Impact of educational apps in shaping the future of digital India in 2024

Impact of educational apps in shaping the future of digital India in 2024

By Neeti Sharma

In a rapidly evolving landscape of education, integration of technology has become imperative to meet the dynamic needs of today’s learners. The lack of technology in education has posed a myriad of challenges that hindered effectiveness, accessibility, and adaptability of the learning process. Over the past few years, educational apps have become a critical component in all aspects of education, be it the test prep or higher education segments. As technology continues to evolve, educational apps will play a crucial role in shaping the future of digital India by contributing to various aspects of education, technology adoption, and skill development. In this context, here is how educational apps aid in learning better and creating a skilled nation.

Improved flexibility and adaptive learning : Traditional education has long been criticized for being outdated and ineffective with a one-size-fits-all strategy. In contrast, modern educational apps have helped reshape education by ensuring that students are capable of learning at their own pace. By providing flexible learning environments, educational apps make learning more inclusive by catering to different learning styles and paces. They can also be customized to suit individual needs, allowing students to learn at their own speed and focus on areas where they need more assistance.

Using tools such as AR in learning has proven to improve student engagement, learning outcomes, and motivation. AR can be used to create interactive and life-like learning scenarios that provide a safe learning environment. AR is used extensively in the aeronautic industry where students can be trained using simulations. AR also eliminates the need for using specialized tools and devices that could be dangerous for a novice learner.

Language diversity and Regional learning : Another inherent advantage of educational apps is that they offer courses in regional languages. India is a linguistically diverse country, and educational apps can cater to this diversity by providing content in multiple languages. India has 22 official languages, and educational apps provide inclusive learning opportunities by catering to those for whom English is not the primary language. Data suggests that users are more engaged with these apps immediately after downloading them possibly because of highly engaging and better quality of content being offered. This is also reinforced by the per session time which was 14.7 minutes during Q1 and Q2 of 2023, globally.

Personalised feedback and data-driven learning : Educational apps can collect and analyze student performance and provide data-driven insights into learning styles and help educators understand individual student needs. By providing personalized feedback, educators can connect with students, help them understand the course content better, and motivate students better as well.

Studies indicate that personalized learning has a constructive influence on student accomplishments. Addressing individual student needs and interests, personalized learning has the potential to amplify student engagement, motivation, and a sense of ownership in the learning process, ultimately contributing to improved academic outcomes.

Opportunities for life-long learning: Educational apps support lifelong learning and continuous professional development by offering resources and courses for individuals of all ages. Moreover, learners often have busy schedules due to work, family, or other commitments and educational apps ensure flexibility by allowing learners to set their own pace and choose when and where they want to study.

Concerns regarding student privacy

Many educational apps collect data on students, raising concerns about privacy and the security of sensitive information. Parents and educators should be cautious about the data practices of educational app providers to ensure student privacy.

The reduction in social and peer-to-peer interaction

Educational apps often involve solitary interaction with a device, which can limit opportunities for social learning and collaboration. Building interpersonal skills and teamwork might be compromised in a solely digital learning environment.

Overstimulation due to excessive screen time

In today’s day and age, the modern learner spends a lot of time on the screen, be it, a laptop or mobile phone. Excessive usage of educational apps combined with other social apps can lead to overstimulation. Students may also face distractions while using educational apps, the urge to switch to non-educational and social apps could limit the effectiveness of educational apps. User retention is also a problem for these platforms as data shows that user retention rates at day 30 is only at 4%. This suggests that long-term retention is a problem as users might be shifting to other apps or maybe losing interest altogether.

Many apps such as Coursera , Google Classroom, Digivarsity, Udemy are helping learners adapt to individual styles of learning . With the power to cater to diverse learning styles, adapt to individual paces, and provide interactive and engaging content, education apps are not merely a convenience but a necessity in fostering a more effective and inclusive learning environment. This paradigm shift underscores the significance of these digital tools in empowering learners, educators, and institutions alike to navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern education.

The author is the president and co-founder, TeamLease EdTech Limited