Digital learning: The new 'go-to' for institutes and corporates across the globe

The past decade has witnessed a widespread acceptance and adoption of all things digital, and it continues to grow exponentially. Digital technology is steadily becoming an indispensable part of our everyday lives. From personal needs and political issues to significant industry developments, the digital world has made us more informed and connected, simplifying our lives is best ways possible. Unfortunately, even amidst such a conducive environment, the education industry remains largely non-digitized. With over 1.2 billion students around the world facing problems every day, the need to digitally disrupt this market is severe.

Gone are the days when learning meant being in the classroom for over 8 hours, frantically taking down notes that the teacher would write on the board or dictate. With digital learning widening the scope, education is gradually transcending beyond the four walls of a classroom, addressing the need-gap both for students as well as employees, and thereby becoming a preferred option for institutes and corporates across the globe.

It is an undisputed fact that the education system is struggling with huge gaps that need immediate addressal. From the economic and social opportunity gap to the supply-demand gap, digital learning has the potential to bridge these by democratizing access to education and consequently, access to opportunity. In the current landscape, the formal education system does not have enough resources to adequately address the gaps and meet the demands, which is necessary for the education system to achieve its full potential. This is where digital learning comes in the picture.

As the age-old saying goes, "Where there is a challenge, there lies an opportunity". This becomes all the more relevant in the context of education. For instance, there is a lot of fragmentation in the entire ecosystem when it comes to the efforts invested by all the stakeholders involved. Be it the parents, teachers, employers, governments, and ultimately the end-learners, including and bringing all the stakeholders together creates a huge market opportunity for the digital avenues to tap into. Realizing the immense potential, several institutes and corporates across the globe are adopting these digital platforms to reach their students and employees, facilitating access to rich resources and capabilities.

Moreover, in the realm of digital learning, the role of an educator is no longer limited to the traditional setup of teachers. The emphasis on education remains the same, but the role has been increasingly diversifying in the digital context. Of course, the role of a teacher does not diminish, but the source of learning is not limited to them anymore. Going beyond the conventional one-way process, digital platforms empower a learner to access and evaluate information anywhere at any given time. Every individual possesses a unique aptitude and grasping level and one can learn at a pace that best suits them through such platforms. Therefore, when learners get to assert better control over their learning experience, they are likely to take a more proactive stance towards the same, ultimately resulting in better outcomes. There are several trends emerging in the digital learning landscape, each playing a significant role in reshaping of the education system. One of the most prevalent trends is the approach of peer-to-peer learning. This approach has been observed to facilitate one of the best learning environments by allowing the learner to show their talents and abilities without the fear of judgment. Through such encouragement, supplemented by guidance from a community of teachers, experts, and fellow learners, one gets to value their own capabilities and are able to learn better. Because of such key benefits, these collaborative exchanges facilitated by digital learning platforms are steadily gaining momentum across the globe.

Digital learning also has the potential to ensure penetration of education to remote areas. With an unprecedented rise in ownership of smartphones and internet penetration, the gap between the 'privileged' and the 'underserved' is steadily closing. In this scenario, digital learning can effectively reach out to those hailing from the rural areas, benefitting them with its diversified content. All of this indicates how digital learning has the potential to effectively address the major challenges concerning education, thereby becoming a key preference among all the stakeholders of this ecosystem.

In the current scenario, digital learning seems to be the best way forward. It is not only addressing the need-gaps in the delivery of education but is also bringing about a whole new dimension to space.

Supplemented by a rise in online learning platforms, the education system is projected to continue evolving at a robust pace, reducing the demand-supply gap and exploring bigger opportunities to provide education in new and innovative ways.