Episode 34
The Role of EdTech in Shaping the Path to Equitable Learning
Brief description of the episode
This Tech in EdTech episode features guest Ashwath Bharath, Senior Director, of Movement Building at Teach for India. Ashwath discusses how technology has disrupted the educational landscape and how this can contribute to an equitable learning environment for all.
Key Takeaways:
- Technology enables inclusivity by providing opportunities for people with different abilities.
- AI is contributing to instant multilingual content availability, further promoting equitable access to education.
- Technology plays a crucial role in accommodating the growing population and the next generation, as building physical institutions at the required pace is not feasible.
- It is likely that, in the future, there will be a new category of learners who primarily or partially rely on online or blended learning, apart from traditional school systems.
- Pre-pandemic, there were concerns among teachers about the need to learn something new and the fear of technology replacing or disrupting their current methods.
- The pandemic accelerated the adoption of technology in education, making it clear that teachers who didn’t adapt to technology would be replaced by those who did.
- The pandemic acted as a catalyst for change, emphasizing the necessity for teachers to embrace technology and adapt to new ways of teaching.
- There is some resistance from some individuals, but the advancements in EdTech have focused on engineering solutions to customize, gamify, track progress, and provide real-time feedback.
- The impact and effectiveness of EdTech are still being questioned by skeptics, and there is a need to bridge the gap between technological metrics and actual outcomes for end-users.
- The profession of teaching needs to be associated with inspiration and the power of creating great classrooms, moving beyond a sole focus on employment.
- Classrooms and schools play a crucial role in shaping society and should be the centers of social progress as well as economic progress.
- Market forces should be allowed to play a role in transforming the teaching profession, making it easier to enter and experiment with while rewarding effectiveness and continuous learning.
- The importance of being a teacher should be recognized, providing opportunities for growth, networking, and career advancement beyond traditional paths.
- At an individual level, actions involve providing open access, embracing multilingualism, considering the social aspects of learning, collaborating across sectors, and practicing responsible product usage.
- At the collective level, a phased approach is suggested, starting with administrative tasks and progressing toward classroom integration.
- At the sector level, the focus should be on expanding the purpose of education and engaging in active listening and empathy.
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