Page 22 - EngineerIt June 2021

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

ith many children’s lives ‘digital
by default’ following a year of
Waccelerated and unprecedented
change, the reality of distance and
remote learning is now a central pillar of
global education.
Even as many locations see the
return of children to physical classrooms,
tech is now firmly established as a
foundational facet of educational learning,
and when it comes to the role of digital in Learning again:
the classroom, we are beyond the point of
no return.
last twelve months, with 94 percent of Why investing in the digital
As we reflect on the scale of digital
migrations in global education in the
institutions developing policies for at least
one form of remote learning , building
1
on the lessons learned is essential to classroom is essential
enhancing learning experiences, teaching
capabilities, and student achievement.
However, key to realising and maximising By Chris Buchanan, Client Solutions Director, Dell Technologies South Africa
the art of what is possible are the
principles of connectivity, accessibility
and harnessing a global culture of digital Digital culture: building better on strong foundations
inclusion. Only when these levers are Technology is already re-imaging the education sector on a global scale, from pre-school
addressed effectively can we truly build through to higher education.
a global, equitable, and future-proof In recent years, students at all levels have been taking advantage of technology on
learning environment for all of society. demand to meet their own learning needs and chart their path to workforce readiness.
Educational inequities were brought We have seen this evidenced first-hand, having partnered with Stanford University’s
sharply into focus in the first quarter of Rural Education Access Program (REAP) to bring computer-assisted learning (CAL) to
2020, with 191 locations around the world students in rural schools across China, with children gaining an extra semester’s worth of
closing schools, affecting over one billion learning when using CAL software. 4
children , with an immense amount of In schools, EdTech solutions in the form of virtual collaboration and data
2
learning hours lost. synchronisation tools have created opportunities to transform the learning experience and
Around the world, different age groups prepare students for a digital-first world. This is allowing teachers and students to connect
and communities have been affected via live-streamed sessions, avail themselves of app-fuelled experiences, and even
to varying degrees by the adoption of participate in virtual field trips.
digital learning. According to UNESCO, We are just at the beginning of this exciting journey, which requires the evolution of
while South African schools have been processes of collaboration, upskilling of educators, and mapping out a concrete digital
considered “partially open”, over the past strategy.
year, 14,612,456 learners have been This pathway is about much more than just devices and connectivity. People are
affected by closures. Added to this is the the centre of every successful education experience and to truly grasp all the benefits
digital divide which in Sub-Saharan Africa that new tech-based education models can offer, we need to ensure that access to tech
is startling, with 89 percent of learners not and the learning culture evolves too. For example, wheeling out computers in schools
having access to household computers is not enough on its own – teaching methods must be redesigned around data-driven
and 82% without internet access, technologies. Future-facing digital cultures must be fostered to garner and maximise
according to UNESCO. optimum learning outcomes, and a long-term strategic approach should be embedded in
While over 80% of children all aspects of enhanced digitalisation to truly support students for the long-term.
have access to the internet in North
America and Europe, these figures are So, what does digital transformation in the education sector actually
considerably lower at 70% in the Middle look like?
East and Latin America, 55% in Asia and Firstly, the provision of devices with broad mobile carrier support which enable all students
40% in Africa. 3 to access the digital classroom and learning materials, irrespective of broadband internet
Now, as we look towards a global access, is imperative.
recovery, it must be fair, equitable and A globally connected virtual classroom can bring learning to every student
connected, and through effectively regardless of language, comprehension style or geography. Improved connectivity and
leveraging new and innovative tools at agile hybrid cloud management will mean steady workflows when using demanding
our disposal, we can build back better, software applications – whether that’s for science, design or engineering. Hybrid-
and meaningfully support and encourage cloud infrastructure can enable in-school and off-site access to resources, as well as
digital inclusion. classes online. It also means the provision of robust devices and video collaboration

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