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The pandemic alerted the world to the need to revamp traditional education practices. While the lockdowns prevented students from venturing outside, entrepreneurs and other enterprising individuals in the field of education came up with novel solutions.
As a result, the ed-tech industry witnessed a boom and the number of online platforms offering various courses grew significantly. India alone bore testimony to the rise of several unicorns in the field. This shift to online platforms has several advantages.
With the increase in emphasis on online learning, students who are willing to learn but do not have access to the resources traditionally could enroll in their desired courses and acquire the necessary skills. This was fostered by the widespread penetration of smartphones and increased access to the internet.
For example, a recent report suggested there will be around one billion smartphone users in the country by 2026. Therefore, while it is true that a large chunk of the population will still be deprived of access, it cannot be denied that the advent of e-learning platforms has made educational systems more democratic and available for the majority.
Platforms now offer standardised courses in jewellery designing, fashion photography, and many more. These courses are structured by specialists keeping in mind the specific requirements of the industry, thus ensuring that those enrolled are ready to compete in the global market. These students have access to pre-recorded lectures by leading industry professionals and are given hands-on training by them.
REDUCING PRESSURE ON THE EXISTING RESOURCES
In addition to the aforementioned benefits, extending learning beyond the classroom offers the additional advantage of taking away some of the pressure on traditional educational institutions.
Many of these establishments suffer from various shortcomings, like the lack of infrastructure, a high student-to-teacher ratio, and poorly designed curriculums. Some even fail to provide students with practical exposure, which is of immense importance if one is to succeed in the field. As a result, they leave those enrolled dissatisfied and unequipped to deal with the challenges which they may encounter in their professional journey.
Learning in the modern day and age has no limitations, and the shift from the old ways of teaching illustrates this.
Expanding the domain of teaching and learning has the advantage of improved accessibility, better training, flexibility and personalisation of learning methods, wider exposure, and reduced strain on traditional structures. It also goes a long way in bridging the gap between the skill-set possessed and those required to excel in the field.
It is the prescribed way of ensuring that the workforce is ready to compete in the world market.
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