How COVID-19 Has Impacted Educational Technology

The Covid-19 outbreak had a major impact on almost every aspect of our daily lives. Travel and social restrictions have kept people at home for the past two years. Online shopping and grocery deliveries have become increasingly integrated into our lives. There is one area that has not been sufficiently analyzed yet, but it is of great importance for a large part of society.

We are talking about education.

NOT EVERYTHING WAS SO BAD

Surveys showed that most interviewees enjoyed the flexibility of the remote format. They could decide for themselves when they wanted to study, as many students now began recording lessons. They also no longer had to travel all the way to classrooms, which was a significant time saver.

Another plus was that they were now forced to get to know about certain software and tools. This knowledge is important overall and makes them more competitive in the 21st century. Video conferencing software and all the tools associated with interactive classrooms were very popular and used daily. Their use will expand in the nearer future.

However, it was increasingly influential to have your own computer and a stable Internet connection. This involved investment. The total number of households that had access grew during the pandemic.

CHALLENGES OF ONLINE CLASSROOMS

Still, a number of them faced challenges. For example, they had to find a suitable location for classes. In some countries, this even involved school or university policies. That students or schoolchildren needed, above all, a space to themselves in order to learn. However, this did not correspond to the reality of many low-income families around the world. Young people also find it difficult to concentrate and stare at screens for hours.

Less social contact and interaction on campus led to rising stress levels and a decline in motivation. Let us not forget that going to university is not just about seminars and lectures, but also about personal development and making contacts.

THE EDTECH MARKET

However, digital tools for teaching have emerged as one of the winners of this crisis. In the US alone, there has been a 90% increase. The e-learning market is expected to grow to over $1 trillion by 2027.

One of the most popular tools has been Education Cloud Technology. The current demand will almost double its value to $947 billion by 2026. The Software as a Service segment will play a prominent role. These are externally hosted, subscription-based applications that can be accessed over the Internet no matter where you are.

Besides the Cloud technology Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning influenced the way of educating. Ever more people subscribed to learning platforms, for software skills or even languages. Hereby it was necessary to tailor the learning process to the individual and its time and effort.

This market still has room for expansion to meet the needs of customers. Not only regarding universities and teachers but also to individuals. Undoubtedly, further investments will pay off.