Anurag Gupta is a Senior Educationist, Serial Entrepreneur, Motivator, STEM Consultant & Innovation Evangelist having 18+ years of experience in the Education and Technology industry, initially in semi-conductor/EDA space, embedded and more recently in IoT & STEM Robotics domain. Currently, working as CEO at STEMROBO Technologies Pvt. Ltd., an EdTech startup providing courses in the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) &; Robotics.
Edtech platforms have been leveraging online learning much before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after the significant disruption of the pandemic, the education industry took the support of online education to upskill students. Today, even when schools, colleges and edtech platforms have reopened physical classrooms, they are ensuring their continuity by adopting a hybrid learning approach.
Hybrid learning, also known as blended learning is a powerful combination of physical classroom methods and e-learning. Owing to technology and automation, educational institutions especially edtech platforms are leveraging hybrid learning to upskill students, particularly the K12 segment. Today, they can successfully do this across all segments and geographies. As a result, students can take much advantage of the flexibility offered by hybrid learning to upskill themselves and stay relevant for meeting the industry standards. Hybrid or blended learning has turned out to be the right tool for effective learning and teaching in the present scenario.
Here’s a roundup of the key ways how the edtech platforms are leveraging this type of learning.
By going beyond opportunities: Owing to top-notch tech, geographical boundaries are no more a barrier for learning and upskilling. Students from any background or region are blessed with the golden chance of exposure. Edtech platforms have access to talented instructors across the world to help students with world-class quality teaching, learning, and upskilling across every stream.
By enhancing flexibility: Students enjoy enhanced flexibility by courtesy of hybrid learning. It offers students 24*7 remote access to education materials & recorded sessions, access to high profile experts, seamless communication with them along with 24*7 support. Through increased flexibility, students can even opt for relevant courses from different edtech platforms as per their aptitude and interests. Besides, hybrid learning significantly reduces the financial burden by cutting down travel, electricity, and accommodation costs to a great extent.
By facilitating experiential learning & effective mentoring: Today, edtech platforms are enabling quality learning and upskilling via live tutorials, real-time learning experiences, and simulations with the help of AR and VR. Experiential learning allows learning through the reflection of doing so, it effectively helps to bridge the gap in the present online world. Notably, experiential modules can facilitate the superior application of hybrid learning knowledge via the skills acquired. Besides, access to renowned mentors during hybrid learning assists in accelerated learning and effectively connects a variety of concepts with real-time experiences and situations.
By allowing peer-assisted learning: One of the key reasons why edtech platforms are leveraging hybrid learning is that it offers peer-to-peer learning experiences. Such kinds of experiences are super engaging, social and most importantly led by students. It ultimately leads to deeper learning that compliments the upskilling process of the students in the K12 segment.
By enabling course access: Today, edtech platforms are leveraging hybrid modes of learning and offering access to courses, that are otherwise not available in schools, colleges, or universities. The courses include STEM, foreign language, and many more options. Power-packed by hybrid learning, edtech platforms can upskill K12 students in unimaginable ways.
Summing Up
Edtech platforms, students as well as teachers are thus leveraging hybrid learning opportunities to enhance the learning and upskilling ecosystem in the above-mentioned ways. By embracing hybrid learning, they can continue exploring further innovative approaches to make their upskilling journey more relevant, impactful, and engaging to the greatest extent.