Before Corona, only the so called “EdTech’ players were operating in the video/streaming space. Availability of internet at very affordable prices coupled with the rapid increase in internet speed meant that videos/streaming would not only be available for everybody but can also be put to use in fields like education. While cheaper internet and higher speeds were available for over a couple of years before Corona as well, that they can play a major role in education and that ‘Edtech’ can be a necessary avatar that can be donned by all serious players in education came to the fore during the Corona-driven lockdowns.
Due to this realisation, during the lock downs and post-Corona, the difference between Edtech and the traditional players in education not only got blurred, it almost disappeared. Almost all traditional players in education started offering video/live-streaming based classes.
Not surprisingly, the reverse also happened. Once the lockdowns are over and normality resumed, many students/parents wanted to get back to the classroom mode, forcing many of the only online (read Edtech) players to setup physical classrooms. This was inevitable given the significant drop in demand for online education compared to the Corona days.
This happened for various reasons which we will look into in a while. But before that, let us understand that traditional players moving into videos/streaming during Corona and Edtech venturing into physical classes post-corona means that the distinction that existed once between them (Traditional players and Edtech) does not exist anymore. Both the parties now, in most cases, offer the whole gamut of courses (online/offline) or are steadily working towards being able to do so. A key factor to understand here is that this engagement with technology is a step-up for the Traditional players who expanded their offerings by including online courses into their repertoire. At the same time, the Edtech players actually went retro by trying to capture the offline market, which can be said to be a step against the claim of Edtech revolutionising education.Let us now understand why Edtech was forced into taking this, seemingly, retro step. While convenience, which is important for some students/parents, is the major advantage of online classes/sessions, there are aspects of classroom education that cannot be replicated at the same level in the online mode. Unhindered interaction with faculty and peers that is possible in a classroom setting is not possible in the online mode.
While some level of interaction is possible in the online mode, the quality of the interaction and theassurance and confidence that such interactions in the physical classrooms produce are at a much higher level and cannot be replicated online.
Interaction with and amongst peers is virtually absent in the virtual classrooms. This causes a significant loss of learning, particularly among those who need not only the faculty to learn from but also multiple anchors like friends on whom they fallback for queries that they may be too shy to ask the faculty.
All these factors contributed to the reduction in the popularity Edtech players. Online sessions are now mostly being looked at as a backup option. Students can use these to bridge their gaps from their regular learning.
Traditional players are now offering hybrid mode of classes and utilising such offerings to ensure that students get the best of both the worlds – On demand video/streaming content ensuring convenience, and classroom sessions ensuring high-quality interaction with faculty and peers. This seems to be the model to ensure success, going forward, for both the parties – students and the institutes.
The writer is Sr. Course Director at T.I.M.E.
