Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
Education
3 technologies that are making education more accessible
Excerpts from article by Natalie Marchant, published in World Economic Forum
Educational technology has become increasingly important after the COVID-19 pandemic closed classrooms across the world. AR, VR and AI technologies are improving accessibility for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities. ‘EdTech’ also makes learning less location-dependent, while offline services can help learners with no access to the internet.
Educational technology – or “EdTech” – entered public consciousness over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic moved learners young and old out of the classroom and into the virtual world of remote education. One of its key benefits is improved accessibility to education – both in terms of helping pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities and in making learning less location-dependent.
Here are three technologies that are changing the way we learn.
1. Augmented and Virtual Reality
The key benefits of AR and VR technologies to education are making learning interactive and thereby more engaging – they can even add gaming elements to textbook material.
Curiscope’s Virtuali-tee is a t-shirt and app that enables users to learn about the human body. One person puts on the t-shirt while the other uses an AR app on a smartphone to virtually reveal and explore the various layers inside the body. The technology can also have benefits for neuro-diverse learners. Floreo is a telehealth platform that uses VR headsets to deliver social and behavioural therapy in schools and other settings.
2. Artificial Intelligence
AI technology can benefit learners by enabling them to learn outside the classroom with virtual feedback, making learning more engaging and tailoring material to suit the individual. Sparx Maths uses statistics and machine learning to support teachers in providing personalised math homework. Sparx can also help disadvantaged children progress at the same rate as their more advantaged counterparts, reducing the attainment gap.
KidSense.AI uses deep learning technology to offer a sophisticated automatic speech recognition system for children. Trained using children’s voice samples, KidSense powers the Roybi Robot – an AI-driven smart toy that teaches languages and basic skills in science, technology, engineering and math.
3. Wireless Technology
While EdTech can prove an invaluable teaching tool, particularly in the virtual classroom, it can be rendered redundant in countries or regions with limited or no internet access.
Zaya’s ClassCloud is a plug-and-play device that can support up to 40 laptops or tablets in the classroom over Wi-Fi and provides the same standard of user experience whether it is connected to the internet or not. It has been used to improve access to high-quality education in rural locations in India.
Wireless technology can also enable users to download material on to a device in the learning environment and take it home with them, meaning educational providers can loan out devices to people who may not otherwise have access to them. The offline learning app Kolibri, meanwhile, enables content to be seeded onto devices in areas where there is an internet connection – such as a school or a factory – and share it with others over an offline local network.
Edtech’s greatest promise is to widen access to education for everyone, no matter where they are in the world – something which has become an increasing priority during the pandemic.
Career
Transforming career dynamics faster than the speed of light
Excerpts from article by Jitendra Singh, published in Business World
Technology has indeed revolutionised our lives, especially in the last few years. Not just the IT industry, technology is the backbone of all sectors. The rapid stride of technology has led to a skill gap between the industry demand and the available talent. This has been further accentuated by the current crisis that has given rise to new uncertainties, resulting in job losses and an added demand for new skills.
AI and Data Science have been listed as top in-demand jobs for 2021. Moreover, the World Economic Forum estimates that 133 million new jobs will be created in major economies by 2022, as we accelerate towards the ‘future of work’. In post-COVID world, restructured work types coupled with the need to reskill talent will take center-stage.
The digital revolution is already driving innovation across sectors and swift developments in new-age technologies like AI, Big Data, Machine Learning and so on, disrupting job roles and the way businesses function. Demand for skills in emerging technologies has been on the rise and it is imperative to update oneself in these hottest digital trends to stay ahead of the curve as the future lies in tech.
Choosing the right skill
There are two things that one needs to consider when it comes to choosing the right skill – aptitude and career growth.
- A fresh graduate should focus on skills that are currently in-demand.
- A mid-level professional, on the other hand, should focus on skills that would be in demand for the next 5-10 years.
- Senior professionals must pick a domain along with tech for best results.
Therefore, you need to think about the stage of career that you are in and accordingly build your capabilities.
Freshers should learn coding. It’s not an exaggeration that coding is the DNA of the digital world. New industries are looking to hire coders. Companies look for freshers who have a clear understanding and coding abilities which can be polished under proper training and guidance. Start with cybersecurity. This burgeoning industry is becoming increasingly competitive. If a person starts early and develops advanced knowledge in the field, it can reap huge dividends later.
For a mid-level professional with 4-5 years of experience, acquiring new skills in AI/ML should be the goal. Start learning AI/ML now and keep working on problems on sites like Kaggle. It is believed that blockchain is one of the most promising technologies as financial institutions are increasingly picking it up. The blockchain industry is still growing so one needs to have patience till it starts giving results.
If we look at people with a decade or more experience, learning applied skills in fintech could be another option. AI-powered tools like chatbots and virtual health assistants have already found many takers and this will only surge in the future. The key is to mix a domain with technology. Another alternative that senior professionals can look at is mentoring start-ups. Every start-up looks for experienced professionals as mentors. By guiding a new-age start-up one can gain deep knowledge in cutting edge technologies. It may not be rewarding at first but in the longer run it’s a win-win for both the parties.
Another area to focus on
Design Thinking is a mandatory skill that I strongly recommend everyone should have. While it is not specified as a primary skill, it is tested in all technical interviews. Design Thinking improves collaboration, performance, team spirit and drives innovation. There are great blogs that one can follow to learn Design Thinking. Some of the world’s leading brands such as Google, Apple, Samsung have adopted the Design Thinking Approach and it is being taught by premier universities worldwide.
Acquiring the right skill is the key. The demand for AI/ML, and data science professionals is booming and there are very few people who fit the bill. There are lots of online courses which impart hands on learning in these areas.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
Like this post? For more such helpful articles, click on the button below and subscribe FREE to our blog.
Download our mobile app, ICS Career GPS, a one-stop career guidance platform.
