Zoom held its inaugural Asia Pacific (APAC) Education Summit on 24 August 2022, with a focus on the future of education and how hybrid work and hybrid learning are changing the primary & secondary (K-12) and post-secondary education landscape.
Headlining the event was Ricky Kapur, Head of APAC at Zoom, along with Dr. Joseph Sweeney, Advisor – Future of Work at Intelligent Business Research Services (IBRS). As part of the summit, a report focusing on the future of education in the Asia Pacific, “The future of education: lessons from educators”, was also unveiled. The report, which summarises key lessons learned from the transition to online learning styles during the pandemic, as well as recommendations that can help educators and administrators shape the future of hybrid education, was conducted by IBRS and commissioned by Zoom.
Attendees heard from educational institutions like Singapore Management University and Australia’s Monash University, as well as EdTech platforms such as Mandarin-language learning startup LingoAce, on opportunities for the future of education and best practices on navigating the transition to hybrid learning.
The event also showcased how the Zoom platform could be used to create engaging blended learning experiences, including integrating classrooms, digital whiteboards, events, and more in one seamless platform.
Some key takeaways of the event:
Lessons driving the future of education
- According to the report, schools that transitioned well into hybrid education amid the pandemic had a digital mindset. This does not mean applying technology to different components of the education experience separately, but building an integrated digital ecosystem that consolidates systems for students and teachers for greater efficiency.
- Existing curriculum should not be moved online in a wholesale manner, but adapted to bite-sized material that can be moved and slotted flexibly within the overall curriculum. Educators will also be able to share content more readily with each other, which drives peer review and improves teaching practices.
- The report also found that in a distance learning environment, students often felt disengaged with long instructional phases covering multiple content focuses. Instead, learning phases need to be shorter and sharper. It is recommended to have a discovery phase for self-directed learning, followed by a mentorship tutorial phase, and finally a synthesis phase to assess knowledge.
Rethinking education in a hybrid future
- Hybrid education does not only involve students learning where they are. The learning landscape of the future also needs to consider teachers and administrators working in a hybrid fashion, as well as parents who oversee the education of their children at home.
- It is critical for the technology ecosystem employed by schools to integrate all components of education in a way that is simple, easy to use, and cost-saving. This should cut across everything from curriculum development and learning management to how students, teachers, and parents collaborate.
- Regionally, remote instruction has made education more accessible to students in countries where education used to be centralised in major cities. Schools are also changing the way they deliver content digitally to reduce the cost on students, such as compressed, smaller videos that require less bandwidth. This creates greater equity.
- Looking ahead, educational institutions should look to a formal technological architecture that can enable educational innovation for enriched teaching and learning experiences.
Transforming and enriching the education experience via technology
- According to a study done by Class Technologies, Times Higher Education, and other global organisations, 67% of higher education students surveyed want a hybrid learning environment in their institutions.
- While campuses have long been the hub for education, the physical boundaries for educators and learners have been removed. This gives them the flexibility to make smarter choices with their time, enabled by technology.
- Data is playing a much bigger role than it used to, particularly in how it can be used to provide feedback for educators. With digital platforms like Zoom, schools can use data-driven insights to improve delivery.
- Learners today are looking for immersive and engaging experiences. The virtual medium allows students to have the best of both worlds: the live, personal interaction with a tutor in small group sizes and gamified content for greater interactivity.
- Students across different age groups learn differently, including lifelong learners who have to also juggle between work and family. Education technology platforms can leverage emerging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence to better personalise the learning and teaching experience for learners across their education lifecycle.
For detailed insights on the education report, visit here.
