledge to a larger number of students who have limited access.

In other words, digital learning not only educates, but it also enables; and it empowers all the young lives it touches.

Growth of Digital Learning

The Indian education system, especially that in rural areas is rigged with problems ranging from infrastructural difficulties to a lack of teachers, and orthodox methods of teaching resulting in a high rate of dropouts. With the government’s impetus on Digital India initiatives, however, schools and educational institutions in the country are adopting digital learning tools to their repository. That, combined with the significant rise in internet penetration and the drop in the prices of smartphones in India, access to online learning resources is becoming ubiquitous.

According to a joint Whitepaper on the Digital Learning Market in India by Technopak and Simplilearn, the online professional education market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30% to reach US$5.7bn by 2020, from the current US$2bn. This is setting the foundation for the increasing number of IT jobs that will open up in the next few decades, in fields we cannot even imagine today. Digital learning is definitely a game-changer for education in India but the key to success in this industry will be scalable growth that is based on sound engineering and technology benefits.

Leveraging the Power of Digital Learning

The teaching methodology in most Indian schools today consists of rote learning. In today’s hyper-competitive environment, however, rote learning without comprehension won’t take students far. If we digitize education, there are several ways we can revolutionize the current education system, making learning more effective. Here’s why:

It’s more engaging: Tools such as online assignments and video lectures to digital learning tools makes learning fun and engaging. For teachers as well, evaluation becomes easy through automation of mundane tasks like record keeping, lesson planning and so on. Moreover, with online access to individual student records, educators can offer personalized coaching and advice, or communicate specifics with parents.

It’s inclusive: Digital brings the world closer, even in the classroom. Interaction and collaboration between teachers, students and parents become seamless, as all teaching material and assessments can be brought on an open platform. Not only does this approach promote competency, but it also keeps students more motivated and engaged.

It goes beyond the classroom: Digital education transcends not just the classroom, but borders as well. As education becomes more interactive, students are free to discover exciting prospects in studies and collaborate with faculty beyond their institution. Teachers, on the other hand, can impart knowledge remotely, addressing the concern of lack of qualified educators in the country.

The future of education is digital. Going forward, this field will witness newer developments such as unconventional methods of learning, Gamification of the learning process, the live online interaction between the students and educators, and more, thanks to advancements in AI and technology. Those who seek to learn will find plenty of opportunities to do so, in a manner that is efficient and convenient at the same time.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/323708

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#India needs reforms in higher #education system to address #tech-induced challenges $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, November 13th, 2018

The institutes of higher learning should shun dated teaching methodologies and redesign the course curriculum by understanding key market transitions amidst the technological advancements.

Amit Kapoor

  • As the world stands on the brink of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, powered by a wide range of new technology breakthroughs such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), advanced robotics, Internet of Things IoT), Cloud computing and 3D printing, major changes are expected in the labour market globally.
  • There will be reduced demand for middle-skilled workers doing repetitive tasks and increased demand for more highly-skilled workers — and also low-skilled workers doing non-routine work.
  • While many developed countries, such as the US and Japan, as also several European economies, are already experiencing this polarisation, the labour market is also hollowing out in many developing countries, although at a rate slower than the developed world.

In the case of India, this polarisation can be seen in the organised manufacturing sector, where the share of high-skilled occupations in total manufacturing employment increased by more than three percentage points, while the share of middle-skilled jobs decreased by 6.3 percentage points from 1993-94 to 2011-12. Looking at the impact of technological progress on various manufacturing industries, the capital-intensive industries, such as automobile manufacturers, have a greater probability of adopting advanced automation and robotic technologies, compared to labour-intensive manufacturing industries such as textile, apparel, leather and footwear, and paper manufacturers.

Further, in the services sector, particularly in the IT sector, e-commerce, banking and financial services and health care services, there is a huge potential for automation technologies, which would increase the demand for skilled workers and reduce the demand for middle-skilled workers.

However, in India, over 80 per cent of the working population is engaged in low-skilled jobs in the unorganised sector. These low-skilled workers aspire to join the middle-skilled workforce in the organised sector to raise themselves from poverty. However, the changing nature of work due to technology advancements in the organised sector prevents their upward labour mobility and any improvement in their incomes.

Addressing these challenges requires reforms in India’s higher education system. The institutes of higher learning should shun dated teaching methodologies and redesign the course curriculum by understanding key market transitions amidst the technological advancements. This would enable the country to create a workforce which could be placed in the positions demanded by the companies in the digital era and thus bridge the skill gap in the labour market.

However, looking at the current state of higher education in India, one can see that it is not just the quality of the system which needs to be improved. There is also much to be done in terms of the number of students enrolled in the institutes of higher learning.The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in tertiary education in India is 26.9 per cent, which is lower than that of China (48.4 per cent), Indonesia (27.9 per cent) and the Philippines (35.3 per cent), among others.

Further, India’s GER for the male population is 26.3 per cent and 25.4 per cent for females. The GER also varies across different social groups — 21.8 per cent for the Scheduled Castes and 15.9 per cent for the Scheduled Tribes.

There are also wide variations in the number of colleges for higher education across different states in India, with the lowest number of seven colleges in Bihar for every 0.1 million of eligible population to 51 in Telangana and Karnataka. The top eight states in terms of highest number of colleges are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, which have 28 or more colleges per 0.1 million of the population. The disparity in the distribution of the colleges is also seen across different districts in these states, with the top 50 districts having about 32.6 per cent of the colleges.

In addition to the inequalities existing in the access to institutions for higher education, another issue is that a majority of the students are enrolled in undergraduate level programmes, compared to the Masters and the Doctoral programmes. Moreover, at the undergraduate level, there is a low pass-out rate — out of 2,90,16,350 students enrolled at undergraduate level, only 6,419,639 passed-out in 2017.

It is imperative for the country to address these issues given that the Indian system of higher education faces multiple challenges of low gross enrollment in its colleges and universities, with predominance of students settling on undergraduate studies, along with various socio-economic inequalities existing in access to higher learning. Further, emphasis must be placed on increasing the number of students who pass out of the colleges/universities, along with increasing enrollment numbers.

The technology-induced skill gap which the Indian economy is facing across different sectors is bound to widen with the current higher education system. Change has to be brought from outside the existing constructs. Improvement in the teaching methodology from the traditional lecture courses, accreditation of online courses, along with redesigning the course curriculum to be more industry relevant are some of the ways the technology-led changes in the labour market can be dealt with.

Source: https://www.devdiscourse.com/Article/education/251444–india-needs-reforms-in-higher-education-system-to-address-tech-induced-challenges

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Mapping the growth of digital learning in #India #edtech $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:58 AM on Monday, November 12th, 2018

In a country as diverse as India, along with overcoming the infrastructure barrier, there needs to be a focus on overcoming the barriers of language and content.

 

  • The education divide in India with respect to quality and accessibility has existed for far too long
  • Indian education system has remained more or less the same, since last 150 years.
  • It is difficult for the existing physical infrastructure to meet the learning needs of the burgeoning population of our country which will touch 1.5B by 2030 and 1.7B by 2050 (equal to the population of China and USA combined)

Roman Saini

The education divide in India with respect to quality and accessibility has existed for far too long. The Indian education system has remained more or less the same, since last 150 years. It is difficult for the existing physical infrastructure to meet the learning needs of the burgeoning population of our country which will touch 1.5B by 2030 and 1.7B by 2050 (equal to the population of China and USA combined). Digital is gaining acceptance across numerous sectors and it is only right that the education sector too reaps benefits of this digital transformation.

In a country as diverse as India, along with overcoming the infrastructure barrier, there needs to be a focus on overcoming the barriers of language and content. It is impossible to have great teachers in each and every village/district in India. Similarly, the best teachers should not be restricted to certain institutes of the world. This is where e-learning comes in. It can level the playing field for all students. Students, in both rural and urban areas, can get access to the best learning resources, learn at their own pace and in the comfort of their own homes. Another key advantage with e-learning is that it is much easier to design courses with the latest online reference material than publishing crores of books. With the significant rise in internet penetration and the drop in the prices of smartphones in India, access to online learning resources will soon become ubiquitous.

Today, whether it is finding a new word on Google, or watching a photography video, without realising it, we are already using the internet to constantly learn. A major chunk of learning is already happening on the internet, with the government’s push we can expect it to grow to exponential levels.

The launch of the second phase of the Digital India campaign with a renewed focus on education is a welcome step towards the faster development of the education sector. Online education is also receiving its due importance in the New Education Policy drafted by the Kasturirangan Committee. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) under the government’s SWAYAM initiative have the tremendous potential to make higher education accessible to India’s youth, that forms more than 50% of our population.

The government’s push for e-learning reinforces the efforts of online education providers to empower both learners and educators, create more engaging learning experiences and foster personal development. With the push, students will also realise that the accessibility to great teachers can take their learning to the next level.

Going forward, the e-learning space will witness new developments with respect to unconventional methods of learning. Availability of unique courses across categories will encourage students to expand the breadth of the content they consume. Gamification will ensure that the learning process is more interactive and fulfilling. Students will be able to set goals, measure their progress and celebrate their learning achievements. Live online interaction between the students and educators can offer personalised learning that will benefit students in remote areas as well as overcrowded schools. The role of AI and technology in all of this will be huge. AI Bots can act as Study Assistants, that will accompany you along your learning journey. It will know your strengths and weakness inside out and will even recommend what you should read on a given day to maximise your learning outcomes.

The future of e-learning in India is promising. Location, language and financial resources will no longer be a barrier to a great education.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/mapping-the-growth-of-digital-learning-in-india/story-7xNIM3M9yZTwurCt80d6cP.html

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Online Education Vs Traditional Degrees: Students Armed With #AI / ML Skills Have An Edge Over The Others #edtech $BTRU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:41 AM on Thursday, November 8th, 2018

  • In the last few years, India has witnessed rapid changes in the educational technology landscape
  • The spurt of jobs in emerging technologies
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning has spurred the growth of EdTech companies which are at the forefront of providing cutting-edge skills to young college professionals and undergraduates keen to upskill and re-learn

Bharat Adibhatla

In the last few years, India has witnessed rapid changes in the educational technology landscape. The spurt of jobs in emerging technologies — artificial intelligence and machine learning has spurred the growth of EdTech companies which are at the forefront of providing cutting-edge skills to young college professionals and undergraduates keen to upskill and re-learn. In addition to this, India is also implementing a strategic approach to skills development, aimed for the digital era. There is an increased emphasis on strengthening core competencies in 21st-century skills, digital skills and robotics

So, where does this leave the standard University education which is increasingly being challenged with the rise of MOOCs from EdTech platform? Besides, enterprises have taken it upon themselves to bridge the skill-gap with industry-created programs targeted at programmers and graduates to level up keeping in view the current industry’s demands.

In the face of this ever-changing digital transformation in India, is University education playing catch-up and churning out job-ready students who can compete on the global stage. Currently, India needs to implement skills development plan in a wide range of industry-demand topics such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, big data, robotics, material sciences, semiconductors, smart cities/societies, digital competencies, open source learning and intellectual property rights, et al.

In this article, we list down how traditional University education differs from online schools which focus on imparting the digital skills of the future.

Outdated Curriculum

It is not just that the curricula isn’t keeping up with the skills required for the students to be job-ready, many institutes in India are still dependent on the old school, theory-based syllabus. This is one of the key reasons why the freshers’ status quo is a poor match given how certain job types and industries will soon be made redundant by automation.

Budding Technologies

At this moment we are at the pinnacle of technology, we are modelling, building and inventing things which are leaving the past generations spellbound. Technologies such as data analytics, machine learning, user experience designs and artificial intelligence, which were in the sci-fi relm a few decades ago, have actually become a part of our life. But they have not become a part of our education system yet.

Lack of Mentorship

In an earlier article, we spoke about the need for mentorship and its role in shaping life and career of a new data scientist or a budding AI expert. In contrast, traditional university education focuses on merit, grades and bookish knowledge. More modern methods of education, on the other hand, focus on reasoning, questioning and analysing skills — which are much needed in the current scenario.

Transform, Don’t Reform

When there is change, there is only a slim chance where everyone can emerge as a winner. Many jobs in the IT sector are becoming obsolete and so are numerous technologies. On the brighter side, scores of career options are being created in the fields of big data, machine learning, artificial learning and other new tech, and the demand for people with the knowledge of these technologies is only increasing.

Students Lean Towards Byte-Sized Learning Models And Upskilling

For most learners, it is now possible to download smartphone apps that turn complicated subjects into games or squeeze zettabyte-sized lessons in everything from rhymes to coding into ten-minute talks or even quantify various non-curriculum activities as work-related training. Applications and programmes such as Coursera, Udemy, Lynda, Alison, Bright storm, Howcast, Code Academy, TED, Big think, Open education Consortium and Edx, among others, are the leading platforms for online learning.

These websites and programmes give a scope for a wide range of subjects, technologies and career options for the people who are having the zeal to learn through digital mode. While these technologies are effective tools to acquire specific skills, there’s another pressing and universal issue: The future is digital, and anyone whose skills are outmoded, will be left behind. In a survey conducted by Deloitte US, the results showcased that 75 percent of school-going children wanted to learn outside the classroom. They preferred smartphones, tablets and personal computers to learn, rather than traditional methods.

Enterprises Forge Partnerships With Edtech Companies

Large global organisations are already struggling with the lack of talented employees with the right types of skills to keep up with the competition. At the same time, digitisation is affecting traditional teaching system in ways so rapid and profound that it could be described as an extinction event. Daphne Koller, one of the founders of Coursera, stressed this point in one of her TED talk. She highlighted how Coursera gave chance to millions around the world a platform to learn technologies from their home and brought a great success in their lives and transformed their careers. These drastic changes in the educational system are hollowing out the middle class and creating a need that cannot be filled by our current systems of learning. Instead, we must work together to address them at a systemic level.

For the last 3 decades, India has been a land of engineers, with budding technical colleges and demand for the service sector. In total india has around 6,300 technical institutions which are approved by AICTE. But the question that most employers till face is: Are these engineers prepared for future challenges?

MOOCs allow the ease of customising education

The biggest advantage of online learning is that it gives us choices to pick a course that interests or impress us. Rather than confining to only one or two, this makes one to use their capabilities of understanding and decision making.

Source: https://www.analyticsindiamag.com/online-education-vs-traditional-university-degrees-ai-ml/

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UpGrad acquires job skilling startup Acadview #India #edtech $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:22 PM on Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

UpGrad, promoted by entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala, aims to extend its online learning platform to the undergraduate level through the Acadview acquisition

  • Acadview marks Upgrad’s second acquisition in two years
  • Recent transaction marks Upgrad’s second acquisition in two years. It is looking to capture a large chunk of the $20 billion education market in India
Ronnie Screvwala. Acadview marks Upgrad’s second acquisition in two years. It is looking to capture a large chunk of the $20 billion education market in India. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint

New Delhi: Online education startup UpGrad has acquired job skilling platform Acadview Software Pvt. Ltd for an undisclosed sum, UpGrad said in a statement on Monday. UpGrad, promoted by entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala, aims to extend its online learning platform to the undergraduate level through the acquisition.

Founded in early 2015, Acadview seeks to upskill graduates with in-demand technologies through live online courses and industry projects, enabling better employment opportunities. It claims to have trained more than 3,000 students in 2017.

“UpGrad’s highly engaging online learning solution along with Acadview’s solid presence within the college space in India will allow us to deploy learning solution for college students at a massive scale,” said Screwvala and Mayank Kumar, co-founders at UpGrad, in a joint statement.

Gurugram-based Acadview had raised an undisclosed amount of funding from angel investors in India and the Silicon Valley. It has also partnered with over 80 universities and colleges in north India.

“Equipping students with engaging content, personalized coaching, hands-on experience with real world projects and guidance from subject matter experts in the industry can bring a step change in the quality of workforce available to employers.We believe in UpGrad’s vision, and feel that we have found a perfect cultural fit for our mission,” said Himanshu Batra, founder and chief executive at Acadview.

The recent transaction marks Upgrad’s second acquisition in two years. It is looking to capture a large chunk of the $20 billion education market in India.

Founded by Screwvala, Kumar, Phalgun Kompalli and Ravijot Chugh, UpGrad offers online courses in entrepreneurship, digital marketing and data analytics, among others, for working professionals.

UpGrad competes with foreign online education start-ups, including Coursera and Udacity, and home-grown ventures such as EduReka and Simplilearn.

Mint reported in October 2017 that UpGrad is also looking at to enter foreign markets in West Asia and South East Asia, and had committed ₹300 crore to fund the expansion. The corpus is three times the amount it had invested in the Indian market.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/Companies/If8GzLkcRMUwA5W0D0r1CL/UpGrad-acquires-job-skilling-startup-Acadview.html

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betterU Education Corporation $BTRU.ca provides update on US$100M Equity Investment Amendment $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:28 PM on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

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  • Announced that it has received an update from GDS Holdings Ltd indicating that they have completed the Amendment as described in a new release issued by the Company on September 26th, 2018
  • According to a written update provided to betterU on October 28th, 2018 by Mr. Kenny Ho, CFO and Chairman of TUC Co. Ltd.,
  • Mr. Ho indicated that he arrived in Tokyo, Japan to review the amendments on Wednesday, October 17th and that they completed the required documents on Friday, October 19th.

OTTAWA, Oct. 30, 2018 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OG) (the “Company”) announces that it has received an update from GDS Holdings Ltd indicating that they have completed the Amendment as described in a new release issued by the Company on September 26th, 2018.

According to a written update provided to betterU on October 28th, 2018 by Mr. Kenny Ho, CFO and Chairman of TUC Co. Ltd., (“TUC”) Mr. Ho indicated that he arrived in Tokyo, Japan to review the amendments on Wednesday, October 17th and that they completed the required documents on Friday, October 19th.  Mr. Ho further indicated in writing to betterU that he has decided to remain in Tokyo until the funds have been released. Mr. Ho expects there will be no further delays yet has not provided betterU with definitive timelines for the release of funds. While Mr. Ho also indicated that he expects the funds to be released shortly, betterU is reluctant to commit to any dates having experienced many previous delays. “While we remain confident in this opportunity, the ongoing delays and missed timelines provided by TUC have proven to be difficult in managing market expectations. Our focus has been and continues to be on the development and growth of betterU,” said Brad Loiselle, President/CEO of betterU.

As previously announced on October 15th, 2018, betterU entered into an agreement with AIP Asset Management Inc., (AIP) for an investment of $2.5 million to support ongoing operations and growth until the TUC funding is received. AIP and betterU are currently working through all the definitive agreements in connection with this.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

About betterU

betterU, a global education to employment platform, aims to provide access to quality education from around the world to foster growth and opportunity to those who want to better their lives. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated education-to-employment ecosystem. betterU’s offerings can be categorized into several broad functions: to compliment school programs with flexible KG-12 programs preparing children for next stage of education, to provide access to global educational opportunities from leading educators, to foster an exceptional educational environment by providing befitting skills that lead to a better career, to bridge the gap between one’s existing education and prospective job requirement by training them and lastly, to connect the end user to various job opportunities.

www.betterU.ca and www.betterU.in

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information, which may involve risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, competitive developments, risks associated with betterU’s growth, the state of the financial markets, regulatory risks and other factors. There can be no assurance or guarantees that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, betterU disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should not place undue reliance on any statements of forward-looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Further information on betterU’s public filings, including their most recent audited consolidated financial statements, are available at www.sedar.com.

For further information, please visit  https://ir.betteru.ca/investor-overview/press-releases/

On behalf of the Board of Director,

better Education Corp.
Brad Loiselle, CEO
For further information:
Investor Relations
1-613-695-4100 Ext. 233
Email: [email protected]

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#Edtech Startup #Eupheus Learning Raises Investment From Sixth Sense Ventures #India $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:17 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, 2018

Edtech Market In India

  • According to a report by the India Didactics Association, the online education industry in India is projected to grow almost eight times to hit $1.96 Bn by 2021.
  • The industry is currently valued at $100 Bn.
  • Report also stated that the number of paid users in the segment is expected to grow six-fold to reach 9.6 Bn by 2021.

Mumbai-based venture capital firm Sixth Sense Ventures has reportedly invested an undisclosed amount in Delhi-based edtech startup Eupheus Learning.

According to reports, the venture capital firm had also invested in the startup earlier this year, in March. With this, Sixth Sense Ventures, which focuses on early-stage consumer-focused companies, has become the owner of an about 44% stake in the startup.

Including this investment, Sixth Sense’s total investment in Eupheus is at present pegged to be between $2.04 Mn and $2.45 Mn (INR 15 Cr–INR 18 Cr).

The startup is also aiming to expand over 4000 schools across India by March 2019.

Eupheus: Bridging The Classroom-Home Learning Gap

Eupheus Learning was founded in 2017 by Sarvesh Shrivastava, Rohit Dhar, Ved Prakash Khatri, and Amit Kapoor.

The company aims to close the gap between classroom and home learning by offering  technology-led solutions in the Pre-K to Class XII market.

According to reports, Eupheus has already partnered with publishers and edtech firms to provide differentiated tech-enabled solutions to more than 1,500 ICSE and CBSE board schools in India. Some of the schools it has been working with include the Narayana Group of Educational Institutions, the GD Goenka Group, and the Delhi Public School Society, among others.

While speaking with ET, Sixth Sense Ventures’ founder Nikhil Vora said that the startup is also planning to introduce global programmes in schools across boards and classes as it seeks to partner with  the board which administers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination.

The platform had also raised an undisclosed amount of funding in March from Sixth Sense with an aim to expand its presence to south India.

Edtech Market In India

According to a report by the India Didactics Association, the online education industry in India is projected to grow almost eight times to hit $1.96 Bn by 2021. The industry is currently valued at $100 Bn.

The report also stated that the number of paid users in the segment is expected to grow six-fold to reach 9.6 Bn by 2021.

Edtech companies use technology to solve problems with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big data. With the projected growth in this segment, several edtech startups have come up and are trying to make their presence felt in the space.

What makes Eupheus Learning different is the audience that it caters to. While most other such startups offer technical courses, Eupheus focuses on school students.

However, it is not the only player catering to the K-12 learning space. There are others such as LogicRoots, BYJU’s, IMAX Program, and Vedantu as well.

In March,  BYJU’S was announced as the 13th Indian startup to join the unicorn club. Further, BYJU’s was reportedly in talks with SoftBank and other investors to raise a funding of $200-250 Mn for global expansion.

As a part of its expansion plans, it also acquired maths learning startup, Math Adventures for an undisclosed amount, this year.

With an increasing number of startups developing technology-enabled offerings and looking to scale up their presence in India, one can expect positive growth in the edtech market in the coming years.

Source: https://inc42.com/buzz/eupheus-learning-raises-investment-from-sixth-sense-ventures/

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Emerging trends in #EdTech- A look at the EdTech landscape #betterU $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:07 AM on Friday, October 12th, 2018
  • EdTech market is expected to touch $1.96 Bn by 2021, with close to 9.6 Mn users, from $247 Mn and over 1.6 Mn users in 2016
  • New innovative technologies are triggering a wave of transformation in the Indian education and learning sector – both regarding the content and the delivery
By: Anushree Sharma

For long, learning has been administered by traditional pedagogical techniques. However, the continuous changes in technology have changed the entire paradigm of learning and development at corporates. The rapid integration of technology in learning has made the educational technology sector (EdTech) as a promising market not only in the world but India too. A recent report by KPMG and Google highlights that the EdTech market is expected to touch $1.96 Bn by 2021, with close to 9.6 Mn users, from $247 Mn and over 1.6 Mn users in 2016.

 

 

For several years now, innovations in EdTech have impacted how business professionals want to learn. EdTechs such as virtual classrooms, mobile devices, digital readers, on-demand video, online gaming, and cloud-based LMSs have fed the market that has been, and continues to be hungry for innovation. Traditionally, most investments for product innovation in EdTech were focused on the higher education market. But recently, investors have looked across the traditional market boundaries beyond higher education and toward corporate training.  In fact, according to a study, the global investments in educational EdTech in 2017 crossed $9 Bn, a 30 percent jump from 2016. It was also reported that 813 different EdTech companies received funding last in 2017. One of the critical drivers for rising interest in EdTech can be the adoption rate of new technologies by the millennial community. Millennials entering the job market bring a new set of expectations on how to learn and collaborate. Hence, investment is flowing into the EdTech market at an unprecedented level.

 

                                        According to Metaari advanced learning technology report 2017, over $3.79 Bn was invested in corporate-facing educational technology companies in 2017, trailing consumer-facing companies by $60 Mn. Corporate training and education buyers across the globe are migrating rapidly away from legacy products like self-paced courseware and are now avid buyers of psychometric Game-based Learning, AI-based Learning, Cognitive Learning, and Mixed Reality Learning (that includes both VR and AR-based products).

People Matters reached out to the leaders in the EdTech industry and understood the evolution, trends, and challenges in EdTech. Here are the key findings:

Evolution of Learning Technology

“Competency development and reskilling have become a way of life, not a stage in life.”

 

Raghav Gupta, Director – India and APAC at Coursera

Online learning has evolved significantly beyond its previous reputation for low-quality learning experiences from low tier institutions. The flexible, high quality and affordable nature of the content provided by online learning platforms today are changing the way people learn.

“From a one-for-all approach to the ability to construct one’s learning path.”

 

Nikhil Barshikar, Founder and MD at Imarticus Learning

Over the next few years, EdTech will experience a rapid change in its consumption pattern. From a one-for-all approach, EdTech is now on the brink of personalization to the extent where individual consumers will have the ability to construct their learning paths. AI and Machine Learning will play a significant role in defining this new approach with meaningful recommendations and customized learning journeys.

“EdTech has reinvented the way of delivering learning.”

 

Krishna Kumar, Founder & CEO, Simplilearn

Innovation in technology is changing the way we deliver online education. EdTech is not only making learning affordable and accessible to the deepest roots of the country but has also triggered the upskilling and reskilling phenomena among students and professionals. With the impact of online learning becoming evident, EdTech has gained credibility among the government, industry, and academia which is spurring further mass adoption of this medium of learning.

Emerging trends in EdTech Sector:

In an interview with Coursera, Imarticus Learning, and Simplilearn we found that new innovative technologies are triggering a wave of transformation in the Indian education and learning sector – both regarding the content and the delivery. Here are the key trends in the EdTech sector:

  • Use of emerging technologies like AI, ML, AR, VR:

AR/VR/AI and other emerging technologies will redefine the EdTech space and the online learning experience.

“With an emphasis on skill building across industries and professionals proactively upskilling themselves, trends like hands-on learning, byte-sized learning coupled with gamification, virtual reality, and AI are changing the online learning landscape. EdTech companies need to adopt these trends seamlessly into their learning programs to ensure learners are motivated and engaged to complete their courses targeted with specific outcomes,” says Kumar

Raghav shares, “With the integration of new age technologies like  AI, VR, ML, the learning experience will be more interactive and personalized; resulting in improved access and enhanced learner outcomes.”

  •  Bite-sized or micro-learning modules:

Nikhil shares, bite-sized or micro-learning modules which cater specifically to the content consumption habits of young digital consumers are increasingly gaining traction in the EdTech space. Also, mobile is the preferred channel among young students and professionals to consume online learning courses. Also, mobile is the favorite channel among young students and professionals to consume online learning courses. This is because it allows them the flexibility to access content anytime and anywhere through easy-to-use app interfaces.

  • Personalization: 

Personalization remains a top trend among EdTech firms offering their online learning platforms since it helps to drive maximum user engagement and deliver specially curated content to learners on a variety of subjects and topics.

No doubt, the EdTech industry is brimming with opportunities, but at the same, it is rife with challenges. The most common challenges faced by the EdTech companies and startups are:

Acquisition Cost – Since online training is not bound by geography, neither are its customers which means, the same set of training providers try to attract a specific set of candidates.  This increases the cost of acquiring leads, and therefore, acquisition becomes a significant challenge. “Maintaining a healthy bottom line is EdTech’s Holy Grail,” says Nikhil.

Engagement Rates – MOOCs typically have completion rates of less than 10%. A big challenge faced by all EdTech providers is keeping its learners engaged in the learning lifecycle. Several values added services like projects, coaching and mentoring and gamification techniques are used these days to ensure higher completion.

However, Raghav is of the view that the challenges with engagement rates are diminishing. Raghav says, “Introducing credible degrees continue to be the most transformative credential for career and economic mobility globally. Constantly broadening the portfolio to bring full-fledged online degrees in domains across Business, Data Science, Entrepreneurship, Public Health, and Computer Science would help in elevating the engagement among users.”

Kumar believes that this is the best time for players like them as EdTech is proliferating globally and in India. He shares that EdTech companies need to harness the potential of technology to close the skill gap by delivering training in the latest digital technologies with product excellence and a customer-centric approach.

Source: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/pmlnd/emerging-trends-in-edtech-a-look-at-the-edtech-landscape-19411?utm_source=peoplematters&utm_medium=interstitial&utm_campaign=learnings-of-the-day

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This is how online education #edtech websites can make you learn ‘deeply’ $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:49 AM on Wednesday, October 10th, 2018
What is deep learning? This is how online education websites can make you learn ‘deeply’

Deep Learning has been hailed by businesses across the globe as the next big technology in the realm of data science and artificial intelligence, and rightly so.

Widely used to facilitate automated hearing, image recognition, speech translation and recognition, Deep Learning is the same technology that powers driverless cars, teaching them to recognise signs like ‘stop’ and ‘go’, or to distinguish between a pedestrian and a lamppost.

It also powers voice-controlled functions in electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, or smart televisions.

In an increasingly technology-driven ecosystem, Deep Learning systems can have massive implications for any business, enabling them to take advantage of the massive volume of data they possess to enhance their overall operational efficiency, as well as develop new monetisation models.

What is Deep Learning?

Deep Learning is a machine learning technique which instructs computer show to learn by example, almost exactly like humans do.

Benefits of deep learning:

  • Through Deep Learning models, a computer is taught how to collect and classify information directly from images, text, or sound; these models themselves are guided by neural network architectures and large data sets, which enable algorithms to learn new information through multi-layered processing
  • Although Deep Learning is a specialised subset of Machine Learning, unlike the latter, it can automatically extract relevant information from raw data and perform classifications without any manual intervention
  • Since Deep Learning models run on neural network architectures, they are also usually referred to as deep neural networks
  • The word ‘deep’ separates them from conventional neural networks, which have two to three hidden layers at most. On the other hand, deep neural networks can have as many as 150 layers
  • Deep Learning methods based on neural networks can also perform natural language tasks such as language modelling and processing, part-of-speech tagging, named entity recognition, sentiment analysis, and paraphrase detection, much more efficiently
  • Thus, a key advantage of a deep network is that it can perform tasks with only a single end-to-end model, and without traditional, task-specific feature engineering.

Deep Learning for online learning platforms:

For online education or skilling platforms which own massive databases of visual content, categorising and managing them efficiently is difficult, thereby making all the data unusable.

However, machine learning techniques like Deep Learning help solve this problem, allowing these platforms to organise and classify their database of images.

Thus, by eliminating the need to spend numerous hours on sorting and tagging data manually, deep learning models allow online educational platforms to monetise their visual content and develop comprehensive learning modules.

Considering its wide potential use cases, knowledge of Deep Learning is currently one of the most sought-after skills for digital businesses.

More importantly, though, the demand for this technology presents a massive opportunity for young graduates and professionals to upskill and enhance their career prospects through industry-backed data science courses.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/what-is-deep-learning-this-is-how-online-education-websites-can-make-you-learn-deeply-1157476-2018-01-30

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betterU Education Corporation $BTRU.ca Provides Update on $100M Investment in Progress of Completing $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:29 AM on Wednesday, September 26th, 2018

Betteru large

  • As part of these ongoing development efforts, TUC was required to provide betterU with validation that both their operating entity (TUC) and funding entity (GDS) had been established.
  • TUC has provided betterU with copies of their Articles of Incorporation and Certificates for both TU Capital Ltd. and GDS Holdings Ltd.
  • In addition, a copy of an HSBC bank statement was also provided to betterU validating that the Fund contributors had the capacity to support such an investment.
  • This statement, provided under confidentially, included the bank name, account number, name of the account holder and a US$9 billion account balance

OTTAWA, Sept. 26, 2018 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX-V:BTRU) (FRANKFURT:5OGA) (the “Corporation” or “betterU”) would like to provide an update on the investment progress.

Brad Loiselle, CEO of betterU travelled to Tokyo, Japan from August 29th to September 7th where he had a series of meetings, including discussions with the management of TU Capital Co. Ltd. (“TUC”) from North America. TUC confirmed that the delay in them receiving investment funds by GDS Holding Ltd. (the “Fund” or “GDS”) had to do with an amendment restricting GDS from investing in certain countries. While this does not affect TUC’s investments into Canadian companies, it was a step that was unforeseen and currently being executed on this week according to TUC. Both TUC with GDS are expected back in Tokyo this upcoming next week to complete the necessary amendment. According to TUC, upon execution of this amendment, the funds will be released to them for distribution to their Canadian investments. There was no exact date provided by TUC to betterU indicating when the funds would be received other then a window of 7 days after the funds have been released to them.

The Chairman of TU Capital Ltd., Mr. Kenny Ho, writes, “We also wanted to apologize for the ongoing delays and the impact it has created for betterU. We had unfortunately underestimated the amount of work and associated timelines for the closing over the last year due to the many investments we are making in Canada and abroad. The overall delays have been due to the time and effort placed in building the GDS fund structure, setting up TUC’s operations and working with their Canadian partners while we continued to work with our global ones. We are now on the last phase of this long process and our investment team is working hard to complete the release of funds to betterU. These delays will in no way affect the US$100M equity investment or the agreed purchase price of US$3.00/share. betterU is an exciting company that continues to advance their efforts globally and we truly believe has the potential to be a positive change for emerging markets and the world.”

As part of these ongoing development efforts, TUC was required to provide betterU with validation that both their operating entity (TUC) and funding entity (GDS) had been established. TUC has provided betterU with copies of their Articles of Incorporation and Certificates for both TU Capital Ltd. and GDS Holdings Ltd. In addition, a copy of an HSBC bank statement was also provided to betterU validating that the Fund contributors had the capacity to support such an investment. This statement, provided under confidentially, included the bank name, account number, name of the account holder and a US$9 billion account balance. TUC has also agreed to provide betterU with validation of funds received for distribution to betterU upon release from GDS.

Additionally, no insiders, including new appointments of betterU, will trade their shares until closing of this transaction.

The following transaction is still subject to shareholder and TSX-V approval.

Solving one of the world’s largest educational challenges and being able to provide those in need with access to global education is betterU’s core focus. ‘Access’ for people in emerging markets can improve the lives of millions of people helping lift them out of poverty. Over the last 5 years, betterU has focused on putting in place all the plans, partnerships and infrastructure to support such as vision. “As for the $100M investment, while this can and will be an important part of our business acceleration, it does not define us as a business, nor should it ever take away from what we are working to accomplish. Our purpose is to make a difference in the lives of millions and our focus remains locked on this vision,” said Brad Loiselle, President and CEO of betterU.

While revenue is a critical part of sustainability, it has not been part of the Company’s development priorities. The foundation of its platform, partnerships and technology was required to be completed to support the Company’s market security, vision and future revenue plans.  With only a small core team, betterU has had to focus on the bigger picture, which has required the ongoing support of investments as well. To understand the development scope and logic of betterU’s underlying plans on January 3rd, 2017 Mr. Loiselle wrote and published a white paper titled Equalizing Education for all – Building the future value of Ed-Tech which walks the reader through his strategies on how to build a stronger, more valuable Ed-Tech company that in the long-term, could become a market leader. “There are no short-cuts to solving this massive global problem and as with any business, there will continue to be ups and downs, delays, ongoing requirements for cash, turnover of staff and many other issues and opportunities. We are a team of leaders who continue to plan for our future and prepare for the unknown, but always moving forward,” said Mr. Loiselle.

No prior press releases have spoken about the Company’s revenue plans due to this very reason; however, betterU has now shifted its focus to revenue as a top priority since many of its key business pillars have been successfully put in place.

betterU has built a web of opportunities to grow our revenue potential including:

  • Over 30,000 courses from global educators ranging from KG-12, exam preparation, tutoring, higher education, skills development, job preparation and self-interest.
  • Delivery methods across online (self-paced, instructor-led), in-class and blended learning programs to support Tier 1, 2, 3 and rural villages.
  • Internships, job connections and international student recruitment services.
  • Signed agreements providing access to $40M of mass marketing from top media groups in India.
  • A technology platform (www.betterU.in) that provides access and commonality to educators from around the world.
  • A skilling platform that enables customization and individualized learning opportunities to support India’s mass skilling requirements.
  • Programs to support B2C, B2B and B2G training.
  • A Browser Extension platform that integrates into browsers to support learners as they navigate the world of educators through betterU.
  • A growing global leadership team, advisors and partners.
  • And much more coming.

About betterU

betterU, a global education to employment platform, aims to provide access to quality education from around the world to foster growth and opportunity to those who want to better their lives. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated education-to-employment ecosystem. betterU’s offerings can be categorized into several broad functions: to compliment school programs with flexible KG-12 programs preparing children for next stage of education, to provide access to global educational opportunities from leading educators, to foster an exceptional educational environment by providing befitting skills that lead to a better career, to bridge the gap between one’s existing education and prospective job requirement by training them and lastly, to connect the end user to various job opportunities.

www.betterU.ca and www.betterU.in

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information, which may involve risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, competitive developments, risks associated with betterU’s growth, the state of the financial markets, regulatory risks and other factors. There can be no assurance or guarantees that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, betterU disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should not place undue reliance on any statements of forward-looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Further information on betterU’s public filings, including their most recent audited consolidated financial statements, are available at www.sedar.com.

 

For further information, please visit  https://ir.betteru.ca/investor-overview/press-releases/

 

On behalf of the Board of Directors,
better Education Corp.
Brad Loiselle, CEO

 

For further information:

 

Investor Relations
1-613-695-4100 Ext. 233
Email: [email protected]

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