COVID-19 has driven EdTech to the mainstream.
Now, online classes, digital games, and other internet tools are not only the means to support education but are becoming the core means of education delivery and instruction.
Many universities instantly moved to internet and conducted classes through videoconferencing, and even taking summative and formative assessments on the medium.
As Higher Education institutions embrace the virtual world, their leaders are faced with two significant gaps of “Digital Equity” and “Cybersecurity.”
Now that the idea of “back to normalcy” moves further, it’s important for HEI leaders to address the problems in full-fledged adoption of digital medium for education.
Addressing these concerns is a step toward translating digital education from a stopgap arrangement to a more permanent one.
Two Big Gaps Concerning Edu Leaders
I. Digital Equity
Higher education and K12 institutions combated the pandemic by taking classes and instruction online. While institutions around the world moved education online, this move prompted by COVID-19 highlighted and exacerbated the disproportionate access to learning opportunities.
Digital equity has emerged as an important issue in the pandemic. A lack of access to tech devices such as laptops, tabs, and smartphones has kept millions of students away from education and learning for an entire year (and now maybe more).
There are three sets of problems significant to the component of digital equity:
- “Accessibility” to tech devices for online education,
- “Reliable” access to broadband, and
- “Deftness” among educators for use of technology.
All three components are either absent or very weak in case of students hailing from low-income backgrounds. Similarly, those from remote areas may have access to internet, but it may not be strong enough for continuous streaming and videoconferencing. Finally, educating leaders, administrators and teachers in education space about how to effectively use new tech is another challenge.
II. Cybersecurity
Another important concern among leaders in higher education is that of cybersecurity. Digital learning also makes institutions and students vulnerable to cyber-attacks. For instance, phishing is a very commonplace security threat that online users face. A lack of awareness among online users makes these hacks stronger and easier.
Educating leaders, administrators, teachers, and students about these malicious attacks such as data theft, credential theft, ransomware, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) etc. is an important part of the equation of saving sensitive information of the institution and that of individuals.
Leaders find cybersecurity challenging for two main reasons:
- Lack of adequate finances to invest in the cause, and
- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), a common practice in educational institutions, poses an increased risk of an attack.
These concerns make it difficult for IT teams of higher education institutions to defend
Fixing the problem
Executive education programs for those leading education management, administrators, and educators can help institutions fix these woes.
Digital equity is a major impediment in education efficacy. As new technologies are introduced, educators and leaders must ensure their student communities have equal access to new-tech devices and reliable broadband needed for digital education. Furthermore, teachers and educators must be made adroit for teaching through new technologies, and digital models of instruction. Executive programs will open up new ways of management for higher education and K12 leaders, and teacher training programs will help educators better prepare for the digital change.
Cybersecurity is a challenge, which needs common-sensical ways. Promoting security networks and use of online medium is all about making users aware of the defensive protocols. The key for education leaders is to remember that preventing cyber-attacks isn’t only the responsibility of IT departments alone, but much of the institution as a whole and the users.
EdTech as a way to education will stay. Preparing teachers, students and leaders, and avoiding inadvertent negligence is important to make digital education a success. Visit Edvantic Insights blog to understand more about the digital challenges facing educationists.