In the 21st century, talk surrounding young individuals and their interaction with technology is usually mired in disapproval and disappointment.
For Kwasi Aggor, who works in the EdTech industry, touting technology as the cause of this malaise might be a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
“Technology is just a tool. It’s how it’s used that makes the difference”, says Aggor.
Passionate about education, Kwasi Aggor is one of the people leading the charge to show the world that technology can aid and enhance learning.
EdTech, a combination of education and technology, refers to hardware and software designed to enhance teacher-led learning in classrooms and enhance quality of education for students.
Equipped with cloud computing, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning and big data, EdTech has immense potential to bring about a digital revolution to the education landscape.
“EdTech is basically an attempt to provide education in a way that suits the user by pairing technology with traditional educational methods,” says Aggor.
Aggor is not alone. The education industry has been quick to adapt to the COVID landscape. Many schools are now adopting EdTech in order to meet the needs of their students in the absence of physical classes.
“The global pandemic drove home the limitations and opportunities surrounding EdTech and we are continuously striving to reach better outcomes.”
He feels fortunate to be able to work in EdTech during the pandemic. He says this is a crucial juncture for countless students and schools as they transition to online and distance-learning platforms.
He says, “It’s highly rewarding to be a part of the solution. We were able to help many districts who had no plans in place to provide the entirety of their student body with remote learning opportunities.”
Aggor believes that each student is special.
EdTech’s capacity to support personalized learning, a curriculum tailored for a student’s individual learning journey is something that he is passionate about.
While traditional teaching models rely on test scores and attendance percentage as markers of student success; EdTech provides instructors and parents with timely and in-the-moment crucial data about each student’s progress over time.
In Aggor’s opinion, “Students need more insights than simple grades to understand and improve their performance and EdTech is equipping stakeholders with valuable data.”
According to him, artificial intelligence used in EdTech can play a crucial role in adaptive learning. By creating recommendations based on individual learning history, it can help students make future career choices based on data regarding their learning abilities and interests.
Aggor says the availability of such data also aids teachers in setting the curriculum to match each student’s capability and makes personalized learning possible.
He reckons that EdTech is here to stay and that it will continue to evolve in the coming years.
“I am glad to be a part of the future of education.”
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