In Reading Between the Lines: Part 2
The education world is going through a process of churn and at a good measure at that. With a change in its firmament a new world order is emerging. As the positive tailwind propels the sector into new highs there are good news for the e-education segment as well.
There is a growing buzz and the words like global university, virtual classrooms, self-paced learning, are making the rounds more than ever before. In this transformation, the segment no doubt stands to gain and shine bright. Of interest, would be to see whether it gets ennobled in the process.
In a silent transformation, revolutionary changes are taking place in the education world. The armada of changes are marching in, bold and strong. In the process, a new world order is emerging.
What are the macro trends in this makeover? What are the change processes already evident at the corporate level, which the education community should take cognizance of? How as an individual one is likely to face the challenges of the new world?
Let’s check a few emerging trends in the second of the three-part series…
photo credit: Unhindered by Talent
Lessons from the corporate classroom:
These days, corporate are in general, more in favour of having a collective talent pool rather than focussing only on a few star performers. The knowledge corpus of the firm needs to be broad based and employee-oriented. The cascading of relevant training across levels has become more important nowadays to multiply the bench strength.
Given a finite training budget it will always remain a challenge, how to optimise on this effort. However, with the changing training mode it will now be more amenable to solutions.
The fact that today’s technology with webcams, videos, live chats are allowing virtual classes to be as simulative in experience as a real one, there is a huge benefit attached in having distance training. The dividends are many – flexi time, appropriate faculty, rich course ware, at a relatively low cost.
There are enough indications that in times to come corporate training culture will change to embrace more of e-format or its blended version by which the employee trainings can be broad-based with costs rationalised across hierarchy and on a per capita basis.Aside from the growing emphasis on training, it is also interesting to see the way corporate are conducting their communication and business.
Consider these:
- With the help of web platform, corporate are conducting CRM follow ups, helpline servicing and even product selling with success.
- The participative blogs are a great PR initiative.
- Smart companies are even now open sourcing and encouraging their customers to participate in the new product / service conceptualisation and development process.
Webinar, online education fairs are now more commonplace. We are privy to the path breaking changes brought in by social networking, open platform and social enterprise bodies – thanks to the power of ‘e’ and a truly ‘one world’ borderless camaraderie.
History suggests that education to be relevant adapts to the social changes and the business environment. It is therefore logical to guess that the discipline of education would get sensitised and moulded by the ambient trends.
Computer literacy is going to play a key role in future. The mode of learning delivery is going to go the e-way to a big extent. The e-communities of practice are going to be the torch bearer of reality classrooms, in spirit and practice.
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