The true value of edtech is in democratizing access to education. Join @her_aspire, @GiftaFreedom, @AshishGupta237, @GlobeSlother on a tweetchat at 4 pm today on edtech for the #NextHalfBillion. Stay tuned.

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@JayitaGupta @SpotleAI @GiftaFreedom @her_aspire @AshishGupta237 @NasscomR @SPotle This is an interesting report from Bihar. Less adolescent girls as compared tp boys are likely to own smart phones and hence have less access to internet. The digital divide is low in Sec A, B homes in cities and widens in rural, low income households.

@SpotleAI @GiftaFreedom @her_aspire @AshishGupta237 @NasscomR @GlobeSlother @SPotle Do you think there is digital divide between adolescent girls and boys both in urban and rural India?

@SpotleAI @GiftaFreedom @her_aspire @AshishGupta237 @NasscomR @GlobeSlother @SPotle If there is divide, then Why such divide exists?

@SpotleAI @her_aspire @AshishGupta237 @GlobeSlother That is exactly the concept Skipin is based on. The future is adaptive learning. Traditional linear teaching concept is being strongly challenged for good.

@her_aspire @SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @GlobeSlother Systemic approach to bridge the digital gender divide. We need to go back to basics. Policies fostering educational innovation aimed at reducing disparities and actively supporting inclusion, especially gender-related will go a long way.

With that we conclude this power chat on edtech for the #NextHalfBillion. Thank you @her_aspire, @AshishGupta237, @NasscomR, and @GiftaFreedom for joining.

On the positive side, we have managed to get much of a country as vast and disparate as India learning online during the pandemic - that itself is a miracle.

On the flip side, the edtech silver bullet has been rehashing the same issues of offline learning - many edtech giants are nothing but haloed digital tutions. For true value edtech has to go beyond the promise of better marks to better access, better learning and better skills.

@SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @her_aspire @GlobeSlother Half of new smartphone users coming onboard by 2022, estimated at 260 million are class 1-12 students - mostly in rural India. The EdTech creators need to make these aspirant students a priority this time - in collaboration with the government.

@SpotleAI @her_aspire @GlobeSlother @GiftaFreedom What needs to change in current #edtech: - More #vernacular based content - Making pricing more affordable for non-urbanites - Customized courses based on student’s capability @DailyhuntApp @studyiq @entri_app

@SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @GlobeSlother @GiftaFreedom While we see a slew of ed-tech offerings from storytelling apps to deep tech and with linguistic diversity - we cannot help but applaud the wide ocean. But a big part of our country and the women are still far away from the excitement due to access issues.

@SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @her_aspire @GlobeSlother EdTech needs to come out of elitism and should be democratised in its true sense. EdTech makers should make their product for ALL rather than targeting higher economic strata even when they are outside cities. Learning needs of the ‘left out’ students should be addressed.

@SpotleAI @her_aspire @GlobeSlother @GiftaFreedom What’s Right: - Best educational content readily available - Adaptive tech-based learning - #analytics backed feedback and learning improvement - Rising #collaboration in #edtech firms and #school / #universities @upGrad_edu @unacademy

@SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @her_aspire @GlobeSlother Contrary to the popular perception, rural India is very much ready to receive EdTech. Proportion of households owning a smartphone has significantly increased from 36 to 62% which is to say 1 in every 10 households bought a new phone last year to support their child’s education.

@SpotleAI @AshishGupta237 @NasscomR @GlobeSlother @EdTech_K12 @edtechdigest @BYJUS Definitely. Systemic approach will go a long way in scaling up EdTech use as a learning tool. If State government adopts EdTech as an integral part of schooling, it will reach grass root level faster and effectively.

Final question of the chat for all panelists @AshishGupta237 @her_aspire @GlobeSlother @GiftaFreedom What is right or wrong with the edtech implementation now? What needs to change?

@SpotleAI @NasscomR @GiftaFreedom @GlobeSlother @EdTech_K12 @edtechdigest @BYJUS Byju’s ~65% students are from outside of top 10 cities of #India Doubtnut’s ~90% students are from outside Top 6 cities of India Upgrad >50% revenue from Tier II & III cities So, impact is visible in Tier2+ cities, it's just that scalability has to happen

Soft skills: public speaking, agility, negotiation skills. The world is definitely not getting easier. Also recommend we teach ethics, empathy, humanity. We need to teach our children to save the planet, to preserve humanity to save themselves.

What 21 century skills apart from basic learning need to be imparted to provide a uniform playing field to next generation Indians? @GlobeSlother