A fine balance between digital and traditional | Deccan Herald

Photo: Zishaan Hayath

"Technology has drastically changed the manner of imparting education" notes Zishaan Hayath, Co-founder of Toppr.com. 

Photo: Deccan Herald

For any nation, a sound education system is indispensable for its overall growth and development. And while India may have made many a stride in several other sectors, education still reels under many problems. However, with the advent of technology, things are slowly changing for the better and the wheels of progress seem to be moving in the right direction. Yet, it would be premature to think that digital education alone can solve the problems that plague the Indian education landscape. In a country where parents and even students have still not embraced technology to the fullest, only a seamless blend of technological and traditional pedagogical tools can create a palpable impact on the way education is consumed.

It is true that the adoption of technology is helping teachers expand beyond the conventional, text-based learning and engage students in other formats of education that they find appealing and captivating. Globally, digital education is creating a wave in transforming teaching and learning across continents. However, when it comes to India, we can notice that our education system still relies on traditional methods to a large extent; a trend that is here to stay for a while.
Comparison

As traditional teaching is often more cost-effective than its digital counterpart, it becomes suitable for schools in rural regions. Further, the face-to-face interaction between the teacher and student in the traditional format imbibes better discipline in students. Moreover, there is no additional burden on students to acquire any technical knowledge and they can instead focus more on the subject. All these aspects may make traditional learning the foremost way of imparting and acquiring knowledge in India. Yet, certain gaps, like the need for customised learning for students and the access to quality education in smaller cities, are being overcome with the advent and use of technology.

Technology has drastically changed the manner of imparting education and learning, through the massive amount of information available online on digital devices in the form of books, audio tutorials, images, video lectures, etc. Unlike the traditional norms which demand that children learn and progress at the same pace, digital learning tools available today understand that they are all unique, with different needs, strengths, weaknesses and learning abilities. That is why traditional learning methodologies are not sufficient to cater to them all. 
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Source: Deccan Herald