Technology helping education sector ride out the pandemic, and how

KV Lakshmana

Consulting Editor / [email protected] / Twitter @kvlakshman

This is perhaps one sector that is booming even in a pandemic – education online. In the works for few months, a technology firm Tech Avant-Garde has partnered with Knowledge Key Foundation and software major Microsoft to conduct programmes for digital transformation and holistic learning for the teaching community.

The objective is to make schools and teachers future ready, given that the pandemic has drastically altered the way education is imparted. The new normal is e-learning as is also being experienced with Covid 19 scare posing a health risk to children if traditional learning systems are opened, like in pre-Covid times.

The new technological education firm – Tech Avant-Garde is aiming at training some 1.5 lakh teachers in 72,000 schools across the country. These would have the potential to touch and help in the digital transformation of some 76million school students across the country.

Tech Avant-Garde is holding Knowledge L’avenir Conclave webinars from September 5.

This grand education programme will last for 12 weeks, said Ali Sait, CEO of the company.

Some of the participating early-adopter schools include: Aligarh – Blossoms School; Bengaluru – TCIS-Sarjapur, TCIS-Whitefield, BGS World School, Green Field School, Venkat International School; Hosur – Litera Valley Zee School, MMS-RICE; Hyderabad – Oxford Grammer, Sri Aurobindo International ; Kanpur – Huddard School, Dr. Virender Swaroop Education Centre ; Pune- Orbis Mundwa; and Thane – Arya Gurukul amongst others.

 “In today’s world where knowledge is the greatest asset, the benefits of the information-rich, technology-enhanced, Connected Learning environment must be extended to empower students, teachers, parents, schools and entire communities to learn without limits,” he said adding “Knowledge L’avenir Conclave webinar will give teachers an opportunity to exhibit their digital teaching skills in presence of the teaching fraternity, and community at large.”

Connected learning is a simple yet powerful idea, which is even more relevant today than ever before, that he started in 2002.

Ali wants to facilitate a New Era of Education in a growing number of schools and communities around the world. Technology has helped launch a new era of education that simultaneously fosters academic excellence and the practical experience needed to succeed in life and work in the growing knowledge economy. Nevertheless, communities have only begun to tap the potential of technology for learning.

“With a clear vision, schools can integrate technology available today to start becoming dynamic centers of learning that combine the best of traditional education with unique approaches and innovative teaching and learning tools,” the CEO said and added, “It will become a disrupter is a positive way.”

What this would entail is the effective integration of technology in education and it is an  exciting opportunity that requires thoughtful blending of infrastructure, access, knowledge, and empowerment of students, educators, schools, and communities.

It requires a complex balance between the best of traditional education and new insights about how people learn.  It depends on the use of technology to promote and enrich collaboration and communication and to enable new levels of learning in the classroom and for life, Mr Ali said and hoped that the disruption in life brought about by the pandemic will present an opportunity to embrace newer ways of doing things – even education.

First it was telecom and baking that were changed by technology and now it is the turn of education and health, Ali said.