K12 Digest – January 2021 – India Edition – Trends that will Reshape Education in 2021

EDUCATION TRENDS IN 2021 SPECIAL

INDIA EDITION

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FEATURING INSIDE

Ashish Chaturvedi, Founder – School Diary Beas Dev Ralhan, Co-Founder and CEO, NextEducation India Pvt Ltd

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What’s

TRENDS THAT WILL RESHAPE EDUCATION IN 2021

Damayant Bhattacharya, Principal, Jasudben ML School and Bloomingdales Pre- Primary Dr. Varun Gupta, Education Advisor to the State of Africa African Diaspora Mohammed Zeeshan, Co-founder & CEO, MyCaptain Nidhi Bansal, Pro-Vice Chairperson, Pacific World School

JANUARY 2021

Dr Swati Vijay, Honorary Director of Motion Education Pvt. Ltd. and Director of Motion kid Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High Rishab Mehta, Founder & CEO, GrayQuest Rohan Parikh, Managing Director, The Green Acres Academy Rustom Kerawalla, Chairman, Ampersand Group Sourav Biswal, Head of Robotics and Computer Science, Orchids - The International School Sumana Iyengar, CEO & Co-Founder, Goavega Software India Pvt Ltd K12 Digest January 2021

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K12 Digest K12 Digest January 2021 Sept-Oct 2020

K12 Digest Sept-Oct 2020 K12 Digest January 2021

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January 2021

Vol - 2 Issue - 1

Education Trends in 2021 Special Editor in Chief

Dr. Manoj Varghese

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

Consultant Editors

Dr. Johny Andrews Andrew Scott Joseph Alex

Naomi Wilson Stanly Lui Emma James

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Art and Design Charlie Jameson

Sales & Marketing

Jennifer Anderson Rachel Roy

Monica Davis Annie Smith

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K12 Higher Digest Education Digest January May-June March2021 2019 2020

London Connecta Global Ltd. 27, Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, United Kingdom Bangalore Connecta Innovation Pvt. Ltd. Carlton Towers, Old Airport Road, Bangalore - 560008 India K12 Digest is a digital magazine published by Connecta Innovation Private Limited.

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MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

Education 2021: The Positives of an Overnight Transformation

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ast January, everything was normal. With students in classrooms and teachers on the dais, the presence of smartphones and computers was limited in the learning process. Then it came quicker than we anticipated. The virus took thousands of schools and millions of teachers and learners out of the physical space.

Then, everyone had to switch to remote classes almost overnight. As per the World Bank statics, 1.6 billion children were out of school worldwide at the peak of school closures in April 2020. Over 220 million students in tertiary education worldwide were affected by campus closures, with the technical and vocational education training sector also disrupted.

The pandemic sidelined the traditional teachinglearning methodologies and forced education technology

to up its game quickly. Computers, tablets, and smartphones have become the new norm of education. In fact, education institutions have realized the importance of investing in building interactive online video lessons to make learning more enjoyable. Now, the vaccine is here. Students have come back to the classroom. Teachers are on the dais again. However, the changes EdTech has brought forth will continue to influence classroom teaching.

At K12 Digest, with a panel of expert advisors from all over the globe, we have always been looking for the latest happenings in the education sector. In this issue, we have gathered insightful articles written by academic administrators, teachers, and industry leaders in India. They all talk about a common topic – trends that will reshape education in 2021.

Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

K12 Digest January 2021

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INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Chris Wright

Maarit Rossi

Former International School Principal, Former Group Project Director at a World Class Learning Group, Education Consultant - Wright Solutions, United Kingdom

Founder & CEO - Paths to Math Ltd, Former Mathematics Teacher and Principal, Global Teacher Prize Finalist, Finland

Dr. Stuart Grant Colesky Principal, Rundle College, South Africa

Zeljana Radojicic Lukic Exceptional Educator from Serbia, Founder of Association of the Best Teachers of the Former Yugoslavia, Founder of Magical Intercultural Friendship Network, Founder of Creative Magic - Children’s International Festival, Founder of Magic Village, Serbia

Asst. Prof. Dr. Poonsri Vate-U-Lan Assistant Professor in Education, Ph.D. Supervisor and Researcher, Thailand

Stephen Cox

Elena Shramkova

Chief Education Officer, New Nordic School, Finland

Liljana Luani

Senior Teacher ‘Pashko Vasa’ school Shkodra, Exceptional Volunteer, Albania

English and Literature teacher, Owner of “The Smart Teens Studio of English” in Belgorod, Russia

Ralph Valenzisi Chief of Digital Learning and Development, Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut, United States

Servatius (Servee) Palmans Former Director School Administration & Business Operations (Large Education Group), Chief Operating Officer - BBD Education, Dr. Lilian Bacich Netherlands & UAE Senior Educationist, Author, Keynote Speaker, Co-founder Tríade Educacional, Brazil

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Hatem Slimane Founder & National President - ATAST, General director of IFEST² the international projects competition in Tunisia, General secretary of MILSET Africa, BRISECC member, Tunisia

Hidekazu Shoto

Dr. Venus M. Alboruto

Angus Duthie

Master Teacher, Researcher, Innovator, Trainer, Philippines

Former Vice President Security (Large Education Group), Former British Army Officer (Airborne Forces), Senior Advisor – Resilience and Crisis Management (Emerald Solutions Group), United Kingdom & UAE

Innovative English and ICT Teacher, Author, Japan

Ian Deakin

Deputy Head and Dean of Faculty, Dalton Academy, Beijing, China

Shady Elkassas Rania Lampou

Global Teacher Prize Finalist 2019, 15 International Awards on STEM, STEM Instructor, Educator, Neuroscience Researcher, Trainer & Author, Greece

Assistant Principal, Sharjah American International School, United Arab Emirates

Fethy Letaief Distinguished Senior EFL Teacher, ISA Coordinator with the British Council, Motivational Speaker, Tunisia

Herwin Hamid

Ha Nga

EdTech Specialist, Speaker and Teacher Trainer, Innovative ICT Educator, ICT learning multimedia developer, Indonesia

Revolutionary English Educator, Globally Connected English Studio - Hanoi, Vietnam

Dr. Leonilo Basas Capulso Master Teacher, Speaker and Researcher, Philippines

Kihyun Park Innovative Educator of Online Classroom, Pungsaeng Middle School, South Korea

Mr. Ngô Thành Nam

Technology Academy Manager, Microsoft Learning Consultant, Global Trainer, Vietnam

Dr. Manoj Varghese Senior Director of Strategy & Partnerships – Connecta Education Ltd., Former Global Director - Technology & Risk Management - GEMS Education, Former Regional Committee Member – Varkey Foundation, UK, UAE & India.

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REDUCED DISPARITY IN EDUCATION DUE TO ONLINE EDUCATION

Rustom Kerawalla, Chairman, Ampersand Group

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MENTOR’S OPINION

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HOW TO DEVELOP VIDEO AND VISUAL CONTENT FOR CHILDREN

Nidhi Bansal, Pro-Vice Chairperson, Pacific World School

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

CONTENTS

K12 Digest January 2021

UNRAVELLING THE WORLD OF CODING FOR YOUNG MINDS

Sourav Biswal, Head of Robotics and Computer Science, Orchids - The International School

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TECHNOLOGY WILL LEAD EDUCATION INDUSTRY IN 2021

Dr. Varun Gupta, Educationalist, India Peace Ambassador, Entrepreneur and Education advisor to the State of Africa African Diaspora

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SOCIETAL MINDSET SHIFT TOWARDS SUBJECTS AND CAREER

HOW ED-TECH TOOLS CAN BE LEVERAGED FOR EMPOWERING TEACHERS

Ashish Chaturvedi Founder – School Diary

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Mohammed Zeeshan, Co-founder and CEO, MyCaptain EDTECH TRENDS THAT WILL ALTER EDUCATION IN 2021

Beas Dev Ralhan, Co-Founder and CEO, NextEducation India Pvt Ltd

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

K12 Digest January 2021

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STUDY NOW, PAY LATER: THE NEW EDUCATION FINANCING TREND IN 2021 TIPS TO PREPARE YOUR TEENS THIS YEAR FOR HYBRID LEARNING MODEL

Dr Swati Vijay, Honorary Director of Motion Education Pvt. Ltd. and Director of Motion kids

WHAT DOES THE EDUCATION SECTOR HAVE IN STORE FOR THE YEAR 2021?

Rishab Mehta, Founder and CEO, GrayQuest

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Damayanti Bhattacharya, Principal, Jasudben ML School and Bloomingdales Pre- Primary

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

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ADMIN PERSPECTIVE

CONTENTS

K12 Digest January 2021

ROLE OF AR AND VR IN TRANSFORMING THE EMERGING EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SECTOR

TRENDS IN EDUCATION SECTOR FOR THE YEAR 2021

Rohan Parikh, Managing Director – The Green Acres Academy and Co-author: Rhea Jaffer, Manager, Research and Outreach, The Acres Foundation

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IMPORTANCE OF CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY IN THE POSTCOVID-19 NORMAL

Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High

Sumana Iyengar, CEO and Co-Founder, Goavega Software India Pvt Ltd

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EDTECH INSIGHTS

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MENTOR’S OPINION

Reduced Disparity in Education Due to Online Education Rustom Kerawalla, Chairman, Ampersand Group

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With many more cutting-edge technologies on the anvil, there is still a huge potential in online learning to both improve education and reduce inequalities

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ndia’s uneven experience with remote online-based learning this year may have made many people question the idea of a tech-based education future.

Parents are exhausted, students are bored, and India’s digital divide, with the rural population far less likely than the urban population to own a computer or have access to high-speed Internet, threatens to exacerbate learning inequities.

However, with many more cutting-edge technologies on the anvil, there is still a huge potential in online learning to both improve education and reduce inequalities.

In fact, technology can engage students by allowing them to pursue their own interests, regardless of the resources or capabilities of their particular school. With the usage of augmented and virtual reality, gaming, and other formats, students can gain an overall enhanced learning experience.

The right technology can give a student access to the vast amount of information that’s available. It gives them access to a wider world. This sort of technology can disrupt

the traditional model of ‘sitting in a room full of chairs with educator standing at the front talking to you’. And it can be available to students with the technology they have. Moreover, technology can also boost equality when it comes to providing educational opportunities outside the premises of a school.

Education is no more the reserve of those with resources. With online classes, distance doesn’t matter for a learner. Similarly, some students simply learn better when they have time to peruse the material themselves outside of a classroom environment. This is just one of the many benefits that online education has to offer.

Traditional Teaching Versus Online Education Among the various benefits of online learning is the potential for a greater variety that can be made available for students. Traditional teaching is limited by the availability of their faculty to provide particular classes at certain time durations. With online learning, teachers can teach from anywhere at any time – they can even design the entire

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Rustom Kerawalla is a renowned educationist, an EdTech entrepreneur, and a veteran expert in the global and Indian education policy landscape. He has over three decades of experience in working with diverse policymakers and government institutions. Recently, he was included as part of the Confederation of Indian Industry Western Region’s Task Force on Education. Ampersand Group is one of the leading organizations for providing end-toend school management solutions to private institutions, government-operated institutions, public-private partnership projects across India, and Africa. Kerawalla has also established VIBGYOR Group of Schools which has 39 branches across 14 cities in India.

course ahead of time and simply post it online for students to access at their convenience.

Greater Flexibility is More than a Buzzword Online learning is presented in a very different way from traditional classroom teaching methods. In many cases, teachers for online courses prepare their weekly teaching material and then make it available to students online. It is possible for students then to access with the flexibility of time and work through study materials at their own pace.

An Array of Options in Multimedia With respect to online education, learning material can be presented in several different ways. Though the course may not take place in a traditional classroom setting, the educator can still record a video of an actual session and make it available to students. The educator can also give access to students to various supplementary resources like additional online videos, PowerPoint presentations, websites and e-books, among others. It is possible to use or reference these resources in a physical classroom setting, but with online learning, all of

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these resources can be made available in a single location for easy access.

Moreover, traditional learning requires a student to sit in a classroom for instruction. With online education, a learner can learn from any place that has an Internet connection.

The Roadmap Ahead While online education offers a great many benefits, it may not be right for every student. Online learning requires a great deal of self-discipline for the student and remains one of the key challenges in terms of imparting knowledge in this tech-enabled remote learning format.

Furthermore, non-cognitive skills that are strong predictors of educational performance are likely to influence the success of online teaching. Ability to selfmotivate, attitudes towards learning and self-beliefs have all been shown to be important determinants of educational achievement.

Therefore, the future of education is going to be hybrid.

Teachers, parents, and children will use a combination of in-person and online resources. The mix will depend on the subject, the children and the particular availability of resources.

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ADMIN PERSPECTIVE

What does the Education Sector have in Store for the Year 2021?

Damayanti Bhattacharya, Principal, Jasudben ML School and Bloomingdales Pre- Primary

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Ground-breaking virtual reality (VR) and revolutionary augmented reality (AR) technology are advancing the classroom

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any people believe that we are currently witnessing the Fourth Industrial revolution.

With the emergence of the world wide web and its revolutionary innovations, each and every facet of our lives has evolved immensely. Be it our economy where from the days of barter system, we have arrived at prompt digital money transfers or our transportation modes which have evolved from bullock carts to self-driven cars, change is palpable in every aspect of our lives. One industry which not only has transformed in itself but also has stimulated the change in other domains is the education sector.

Classrooms and modes of teaching are evolving and upgrading with each year to keep pace with the changing trends of the world. From subject matters to the teaching and learning methods, the entire process of education has seen remarkable advancement. In the coming year, institutions of the world along with educators will experience significant change in trends, like the following, that will further transform the education industry Progressive Teaching Techniques Technology is an innovation of humans, so when an educator can apply technology to teaching, there is

innovation of thought and technique involved as well. The process allows teachers to provide multimedia to address diverse learning styles, such as animation, live video, etc. Besides, it allows teachers to develop online courses where students can learn in their own space and at their own pace.

Synergic Learning Today everybody is connected to one another due to technology. Teachers connect with Students, discussing while sharing their opinions and acting upon situations collaboratively.

For example, instead of being in a classroom and listening to teachers speak nonstop, students can join an online group/ platform and learn together by interacting with their peers. In this case, teachers are more accessible and act as mentors to help students develop themselves. This collaborative learning approach helps students strengthen their interpersonal skills and bridges the gap between teachers and students.

Use of Virtual reality and Augmented reality Ground-breaking virtual reality (VR) and revolutionary augmented reality (AR) technology are advancing the classroom.

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Immersive VR experiences use a VR headset to project images, creating a real or virtual world that users can see and interact with. It also includes gesture controls and easy-to-use teacher controls.

AR, on the other hand, can be accessed simply through a smart device like a phone or tablet and rather than immerse the viewer in another reality, it places these images on top of the real image on the camera. As a simple example, Google search allows you to see different animals in your environment, so you could be looking at a lion sitting next to your desk! Try it yourself by searching for “lion” on your smart device.

These digital technologies will inspire students to think beyond the four walls of the classroom. AR and VR will be successfully utilized for recreating real life environments and scenarios for practical learning, high-tech training, field trips, virtual labs, etc.

Damayanti Bhattacharya is a veteran educator with an experience of over 30 years in the field of education. A qualified Master of English Literature from Calcutta University, Damayanti Bhattacharya also holds a B. Ed degree, is an AP certified teacher as well as an IGCSE certified teacher for Global Perspectives. She taught briefly in 2 schools in Gujarat where she lived for a few years, and after that she came to Mumbai to further pursue her goal of imparting holistic education in 1994. Ever since then, she has been striving to bring out the importance of character building and overall personality development of the students.

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Learning Through Projects Project-based learning is a teaching method that actively engages the students in real-life projects. The idea is that students ‘learn by doing’, with teachers acting as the handson facilitator.

The objective is to help students develop critical-thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills; all of which are highly sought-after 21st century skills, valued by employers.

Inclusion of soft skills training in curriculum A significant education trend in 2021 will be a remarkable shift from subject-based rote learning to more skills-oriented learning methods. Educators are focusing on building the aptitude around critical thinking, problem solving and management skills of students. The application-based syllabus impels students to apply their learning into real-life scenarios and this is an enormous change from the traditional bookish teachings of schools. Students are acquiring the necessary skills which will enable them to navigate through their career path with confidence as well as facilitate an adept and capable future workforce.

While the overall education trends in 2021 mainly revolve around technological transformation and digitisation of classrooms as well as teaching methods, the educational sector will have a lot more to offer with a broader outreach in the years to come. This will also significantly influence the developments in the professional fields as well. Students who will form the aspiring workforce will undergo holistic development of leadership skills, team-building skills, communication skills through classroom learnings. Following the pandemic, there is an equal emphasis on both offline and online training, to successfully prepare students to face realworld challenges confidently.

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

Edtech Trends that will Alter Education in 2021 Beas Dev Ralhan, Co-Founder and CEO, NextEducation India Pvt Ltd

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Personalised learning is the key to 21st century education. When students are provided with personalised learning paths and resources, they tend to excel in academics

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he last decade has brought significant changes in the way we teach and learn.

Edtech has revolutionised pedagogy which has evolved from handwritten manuscripts to online learning tools and app-based learning. Students are now able to leverage edtech platforms and tools to learn from wherever they are comfortable and at their own pace. According to the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, the edtech market is expected to grow to USD 40.9 billion in the next two years at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.3%.

Let’s take a look at some of the major edtech trends that will enhance the teaching-learning experience and reshape the education system in the coming year.

Virtual classrooms Live lectures create a real classroom-like learning environment, thereby providing a comfortable learning experience. Technological advancements, like the integration of artificial intelligence in live lectures enables educators to monitor students’

activities, track their attendance and even proctor the assessments. This, in turn, makes the teachinglearning process more engaging and transparent.

Virtual and augmented reality Augmented and virtual reality makes learning interesting for students by providing them with experiential learning opportunities. AR- and VRenabled learning tools enable teachers to teach in a more engaging and productive way by clarifying various concepts and their applications through visually appealing means. This, in turn, makes the teaching-learning process more interactive.

For instance, virtual lab simulations help students perform experiments in digital labs.

Cloud-based edtech platforms Integration of cloud technology with education is gaining popularity in India owing to the data security and ease of accessibility it provides. Not only does cloud-based edtech platforms streamline academic operations but they also facilitate smooth management of administrative tasks such as admissions, creation

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of report cards, fee management, student and staff management, parent-teacher communication and much more.

Personalised and adaptive learning Personalised learning is the key to 21st century education. When students are provided with personalised learning paths and resources, they tend to excel in academics. By leveraging AIML-based tools, educators can understand the learning progress of each student and focus on their learning needs in a better way. In addition to this, educators can assign study material and assignments and even track the submissions and content usage of each student.

Beas Dev Ralhan is the Chief Executive Officer of Next Education India Private Limited, a technologydriven education enterprise, headquartered in Hyderabad.

Beas co-founded this educational organisation in 2007 along with Raveendranath Kamath, an IIT Kharagpur alumnus.

Phygital learning Phygital learning or blended learning environment paves the way for educational institutions to impart new-age online education as a supplement to on-campus learning. Blended learning not only ensures uninterrupted teaching and learning but it also empowers students and educators to connect beyond the classrooms and make the best use of resources.

Digital masterclasses Grounded on the fact that students have more exposure to the Internet and different digital devices today, digital masterclasses are gaining popularity. It encourages students to take an active interest in learning as they get the opportunity to be taught by top-line experts from different fields.

Block-based coding systems One of the best ways to provide practical learning is through block-based coding. Coding, a blockbased programming language, exposes students to practical learning as it includes instructions in the form of blocks. It enables students to not only make multimedia projects and animated

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Since children are always intrigued by robots and their mechanisms, robotics as a subject is gaining popularity in K–12 education

stories but also science projects, interactive artwork and more.

they tend to become lifelong learners and develop a love for learning.

Robotics Since children are always intrigued by robots and their mechanisms, robotics as a subject is gaining popularity in K–12 education. Robotics helps students fine-tune their understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts and develop 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and decisionmaking. Moreover, it helps stimulate their creativity and satisfy their curiosity.

STEAM In addition to science, technology, engineering, and math, STEAM-based programmes include art subjects (humanities, language arts, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design, etc) as well.

One of the major advantages of integrating STEAMbased programmes in edtech platforms is that it empowers learners to learn in a connected learning environment and gain better conceptual clarity through hands-on learning activities and creative designs. This, in turn, develops collaboration skills, critical thinking and creativity in students.

By leveraging edtech platforms, schools and educational institutions can make a smooth transition from offline to online education which, in turn, will lead to an era where education is easily accessible to all students. By continuously evolving and integrating new technologies, edtech platforms can help schools and educational institutions provide a quality teachinglearning experience even in unprecedented situations by fostering the idea of ‘anywhere, anytime learning’.

Gamification Integrating gamification in an edtech platform makes the teaching-learning process fun and engaging. This approach creates a stimulating learning environment and encourages students to involve themselves comprehensively.

Introducing elements such as narratives, characters, challenges and rewards not only motivate students but also help to keep them engaged. When students take interest in learning,

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

How to Develop Video and Visual Content for Children Nidhi Bansal, Pro-Vice Chairperson, Pacific World School

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The first step for any teacher to accomplish this goal is to identify and acknowledge the multitude of digital tools that are available online

Why Create?

The magically moving multicolored world of videos has captivated the attention of grown-ups and children alike. If the integration of video and visual content in education seemed important earlier, it has now become indispensable. At this specific hour, the twenty first century child finds itself standing in the middle of a digital and academic revolution and educationists must run, just to keep up with this transformation in pedagogy. In such a scenario, personally created e-resources in the form of video tutorials can truly prove to be a heart-balm for the modern teacher and student alike.

Transforming Education Four months ago, the mere notion of online classes for school students would have sent shock waves to the average Indian teacher, but today, the story seems to be different as millions of teachers have shifted the classroom entirely to the virtual realm. The next

step now dictates educationists to explore and master Digital Learning Content production, adaptation and reuse.

Getting Started The first step for any teacher to accomplish this goal is to identify and acknowledge the multitude of digital tools that are available online. In order to be able to navigate from the basic step of getting started to the more daring step of creating full blown tutorials, all a teacher has to do is “Get Started”.

Range of Video Types and Tools Here is a list of the various categories of video tools available for creating quality content online.

Micro Videos For teaching narrow topics in less than a minute, 15 second to one-minute micro video clips are the simplest resource and can be created using the most

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Nidhi Bansal is the Pro-Vice Chairperson of Pacific World School. Graduated as a Psychology Hons student from Delhi University and MBA in Human Resources from Central Queensland university, Australia, Nidhi polished her qualifications and developed a sharp eye to hire the best talent for her institute. She brings with her years of rich corporate experience in international firms in India and abroad. Nidhi started Pacific World school in 2018, and in just 2 years the school is rated number one in its vicinity.

common social media platforms such as Vine, Instagram, or Snapchat. These apps offer several custom pre-sets to aid content creation and work very well with students who have a short attention span.

Training Videos Training videos improve skills and promote independent learning by giving detailed instructions. Apps like Filmora and iMovie can be easily downloaded even on smartphones and are great for creating training videos.

With a proper instruction manual and orientation for new users, creating videos on these platforms is as easy as creating a Facebook account.

Screencast video Creating videos by screen recording and audio narration is by far the fastest and easiest way to create videos.

Teachers taking classes on zoom and google hangouts are already aware of the simplicity of this feature.

Those who wish to take it one step further in terms of

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video quality may use easy soft wares like Camtasia’s screen recording tool, Screencast-O-Matic or BlueBerry Flashback Express Recorder for a no hassle creation.

Animated Videos One doesn’t need to be an artist to make animated videos.

Softwates like Animaker and Powtoon can be used by anyone to make custom made animated videos.

Role Play Videos A teacher may even engage students by creating roleplay videos simply by acting out scenarios from the textbook and recording them. The whole process of creating roleplay videos provides a 360 degree engagement for the students.

Presentation Videos Picture presentation videos are as simple as creating a Power Point Presentation. All one has to do is create the PPT, Click on the File tab, select Export and navigate to

Use of Visuals and editing skills are bound to improve with the number of videos one creates

Create a Video. Finally narration may even be added to explain each slide.

Photo Videos With Apps like Magisto one can easily upload photos and videos, select an editing style, a soundtrack and give it a title. The app automatically adds filters and special effects to it and creates the video. Google Photos app that is available on every smartphone may also be used for this as it follows the same procedure for creating videos.

Full Blown Tutorials Tutorials are videos that follow a comprehensive instructional method for teaching step-by-step. A combination of some or all of the above techniques can help anyone create an effective tutorial.

Stepshot, Animoto, Moovly and Demo builders are softwares that make any video seem like it was professionally made.

It is quite common for teachers to feel overwhelmed by the amount of equipment that is used by content creators. Fancy devices may be helpful for commercial recording but they are definitely not a necessity for creating quality videos as eventually the success of the resource will boil down to the effectiveness of its content, script and voice over quality. Use of Visuals and editing skills are bound to improve with the number of videos one creates. Worrying too much about perfection at the very beginning may paralyze one’s enthusiasm. Even for teachers who are completely new to technology or working in a remote corner of the country, creating quality videos would require a basic smartphone followed by a thorough knowledge of the concept they are teaching. So, whether a teacher falls in the category of technologically challenged or an IT genius, it is time for the whole fraternity to step up and start creating.

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ADMIN PERSPECTIVE

Trends in Education sector for the year 2021 Rohan Parikh, Managing Director – The Green Acres Academy and Co-author: Rhea Jaffer, Manager, Research and Outreach, The Acres Foundation

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If COVID19 continues to prevail, we can expect physical industries like in person tutoring to be affected by the entrance of so many digital and tech based players

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020 was an unprecedented year for school education as much as it was for the rest of the world. We have experienced chaos, confusion and ultimately great change. Following the absurdity and unpredictability of this year, below is a list of some trends that we can expect to observe in school education in the new year!

1.More focus on SEL - After a year characterised by uncertainty and unprecedented change, we have realised the importance of social emotional learning (SEL) more than ever before. SEL skills enable us to manage our emotions, relationships and organise ourselves. Adults and students alike will benefit from time spent on SEL especially because of the emotional turmoil this pandemic has created for us all. As a result, schools and educators are likely to focus more on SEL, to create safe and conducive learning environments and trusting relationships for students, including for new and young students. 2.Digital Learning and Ed-Tech - We have seen digital learning platforms and ed-tech blow up this year.

Massive acquisitions and big investments in disruptive education ideas have taken up large spaces in our daily news updates. It is therefore likely that in 2021 we will see parents and students exploring these new offerings and schools may also begin collaborating with service providers to maximise student learning. Especially if COVID19 continues to prevail, we can expect physical industries like in person tutoring to be affected by the entrance of so many digital and tech based players. 3.Virtual Classrooms and hybrid learning While we are all feeling hopeful about the efficacy of the vaccines, their impact and reach, what 2021 will look like remains uncertain. Even as schools plan for their physical reopening, the implementation will likely be slow and phased. We can therefore expect virtual classrooms to continue to be a common feature of 2021! Many students will continue to learn online for at least the first half of the year. As physical schools reopen, hybrid learning classrooms will be common.

This means, classrooms will make use of a mix of in person as well as online learning methods in order to maximise student learning.

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Rohan Parikh has attained a BSc in Economics from Wharton Business School, an MBA from INSEAD, and has more than ten years of experience in the Real Estate and Hospitality industries.

In 2013, Parikh entered the field of education by founding The Green Acres Academy in Chembur, Mumbai and simultaneously pursuing a Master’s degree in Education through Johns Hopkins University.

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4.Blended Learning - Finally, blended learning is likely to be a common feature of in person classrooms in 2021! After being forced to use only technology for teaching for close to a year, educators have built their capacity and also witnessed the many merits of technology in the classroom. It is therefore the best time to bring technology into classrooms as students and teachers are now more familiar and comfortable with it than ever before!

Many less obvious changes will also be visible in our learning environments in this new year. We are likely to see greater student agency, as in the last year we have seen students be more responsible for their learning than in any other traditional year. Similarly, parents’ involvement and support became a key feature of schooling during the pandemic and so greater parent participation and community engagement can be expected changes. Additionally, we have seen great respect emerge for educators while everyone was stuck at home. We can hope that this sense of gratitude and appreciation will continue, restoring in some ways the respect that this profession has lost.

And finally, the new year, if it brings with it some normalcy will also require a great deal of catching up! While educators and education institutions have adapted and showed great resilience, students have certainly experienced losses in learning. As we get back to our normal lives, a big priority will be ensuring that those who have been most affected, are enabled to catch up!

The whole sTudenT view Our assessments provide a deeper insight into your students’ capability, struggles, learning barriers, current and comparative performance and rate of progress. With this information you are better able to personalise learning according to each individual student’s need. our assessments provide robust, standardised external data for: • Supporting decision-making across teaching, learning and pastoral needs • Identifying areas for school improvement • Preparation for inspections and accreditations.

• Benchmarking and value-added • Informing staff professional development requirements • Showing prospective parents what the school has to offer and he effectiveness of teaching

international@gl-education.com

gl-education.com K12 Digest January 2021

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ADMIN PERSPECTIVE

Importance of Co-Curricular Activity in the Post-COVID-19 Normal Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High

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Co-curricular activity helps students build a wide variety of skills and interests as this would not be in the setting of a formal classroom where pressure to learn is high

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uch of our time now is spent on bringing back normalcy to our lives especially after several months of lockdown. The country is opening up in a calibrated manner which has prompted schools to respond to the new situation systematically. The health and wellbeing of students is of primary concern and one way of ensuring this is by engaging students in co-curricular activities for an optimal period of time. Research has shown that involvement in such activities helps students become tougher and avoid mental health issues, which has been a major concern in the context of the pandemic. Covid-19 will not leave us any time soon and therefore co-curricular activities have to be designed in such a way that students can handle the strains and stresses of the pandemic. Let us examine the advantages of these activities and how they are beneficial to students.

co-curricular activity should be introduced for children to enable them to feel refreshed about academics. Students will then make an effort to learn new things more rigorously and this may even rub-off on academic work. Pauses at the right time would create simultaneous interest in academics and co-curricular activity. A right balance between the two will obtain the right results.

Helps build long lasting relationships Co-curricular activity helps students build a wide variety of skills and interests as this would not be in the setting of a formal classroom where pressure to learn is high. Children will also find more people to interact with as they take to cocurricular activities outside their own groups and friends.

The whole exercise helps in building new relationships with new people.

Multiple online activities will keep students alert While physical activities like sports, athletics and other games have been postponed due to the corona virus, students can take up online games that will keep them alert and involved in group activity that is healthy for the mind.

Students can take up quizzes, debates, elocutions and music and art lessons on digital platforms. Audio plays, short films, readings over video calls and online viewing of theatre and drama will also help students keep in touch with activity that was common during pre-Covid-19 times.

Success beyond the curriculum is important While success at academics is among children is well known, success in co-curricular activity plays a key role in establishing new skill sets and knowledge in children.

Once they get attuned to these new activities, children would strive to be at the top when it comes to going beyond academics. For instance, if one is good at chess, spending more time on this could make a chess champion out of the student. This can happen only if considerable time is spent outside academics and a chess champion could go on to become a world leader in the game.

Breaking academic monotony is vital Continuous academic work in front of the screen would lead to boredom and monotony. This is precisely the time

Adaptability and problem-solving are necessary Students have to learn to be adaptable, particularly when it comes to technology. With digital and online activity

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taking control of academic and co-curricular activity, students have to know how to adapt to and adopt new technologies to learn lessons or co-curricular activities.

For instance, the wide use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, AR/VR, video interactivity has prompted students to learn about disruptive technologies.

It is important to keep abreast of changes to be on top of the techno-world.

Time management and organisational skills are crucial Students have to juggle academics with external activity and this leads to better time management. High involvement in both enables students to be disciplined, to study effectively in the time they have and develop skills to share time between the two domains. Work has to be organised and proper planning has to happen in both domains to obtain the best results.

Totally approachable and down to earth, with forever a cheerful smile; that is Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High School. Quite early in life, her leadership qualities were there for all to see, which found their true manifestation in her emergence as an entrepreneur par excellence, with a vision for the betterment of the society. Under her stewardship & unique approach to education, Greenwood High School has reached newer heights of excellence in moulding the young minds of tomorrow. Niru Agarwal is also the interface for the Group’s social commitments and welfare schemes and has been a prominent fixture in various charitable organisations.

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Go for opportunities in the future Students pursuing co-curricular activities are often given preference over those who are not involved in activities outside the core curriculum when applying for courses or jobs. This can make a huge difference if there is high competition. In today’s world, children aspiring to go abroad for higher studies and careers will have to be very good at activities other than academics.

Develop overall personality development Activity outside the classroom helps build and enhance an all-round personality. As you try learning new things, you develop skills to handle things that are not routine. You will be exploring domains that you haven’t before. Eventually, you would become self-confident and well-molded when you get habituated to new aspects of life. You might one day turn into a great pianist only because you spent those few precious moments for activity other than academics.

In conclusion, it can be said that however much time it may take to learn extra-curricular activities, it is worth the time and effort. School is perhaps the most precious time of a student’s life as that is when the foundation is laid to build one’s expertise and versatility to prepare for the future. Don’t regret later that you didn’t give co-curricular activity its due. Grab the opportunity and make the best of it now!

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K12 Digest www.fusionvle.com 35 January 2021

INDUSTRY VIEWS

Societal Mindset Shift Towards Subjects and Career Mohammed Zeeshan, Co-founder & CEO, MyCaptain

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Gone are the days when Indian parents and students used to rely on traditional fields such as Engineering, Medicine, Law and Accountancy as their go-to careers

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n today’s time and age, India has realised the importance of mental health and social media has led to massive awareness and curiosity about the same. The stigma is slowly decimating, and students, right from backgrounds in Engineering to Business, Arts and Humanities, want to understand how the human psyche functions.

Gone are the days when Indian parents and students used to rely on traditional fields such as Engineering, Medicine, Law and Accountancy as their go-to careers. The past 10 years, with the digital revolution, students moving heavily into various social media platforms and increase in awareness, students have started moving into other alternate careers.

Then there is another section of the society that aims for something different, something bigger for their children. But yet again, this different, bigger option is wrapped up in a few select career paths like engineering, Medicine, management, CA etc.

The most important changes in mindset are twofold: a) There are other Careers out there. b) These are viable and sustainable career options. The

most important change is at the acceptance level – that times have changed and with changing times, emerge new requirements to be met. This needs to happen at an overall societal level both in our parents’ generation and in our own generation. Tier 1 cities are already seeing this form of a change emerge, but Tier 2 and Tier 3 are still behind in India.

The school education system has limited scope for exploration of interests. It’s a constant drone of the same curriculum and teaching method year after year. Parents and students alike do not have any real-life role model they can talk to. They know the neighbouring uncle who is an engineer and doing well so engineering must be a good field. They have never met a writer or a psychologist or designer and as such, hence do not see such fields as concrete career options. Rather, it’s an abstract concept, something that’s not for them or beyond them.

A study conducted by HSBC across different nations had some not so surprising findings. Majority of Indian parents surveyed wanted their kids to take up engineering (23%), business management (22%), CS and IT (16%) and medicine (14%).

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Mohammed Zeeshan is the CEO and CoFounder of MyCaptain, an online mentoring platform. His vision has always been to impact Education and bring a societal mindset shift when it comes to Careers in India and all across the World, and MyCaptain is a step towards this. He comes from a B. Tech Mechanical Engineering background and has a keen interest in Policy, Education, and Impact.

The same study also found that the most important goal that Indian parents have for their children would be a stable and successful career. It is a clear indication that the career of their children is extremely important for the parents, but it also shows that their definition of a ‘successful’ career is highly constrained.

That would have been good had there not been a different trend within the workplace and industries of the world. The very concept of work is changing.

Newer technologies are changing the dynamics of many industries at the same time. 3D printing, AI, ML, automation, all these are disrupting the standard workflow.

Manufacturing one item that required the work of 2 or 3 auxiliary subunits of an industry can be done with a single 3D printer. The advent of companies like Ola and Uber has changed the demand-supply change of not just the car manufacturing and retail industry but also the need for hiring full-time drivers or maintaining a car.

The entertainment industry in India is getting bigger and bigger by the day with entertainers not just being restricted to the tough barbs of Bollywood but exploring without as well. Hence, we see Independent content creators, youTubers, Stand-Up Comedians, and whatnot, coming up and making a life out of these otherwise offbeat careers! Then there is Design, which as a field has been reaching new heights, and with tech reaching to the most rural of the rural areas

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in India, the demand for these jobs has increased. And because such empowerment is being seen by students and young professionals alike, it’s no surprise that Entrepreneurship is on a hike, and it doesn’t just stop there – India has a growing gig economy – an army of freelancers who are disgruntled by the 9-5 of Corporates and startups alike, and want more independence. This is slowly becoming a way of life for many young people and it’s only going to grow from here.

So, yes, the industries and their demands are changing. But unfortunately, the college curriculum and higher education system is not keeping up with that. McKinsey did a study that found 60% of the graduates from countries like India, Brazil, China, etc. have a severe skill mismatch from their industry.

Industry expectations have changed. With each passing year, it’s getting more and more on-demand and personalized in nature. And this change has created demands for a new kind of workforce, one that is as flexible and creative as its demands.

Consequently, the creative and lesser-known industries like writing, designing, psychology, analysis and marketing are coming to the forefront in terms of demand. Freelancing as a full-time job option is also on the rise.

Each day parents and children together find new career paths and discover new fields. And through this, each day, our society’s definition of a “safe”’ career is broadened to include something new.

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K12 Digest January 2021

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EDTECH INSIGHTS

Role of AR and VR in Transforming the Emerging Education Technology Sector Sumana Iyengar, CEO & Co-Founder, Goavega Software India Pvt Ltd

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AR, VR and a combination of the two, often referred to as MR, has been remarkable in creating impactful transformation in learning, assisting students right from pre-school to high school

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ducation, just like other areas of personal and business life, has seen rapid Technology adoption during the COVID lockdown, thanks to the rise in remote learning. As per a report by Venture Intelligence, the Edtech investments in India made a fourfold jump in 2020, from $409 million in the previous year, as the pandemic pushed users to online education. Further, as per the ‘EdTech in India’ report

by Omidyar Network India and RedSeer Consulting, the Indian Ed-tech sector is expected to grow from USD 735 million market to an estimated USD 1.7 Billion, by the end of 2020, registering a 120% growth.

The above growth has largely been driven by rapid technology adoption by the Indian private schools, followed by supportive digital infrastructure and encouraging government policies. From a renewed NEP to push for modernisation of education at the grass root level with initiatives like RISE (Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education) to increasing number of edtech start-ups that are ehlpign create innovations using emerging technology like Artificial intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR) and other forms of digital learning tools, catering to the entire spectrum of students and teachers ecosystem.

AR, VR and a combination of the two, often referred to as MR, has been remarkable in creating impactful

transformation in learning, assisting students right from pre-school to high school. Some of the key applications/ roles of these technologies in education, can be highlighted as under: 1. Immersive learning: AR and VR have been extensively instrumental in ‘gamification’ of learning techniques, by helping create content that is fun, exciting and extremely easy to understand and thus grasp. From basics of language and pronunciations, numbers and general knowledge for pre-schoolers to simplification of complex biology, chemistry, and advanced mathematics, AR and VR have found successful applications across sectors.

2. Interactive and self-paced: Powered by the need for virtual learning, AR & VR moved rapidly from specialised learning labs in schools to easy mobile apps, during the lockdown when virtual classrooms and self-paced learning became the need of the hour. With cutting edge innovations by technology service providers, education technology leveraging VR and AR has become easy for both parents and students, as they can customise and focus on specific learning content either on their smart phones or on mobile apps. Apart from allowing one to watch and re-watch a lesson repeatedly to ensure proper understanding – something not possible in case of

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physical classroom with chalk and board learning, VR and AR content is also interactive with real time feedback mechanism, making learning more efficient and retainable.

Sumana is an experienced IT professional, having spent over 23 years in the industry. This includes global experience across the domain, which includes Delivery management, Risk management, operations management to strategic planning and consulting.

She has successfully executed several business plans and has a strong business acumen for handling channel management activities. Before starting Goavega, she worked in several large MNC’s and product companies.

Some of her past stints include Symphony Services Corp India Pvt Ltd, where she served as a director for 6 years. Additionally, she was at AIG (American International Assurance), Singapore as Assistant Manager from Jun’01 – Apr’04.

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3. Democratisation of content, and special learning for differently abled: AR and VR have been instrumental in curating specialised learning modules for differently abled children and have also been known to be effective for students with learning difficulties. From offering easy access to immersive, interactive, and self-paced content, new innovations in the technology are also making it possible for content to be customised and shared in key regional/ non-English language, making it easier for students and parents who are not used to English as their first language. This unique democratisation of learning on the digital platforms, through these emerging tech solutions, is helping several differently abled, and students from rural areas, to gain access to knowledge more easily and abundantly.

4. Enhanced teacher student engagement: Apart from the above mentioned benefits to students, AR and VR tech innovations in education is also helping enhance the student-teacher engagement, contrary to popular belief! With technology taking over the regular task of ‘sharing’ information, teachers and now free to engage in meaningful dialogue and conversations around the application, analysis and discussion on the knowledge imparted by the tech platform, thus enhancing their productivity and quality of engagement with students. Even as students benefit from value added insights, teachers are able to now explore more domains of interest where they can upgrade their knowledge and teaching skills, get accustomed to using various technology innovations and drive ‘thinking’ oriented approach to learning among children, vs the rush to complete syllabus.

According to ‘Virtual Classroom Market’ report published in February 2020 by the Market Data Forecast (MDF), the Global Virtual Classroom market is expected to reach USD 19.6 Billion by 2024, with an average CAGR of 16.24% during the period*. And with COVID and the wider adoption of virtual classrooms by not only the private schools but also select government education boards during these times, may play a major role in an accelerated growth of the segment.

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

Technology will Lead Education Industry in 2021 Dr. Varun Gupta, Educationalist, India Peace Ambassador, Entrepreneur and Education advisor to the State of Africa African Diaspora

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Equipped with the ed-tech arsenal that comprises apps, software, smart devices and video conferencing tools, the education industry of India is experiencing a great makeover

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he COVID-19 pandemic has turned everything upside-down, but to many sectors; the arrival of the black swan was a bit auspicious. Education is one of those few industries which have consolidated themselves quite effectively against the crisis. The industry smartly improvised the conditions for an adept and agile digital transformation. In 2021 too, stakeholders will experience massive technological advancements that will further reduce learning barriers and help institutions in extending their reach.

Blessing in disguise If necessity is the mother of invention, then a crisis is the father of disruption. Flanked by the two catalysts, the education industry has brought some of the most innovative solutions in this challenging time.

Homes got transformed into schools, desktops into classrooms, and teachers into smart teachers using digital infrastructure and value-added services. When social distancing is the need of the hour, neither the education fraternity nor learners are compelled to compromise with their objectives. Equipped with the

ed-tech arsenal that comprises apps, software, smart devices and video conferencing tools, the education industry of India is experiencing a great makeover.

Learning unstoppable With more than 300 million students, 1.5 million schools, 39,931 colleges, and 993 universities, India has a huge educational ecosystem. Also, India is the second largest e-learning market after the US. In 2021, most of the schools and colleges in urban areas are expected to make significant changes in their pedagogy to complement virtual learning tools.

Macroeconomic changes and easy accessibility of AI-embedded platforms is further expediting the transition. Now, beyond all earlier expectations, the Indian ed-tech market is going to reach USD 3.5 billion by 2022, as per NASSCOM’s forecast. Not only students of schools and colleges, professionals and university students are also adapting to online learning for study, up-skilling, research projects, and hobby classes. Technology enables them to keep learning alive in a more engaging and interactive manner.

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Education on cloud 9 Cloud technology which has already redefined the e-commerce, logistics, and healthcare sectors, is now playing a pivotal role in virtual learning.

The integration of education and cloud technology has immensely simplified the management and administration of the resources. From content sharing to attendance record, the majority of academic and administrative tasks can be optimally managed using cloud technology. Ergo teachers have more quality time to invest in their students rather than spending hours on maintaining registers and preparing reports.

With the advent of smart cloud-based platforms, an array of academic services can be performed in real-time.

Dr. Varun Gupta, an Educationist and Entrepreneur, poised to leverage educational qualification and experience towards steering a successful career as an Educator and Entrepreneur with higher learning institutions has offered immensely to the world of Education and Trade sector alike. Currently, he is the Executive Vice President at On Sky Global and Chief Operating Officer, a USA and UK based institution respectively, engaged in imparting skill-based jobready career programs in various capacities. Dr. Varun Gupta has touched upon the lives of more than 2,00,000 people and has traveled to more than 50 countries to spread the light of leadership, motivation, and guidance under the umbrella of education, skills training, public administration good governance, etc. by placing oneself as a renowned edupreneur in India.

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Binge on blended Though the current surge in ed-tech is mainly attributed to the pandemic, the industry will maintain an upward growth in the post-Covid era, too. The normalcy which expected to resume by the end of 2021 will not impede the growth of e-learning in India.

Ongoing trends and development suggest that blended learning is the evident future of Indian education system. A right mix of digital and traditional learning methods is expected to create synergy in the education system and more people will benefit from the blended learning techniques. Apart from this, a shortage of trained teachers which is a perennial problem in the country could also be resolved through AI-supported teaching methodologies.

Sky is the limit A few months back, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) inducted a new subject “Artificial Intelligence” in the curriculum of class nine. In the future, more emphasis will be given to training modules based on gaming and machine learning technologies. The government of India is also planning to spend US$ 140 billion in this sector for research and developmental activities and they want to position the country among the world’s top five countries. Favourable investment policies such as 100 per cent FDI through automatic route will further accelerate the growth of the education industry in the coming years.

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

How Ed-Tech Tools can be Leveraged for Empowering Teachers Ashish Chaturvedi Founder – School Diary

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An integrated approach to teaching that works towards building supportive educational technology infrastructure for schools, and empower other stakeholders, especially teachers is largely lacking

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s the world gets used to a new normal, while still grappling with the pandemic, businesses, including education, have increasingly become comfortable with new technology innovations that have been a major enabler over the past few months. Although growing rapidly and gaining huge popularity, Ed-tech in India largely remains focussed on the students, with the development of AI and VR enabled assisted learning tools. An integrated approach to teaching that works towards building supportive educational technology infrastructure for schools, and empower other stakeholders, especially teachers is largely lacking.

While the NEP and the digitisation of education, are all leading to a transformation in learning patterns, a lot needs to be explored in terms of the impact on teachers. Digitisation and effective technology intervention can actually empower teachers in the following manner: 1. Automated operations: Operational tasks, like attendance, record keeping, assessment results

etc., are important, but time-consuming tasks in a school and are often thrust upon teachers to handle, given their consistent interaction with students.

These, however, burden the teachers who are already learning to cope up with the new method of teaching online. It also takes away their focus on the key areas of responsibility. Automated operations help reduce this burden by facilitating technology-empowered solutions to mundane school operations, thereby assisting teachers in spending quality time focusing on their core responsibility areas.

2. Seamless parent engagement: This is the second most significant and effort taking task handled by the teachers. Updating parents about their ward’s progress and building long term and consistent engagement with them for the overall development of a child is a vital part of school education. However, as the ratio of students to teacher per class goes on increasing, it is becoming a huge burden. Having an integrated tech-enabled communication platform where teachers could effortlessly document vast information about multiple

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students on a single app, and be connected to respective parents via the app, can make it hassle-free, effective, and real-time. This could include sharing a weekly test calendar or updating the test scores, informing about the schools curricular and extra-curricular activities or even sending one on one messages related to a particular student, having a virtual discussion with the parents, etc.

3. Online assessments: Setting up weekly and term wise test papers, conducting tests and assessing several handwritten test papers is another area that is daunting and requires massive efforts on the part of the teachers. With the virtual classrooms and online learnings, drafting assessments that are friendly to be taken online, like MCQ’s etc., is being explored by schools.

Additionally, smart tech tools leveraging data analytics can be created to assess and rank students work, which can then be shared with parents, reducing the workload of teachers drastically.

An IIM-Kolkata alumnus, Ashish founded uFony, the parent company for School Dairy, in Pune. uFony, meant to rhyme with “euphony” - meaning a pleasing sound, created its first product, the School Diary App, in 2012, as a specifically designed technology solution for the education sector, aimed to simplify and streamline the parent-teacher communication.

4. Interactive learning tools: Over the past few years, emerging technology tools that leverage AR and VR to create fun, interactive learning modules for students, has become popular. These include audio-video animations, 3-D story-telling and other formats, which help teachers to create impactful modules for students and facilitate understanding of languages and phonetics, build cognitive skills, and teach problem-solving approach etc., A widespread acceptance of Interactive tools, with a focus on creating an agile framework for teachers to modify and customise these as and when needed, can go a long way in supporting and enhancing the role of teachers.

5. Assisted learning tools: A lot has been spoken about how AI and ML-driven assisted learning tools and their impact on a child’s learning abilities. While it offers children a more experiential learning platform, teachers benefit from an impactful tool that enhances knowledge uptake and understanding. And although this is helpful, a lot can be done to further make these tools teacher-friendly, to allow teachers to enhance their individual teaching styles.

6. Easy record-keeping for each child: Traditionally the admissions, attendance, assessment, and other records of children have been kept in bulky registers, updated

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manually by teachers, and managed by school administrative staff. However, the method has always been prone to errors and has been a major burden on the time and energy of teachers. Automated and cloudbased data collection, with face recognition based attendance monitoring, automated assessment records, etc., a bulk of the administrative role of teachers can be taken away and managed efficiently by techenabled platforms that allow easy access to it, as and when required.

7. Data-driven insights: This is one area with high potential and yet relatively unexplored when it comes to tech-enabled services for educational institutes. Effective data capture and management of students can help facilitate insightful data analysis, making it easier for teachers to create impactful learning programs and support students struggling with challenges. From regular school conduct, instances of conflict, behaviour and learning disabilities or challenges, to recommendations and help in the early planning of career path, data-driven insights can help teachers navigate the essential student behaviour challenges and assist them in their overall, holistic growth.

8. Continuous learning opportunity for Teachers: Creating access to self-paced, detailed and well-crafted training modules to help teachers pursue skill enhancement and knowledge up-gradation, can be an empowering tool, especially during such times.

Further, access to an unlimited and diverse set of learning opportunities with certification from reputed institutes can help enrich teachers and help them remain updated about the latest in their field of choice while allowing them to broaden their career prospects and growth.

9. Real-time Online surveys/feedback: While creating a curriculum and managing students, teachers could use a lot of support from real-time feedback. A tech-enabled platform that facilitates effective schoolteacher-parent engagement can go a long way in helping teachers create an effective teaching module, drive efficiency, save time and create better impact. Through real-time online surveys, feedback and appreciation

Over the past few years, emerging technology tools that leverage AR and VR to create fun, interactive learning modules for students, has become popular

as well as healthy discussions, teachers can gain access to insights and implement the same for their teaching method.

Apart from the above pointers, leveraging technology to drive knowledge sharing, seminars and conferences and virtual support groups, among teachers, can all go a long way in building a strong and reliable support ecosystem for teachers. With effective government policies around digital literacy and the NEP which further enhances the widespread role of technology adoption for education, there is a lot of potentials for ed-tech service providers and schools to create and adopt innovations focusing around enabling and empowering teachers.

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

Tips to Prepare Your Teens this Year for Hybrid Learning Model Dr Swati Vijay, Honorary Director of Motion Education Pvt. Ltd. and Director of Motion kids

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Teenagers are undergoing a lot of changes, physically and mentally which is just the opposite of what the current times and hybrid model of learning demands them to do

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he year of 2020 has been an awkward and exhilarating phase for the young developing minds, the goals, ambitions and the roots of learning changed drastically. Being a teenager in these times, came with its own share of baggage, the baggage gets even heavier being a parent to this teenager. Parents were struggling to create a balance between controlling, managing and nurturing their adolescents. Academics in any possible manner could not go for a toss, and needed to be streamlined as per the requirements of the hybrid learning model.

Living with teenagers come at its own cost, the shaping of opinions is fast and rigid. It requires more than the ability to simply listen and understand, for getting through their minds. Additionally, when a deadly virus is lurking outside, the ecosystem around the teenagers should be conducive to inspiring growth and motivation to witness the positivity in adversity.

1. Altruism is an important virtue A true act of goodwill always sparks another. Imbibing the young ones with the virtue of altruism is a healthy step

for the mental and social growth of an individual. The pandemic situation where students were battling for basic resources and opportunities, the adolescents undergoing this phase were prone to stress and anxiety. In such times, letting the kindness prevail among not just the peer group but towards teachers as well would be a prudent step. This would also make teenagers more careful about the people around them, and further serve as becoming awareness agents for the society.

2. Readiness to adapt Teenagers are undergoing a lot of changes, physically and mentally which is just the opposite of what the current times and hybrid model of learning demands them to do.

It is important parents understand that fear and controlling behaviour cannot be established as long-term practices especially for the maturing individuals into adulthood.

As innately, they are also seeking to gain some power and control with maturity.Training them to adapt is only possible, when you expose them to situations out of their comfort zone but do not become too pushy. Teenagers can get either get creative and evolve, or be repulsive at the

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Dr Swati Vijay is a Speech Therapist, Audiology Specialist, and gold medalist in (College and year). She played a pivotal role in helping people with voice problems, stuttering, speech pathology, and now provides consultation to hospitals seeking this certification. Her tremendous 15 years of experience in her field transformed many lives. In addition to treating a cohort of speech-related problems, Dr Swati is an expert in human psychology. Her love for kids and a better understanding of child and teenage psychology led her to step into the education sector.

very instinct. So lending an ear to their interests, plans and perception will be the right step to work with them.

3. Social learning courses Social interactions have been constrained and reformed to the virtual meetings. Classrooms are no more about entering the class late, cracking jokes with your classmates about the excuses made,and so on. Hybrid learning model try and introduce the human element via multiple fun activities and games, but in the end the monotony of consecutive classes cannot just be overcome with breaks. Social learning courses are the right choice for adolescents.Online instructor-led fitness and skill-based programs aimed at striking a right balance between the physical and mental wellbeing of children have caught attention of many parents. A significant percentage of parents were comfortable in letting their child participate in home-based sports events. As with the aid of such programs, they could ensure that kids can continue to stay active and nurture their sports journey in the

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comfort of their own homes, thus making screen time more productive for them.

4. Help kids function towards their passion Adolescents in their reforming years tend to grasp concepts faster, and habits cultivated during this time tend to last longer. Engaging them towards something that they genuinely love and feel relax in doing it, not just add on to their skill set, but also pushes them towards working hard for their academics.

5. Make time for health and wellness World Health Organization also formulated new guidelines for young children to strike a balance of physical activity, non-screen sedentary time and adequate sleep. This highlights the ardent need for a fitness routine in every teenager’s daily lifestyle.

The kind of diet, sleeping schedule, stress levels also play an important role in influencing the health of an individual. Physical activities like Yoga and exercise also gives chance to more family time, and acts as a good relief break from the screen time.

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ACADEMIC VIEWS

Unravelling the World of Coding for Young Minds Sourav Biswal, Head of Robotics and Computer Science, Orchids - The International School

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The relevance of coding will be multiply manifold and would be integrated with all other streams in the STEM fields

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oding is the newest buzzword, and while there is a lot of noise around the world, there’s not a lot of understanding on what it really is, and why everyone wants to get on the bandwagon with it. Coding, simply put, is the method of communicating using a computer. It helps in creating computer applications, software and video games. When computers were first introduced as a subject in the school, the idea was to introduce technology to the students. With coding, schools go one-step ahead and equip students with the ability to use the technology.

Coding has become inevitable in the current world.

The relevance of coding will be multiply manifold and would be integrated with all other streams in the STEM fields. We are seeing rapid expansion in the application of Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning and coding is an enabler for these fields. Starting from mobile phones to in-flight controls to outer space projects, all sectors have been impacted by this emerging tech.

Gone are the days where rote memorization was the norm of education. While there’s so much advancement in

technology, it is important for the curriculum also to play catch-up, therefore ensuring that students are prepared for the way the world is moving. There are apprehensions among parents that coding is adding a lot of burden on the students, coding is actually aimed at developing the thinking ability of the children, and helps them to deal with critical situations with creative solutions. Coding, in fact, has its own form of language, and languages; as we know helps children to learn communication by developing logical thinking.

Besides developing logical thinking, and other cognitive skills, coding has also been known to help children think creatively. Through experimenting with new codes, children learn and strengthen their development. Even making mistakes, teaches them. Children get the opportunity to be creative and creativity is part of this process rather than the outcome. Creativity, logical reasoning and cognitive skills are one aspect, but coding has also been known to help children with numeric skills too. With coding children will be able to visualize abstract concepts, and teach them to apply mathematics to real-world situations.

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With coding children will be able to visualize abstract concepts, and teach them to apply mathematics to realworld situations

Sourav is a passionate and motivated individual with a keen interest in upcoming tech related products. He is currently heading the robotics department in K12 Techno Services. He is looking after the content and kit development along with it the operational, financial aspects of the educational toys that are being currently developed. He managed and ideated the cs and robotics teaching online platform called EdRoboVate(Registered under K12 Techno Services).

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There is no field that is left untouched by coding. From mobile phones, biotech products, to reach the depths of the ocean and to reach and explore outer space, all fields have been touched by computer applications and coding. Even the fields of music, arts, dance, have been touched by robots. Many new job roles have opened up in recent times like big data, data analytics, SEO, data mining, etc that were non-existent a few years ago.

In the future, there will be a lot of new job roles in the field of AI, ML that we possibly have not heard of now. And in the next 4-5 years, we will definitely require smart machines running robust systems (with coding) to achieve advancement. So coding is the future.

The schools catering to the present generation need to look at teaching coding in the school to help them prepare for technological advancements happening in the world. Coding can be easily taught as a part of the curriculum at schools, by designing concepts of the basics. It is simple to learn for the students and when taught in the classes at school, which is why there is a growing popularity in teaching coding as a part of the curriculum. Schools are no longer just educating children with the basics, but equipping them to face challenges and become all-rounders. It also gives the children a chance to explore their interests from an early age.

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K12 Digest January 2021

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INDUSTRY VIEWS

Study Now, Pay Later: The New Education Financing Trend in 2021 Rishab Mehta, Founder & CEO, GrayQuest

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In recent years, fintech lending platforms have come up with innovative financing models to reduce the fee payment burden on parents

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uality education is a must for a successful life and career. In today’s age of rising aspirations, providing one’s child with good quality education is a dream cherished by every parent. The cost of education, however, is increasing rapidly. According to studies, education costs are increasing at an average of 15% per annum. Most of these youngsters are pursuing higher studies and therefore spending a significant portion of their parents’ earnings and savings on education. The education fees paid in India every year can be estimated at $120 billion, of which less than 1% is currently financed through education loans.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on everyone, especially people going through salary cuts, furloughs, and many even becoming jobless. In a country like India, where 85% of expenditure on education is borne by

parents, Covid-19 has put a huge financial burden on them.

A major feature of conventional education loans is that they are designed assuming that a student would pay for his/her education with a 10+ year tenure and minimal repayment during the course tenure. This is a standard practice across the world.

However, in India, due to various cultural reasons, we have noticed that in a majority of cases it’s the parents who are paying for their children’s education, especially until undergraduate courses.

While the conventional education loan is a great boon for students who want to access education they otherwise couldn’t access, there is no product that addresses the cashflow strains for parents to pay a significant sum every semester/year.

In recent years, fintech lending platforms have come up with innovative financing models to reduce the fee payment burden on parents. Initiatives

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such as zero cost EMI for education fees, rewards and insurance benefits along with other models, where a parent is not required to be a guarantor, are slowly becoming popular in the education ecosystem. For example, the option to pay a Rs 2L annual college fees in easy and convenient bitesized monthly instalments of Rs 20k has come as a boon to parents, instead of the existing option to pay the fee in two lump sum instalments of Rs 1L each.

The above trend has been picking up rapidly in the retail industry. Take TV sets, for example. Every one in three television is bought on EMI these days. This has led to the Buy Now-Pay Later (BNPL) concept where customers can opt for instant credit at no extra cost for small-ticket purchases, and a faster and safer checkout process. The growth of e-commerce and online and digital buying has given a major boost to BNPL over cash and credit card payments.

This has great relevance in the education financing industry and, going forward, we should start seeing a new trend – Study Now, Pay Later.

Though there are a few platforms that have tied up with

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Rishab Mehta is Founder and CEO of GrayQuest, a fintech start-up that is building pioneering credit products in India’s $120B education ecosystem. Rishab has led GrayQuest from being a 2 member start-up to a 100+ member team that is exclusive payment/financing partner for some of India’s most renowned educational brands and institutions.

Rishab graduated Magna Cum Laude in Finance and Economics from Babson College, the renowned entrepreneurship institute in Massachusetts, USA.

educational institutions across the country to offer the option of Study Now, Pay Later, there is still need to penetrate further and cater to as many students as possible in the coming year.

This will not only reduce the financial burden on the parents but will also facilitate economic development of the country.

Another key trend we will see gaining great traction going forward is education financing becoming completely digital.

Even today, the process of sanctioning education loans requires physical presence at the bank branches. The current pandemic has made it evident that this process also requires end-to-end digital transition.

More and more banks need to implement digital processes which will be of a huge benefit to finance seekers. Covid-19 has increased the importance of online-based services.

2020 has been a significant year for both parents and children. The resultant impact will culminate in several ‘industry-firsts’ in India which will perhaps change education as well as the education financing industry. A focused approach during these times will go a long way in ensuring our education system becomes more accessible and affordable.

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