When the pandemic pulled more than 1.5 million children worldwide out of school, we realised for the first time that with the right technology, learning could happen from anywhere.
As countries begin to recover from the pandemic, their learning strategies will change. In Asia, 60 percent of schools surveyed believe that hybrid learning is the way of the future for education. In the United States, one out of every five school districts is exploring delivering virtual learning beyond the curriculum. In the United Kingdom, approximately two-thirds of teachers and senior leaders think they are more confident in their use of tdTech now than they were before Covid-19.
One thing is certain: Education will never be the same again. The mission for technology industry executives is clear: We owe it to students and teachers everywhere to fully understand the lessons learned since 2020 as we bridge the digital divide and define technology’s significant role in education for years to come.
Taking notice of the lessons learned
Education has always been a pathway to success and opportunity. It is vital that its value and accessibility increase rather than decrease as it evolves and becomes more digital. According to research by the Economic Policy Institute, online learning is only effective if students have consistent access to the internet and computers and if teachers have received adequate training and support.
While the arrival of Covid-19 necessitated quick, albeit imperfect, solutions, the situation we’re now facing necessitates the polar opposite. Leaders in education, technology and public policy must work together to design intelligent tools and systems that will characterize the future era of democratized, digital education.
Delivering collaborative, innovative, and intuitive solutions
Classrooms will increasingly shift between physical and virtual venues, necessitating a broader set of skills to accommodate all participants. Teachers, for example, will require intuitive devices, upskilling, and IT as a service to be supported. Students will want dependable PCs and Wi-Fi and a combination of digital and physical equipment to enhance their auditory and visual experience and acquire both soft and hard skills. Parents and caregivers require solutions that provide them with visibility into their children’s learning while also reducing the need for supervision. Infrastructure improvements will necessitate the allocation of resources by communities. And everyone will want to know that their hybrid learning environment is safe.
The technology industry must meet these demands with novel products, and school systems must employ them imaginatively. Thankfully, we can already see this in action. In Cambodia, an integrated method involving SMS, printed handouts, and ongoing instructor feedback has proven effective. Brazil’s hybrid approaches include a mobile app for learning and interaction, pre-recorded lessons, classes shown on public television, and mailed workbooks.
When it comes to the future of education, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, as schools push the boundaries of traditional learning, we must prioritise more inclusive, inventive approaches.
Utilising education to empower people, globally
The past year has provided a glimpse of a hybrid education model that, with continuing progress, will allow families greater flexibility, children to gain vital skills, and communities to prosper. Simply said, we can’t go back to educational paradigms that arose during the Industrial Revolution because they aren’t designed for the 21st century.
The challenge we face—disrupting global education norms on purpose—will pay off in unimaginable ways. HP recently announced that by 2025, it will enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people and accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030. Our motivation is straightforward. People prosper when they have access to education and equity.
“Education is the cornerstone of growth, in every community, in every family,” said former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient Kofi Annan. This transition presents a critical turning point in the history of education and will have a long-term impact on our lives. We don’t know where hybrid learning will take us yet, but there’s no denying that it’s a critical opportunity and fertile ground for world-changing innovation.
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