View | The right use of tech can make learning an immersive experience

Tech also provides new opportunities for collaboration and communication among students. With tools such as video conferencing and online forums, students can work together on projects, discuss course material, and share ideas. This helps to build a sense of community and promotes peer-to-peer learning. However, while mobile phones and tablets are affordable and easily accessible across strata and geographies, using these recreational tools for serious education and learning can often be counterproductive.

Utilising the right technology, particularly laptops, can significantly enhance the learning experience for serious learners. Unlike other popular tech tools, laptops allow users to work on a multi-window interface. This is beneficial when students are working on grasping new concepts and/or techniques. However, the cost attached to high-quality laptops has proven to be a hindrance for many students. This divide implies that these students are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning, as they cannot fully participate in immersive learning activities and are missing out on the benefits of technology-enhanced education. Therefore, to reduce the digital divide and provide equal access to technology for all students, it is essential to address the issue of cost-effectiveness of these devices and ensure that students have access to laptops to support their learning.

With a clear understanding of this need gap, the government is supporting digital education across spheres and intuitively pushing it to students throughout the country. These initiatives are facilitated by programmes like the National Digital Library, which provides free access to educational content, and the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, which aims to provide access to technology in schools. However, while these initiatives are a step in the right direction, they do not address the issue of accessibility to high price to performance tech for students.

Tech literacy is another challenge that we face in the country. All students within domestic boundaries should be trained to use tech that can enhance their learning experience in this digital age. Private players can contribute greatly to promoting tech-led education in India in support of government initiatives paving the way. The benefits of e-learning have been reiterated over time. But today, the greater challenge is that a significant chunk of our student population does not have access to a laptop which will enable them to reap these benefits. Therefore there is a pressing need to develop infrastructure that makes devices, especially laptops accessible to students across strata in a manner that is cost effective. When every student and learner in this country would have a laptop to aid their learning; we will truly be able to empower a generation that will change the face of this country on a global stage.