Classroom Technology Updates

India's edtech sector recorded a five-fold increase in funding during the first half of 2025, reports Jessica Rajan for The Economic Times (ET), citing data from Venture Intelligence. Between January and July this year, the sector raised $120 million through 11 deals, compared to $22 million across seven deals in the same period last year, the data shows. Funding activity was mainly driven by firms focusing on study-abroad services, workforce upskilling platforms, and startups working on AI to expand into language learning and vernacular education, the report says. "Companies that succeed here understand the importance of cost-efficiency, personalisation and overcoming language barriers. What we are seeing now is long-term structural demand and what excites us is the shift from content delivery to more intelligent, personalised learning experiences powered by AI and data,” Dev Khare, Partner at Lightspeed, told ET. Firms like Leap, BorderPlus, Emversity, Stimuler, and Seekho, among others, have received funding this year. Investors are only concerned if the company can grow into a big business and are going on product demos and AI enhancement, the report says further. "Education is a long-term household priority and we continue to explore new opportunities, including AI-native platforms that enhance learning across the entire education journey. As innovation deepens, we expect strong momentum in this sector to continue,” Sandeep Singhal, co-founder and Managing Partner at WestBridge Capital, shared with ET. This trend is continuing into the second half of this year as well, with VC firms backing more AI tutoring startups, adds the report. How will edtech funding evolve this year? Share your take in the comments section. Source: The Economic Times - https://lnkd.in/gNs6nyVG ✍: Novinston Lobo 📸: Getty Images #EdTechIndia #EdTechFunding #Fundrising #VentureCapitalists

The curriculum design of core engineering disciplines such as Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering should strategically integrate emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and Autonomous Vehicles as practical applications. This integration will not only enhance students' technical skill sets but also align their education with industry demands, thereby improving their employability. By embedding these technologies as interdisciplinary modules or hands-on projects, students will gain a deeper understanding of how modern innovations apply to traditional engineering fields, preparing them for the evolving job market and fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability. Additionally, these courses can be structured as major or minor degree options, allowing students to specialize in these areas while completing their core engineering studies, thereby broadening their expertise and increasing their professional competitiveness.

Digital learning isn’t failing because of a lack of content. It’s failing because most tools weren’t built for the realities learners face. In many underserved communities, students may have a phone—but limited data, limited support, and limited motivation. This is where most digital solutions break. But it’s also where the opportunity for truly transformative, scalable impact begins. In my latest article with the Global Partnership for Education , I share how Solve Education! Foundation builds technology for real-world constraints—not tech-rich ideals. This includes: • 𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗼𝘁.𝗮𝗶 — an AI-powered chatbot that works on basic Android phones and uses minimal data • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 — combining Gamification, AI Coaching, Incentives, and peer Networks • 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 that reduces workload and strengthens classroom practice • 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 where more than 90% of learners show measurable improvement From Indonesia’s 17M+ learning sessions to Malaysia’s 98% improvement rates, the pattern is clear: 📊 When learning tools are built for context and evidence-based engagement, every dollar invested delivers deeper, more transparent impact. If you’re exploring scalable, cost-efficient models that turn funding into measurable learning outcomes, I’d love to connect. 📩 Read the full GPE article here: https://lnkd.in/gnMXWktM What do you believe is the next frontier for digital learning in emerging markets?

In 2020, global edtech funding hit $16.1 billion, a 318% jump from the year before. In India, the market ballooned from $700 million in 2019 to $3.5 billion by 2021. BYJU’S became a national obsession, crossing 100 million registered users, and raising over $3 billion in funding. It felt like we were witnessing the future of education which was accessible, scalable, data-driven. But five years later, the cracks are hard to ignore. The same sector that was once hailed as a revolution is now dealing with widespread regret. It first showed up in the data. Studies found that online learning during the pandemic led to 0.2 standard deviations worth of learning loss in math and reading. In India, ASER reported that basic reading levels in rural areas dropped by 6.2 percentage points during the edtech boom years. While user acquisition looked great on pitch decks, completion rates on major platforms hovered around 15-20%, compared to 60-70% in traditional classrooms. Even BYJU’S, with its massive user base, saw monthly active users drop to 5.5 million by 2022. And then came the financial shakeout. By 2023, global edtech funding had halved to $7.8 billion and continued to decline. In India, the market shrank to $2.1 billion by 2024, with over 15,000 jobs lost. BYJU’S valuation was slashed from $22 billion to under $5 billion. Unacademy and Vedantu laid off more than 1,600 employees combined. The fundamental promise, to democratize education, fell short because of realities that were easy to ignore in investor presentations but hard to overlook in real life. Only 31% of rural households in India had sufficient internet access. Online learning proved significantly less effective than in-person teaching, especially for young learners. Teachers burned out, parents struggled, and a 240% rise in pediatric eye strain cases made everyone question the costs of so much screen time. Further, Governments decided to step in. In 2023, India introduced tighter regulations under the Consumer Protection Act, fining edtech companies ₹17.5 crore for misleading ads and aggressive sales. Yet, not everything is broken. The dust is settling, and the industry is recalibrating. We’re seeing a shift towards hybrid models, which data shows deliver 16% better outcomes than purely online or offline ones. Platforms are prioritizing engagement over scale, with a renewed focus on teacher enablement rather than replacement. Tools that assist teachers are reporting 85% higher satisfaction rates. We often mistake short-term hype for long-term change. Edtech didn’t fail because technology can’t transform education. It failed because the expectations were untethered from the complexity of learning Now, we’re entering a more grounded phase, a realistic renaissance. Smaller, slower, more thoughtful. #edtech

#Transformation in #Education Over the next decade Here’s how this transformation might unfold: 1. #Personalized #Learning: Adaptive Learning Platforms: Education will increasingly leverage AI-driven platforms that tailor lessons, assessments, and feedback to individual student needs, learning styles, and paces. This will allow for more customized learning experiences, where students can progress at their own speed. Data-Driven Insights: Schools will use data analytics to track student progress more effectively and identify areas where each student needs more support or challenge. 2. #Blended and #Hybrid #LearningModels: Flexibility in Learning Environments: The pandemic accelerated the adoption of online and hybrid learning models, and this trend is likely to continue. Students will have more options to learn in a combination of in-person and virtual settings, allowing for greater flexibility and accessibility. Global Classrooms: Technology will enable more cross-cultural and international collaboration, with students participating in global classrooms and working on projects with peers from different parts of the world. 3. Focus on #Skills Over #Content: Shift to Competency-Based Education: There will be a stronger emphasis on developing critical skills like problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and emotional intelligence rather than merely memorizing content. This shift will prepare students better for the demands of the modern workforce. Lifelong Learning: Education systems will place more emphasis on lifelong learning, encouraging continuous skill development throughout an individual’s career, rather than focusing solely on formal education during the early years. 4. Enhanced Role of #Teachers: Facilitators and Coaches: Teachers' roles will evolve from being content deliverers to facilitators of learning, guiding students in their personalized learning journeys and helping them develop the skills needed to succeed. Professional Development: Continuous professional development for educators will become more critical, with a focus on integrating new technologies and methodologies into their teaching practices. 5. #Equity and #Inclusion: Closing the Digital Divide: Efforts to ensure all students have access to the necessary technology and resources will be a priority, reducing disparities in educational opportunities. Inclusive Curricula: There will be a push for curricula that are more inclusive of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, promoting a more equitable and holistic education for all students. 6. Alternative #Credentialing: Micro-Credentials and Badges: Traditional degrees may be supplemented or even replaced by micro-credentials, certificates, and digital badges that recognize specific skills or competencies. Recognition of Informal Learning: More value will be placed on informal and experiential learning, with students able to gain recognition for skills acquired outside of traditional educational settings.

Industry standards are shifting, and campuses must shift faster... There was a time when digital skills meant teaching coding, frameworks, and full-stack application development, and students were considered job-ready. That standard has changed. AI is now the baseline. Across industries, organizations are no longer separating roles into AI jobs and non-AI jobs. The new benchmark is simple: ✅Software teams build AI-enhanced products ✅Core engineering domains automate using AI & intelligent systems Analysts deliver insights through AI-powered engines ✅Businesses optimize operations using AI-driven decision frameworks ✅Recruiters expect graduates to understand AI behavior, deployment feasibility, and automation-driven execution ✅AI is becoming a fundamental layer of professional fluency — in every stream, every role, every industry segment. The roadmap colleges must redefine now.. Institutions updating curriculum with AI for all students are already moving toward: ✅AI-assisted development practices instead of traditional development alone ✅Intelligent automation beings part of problem-solving, design, analysis, and innovation ✅Student projects evolving from functional prototypes to intelligent systems ✅Placement strategies focusing on AI-enabled talent readiness The question leadership must ask today is not “Should we teach AI?” It is: “How deeply and how early can we integrate AI in every department?” Because tomorrow’s placements will be decided on AI literacy, just like yesterday’s placements were decided on coding literacy. What we have done at AlgoTutor At AlgoTutor, we have upgraded our campus programs to align with this shift. ✅AI is now included in the curriculum roadmap for all student programs we run on campus, regardless of branch or discipline. ✅Our training model ensures students practice: ✔️ AI-enabled project building ✔️ Prompt engineering and model behavior understanding ✔️ AI-assisted coding, debugging, and optimization workflows ✔️ Introduction to AI-agent based automation and industry use cases ✔️ Applying AI practically in their core academic domain For College Management / Academic Boards / Placement Leadership If your institution is planning to upgrade academic roadmap by: ✅Making AI part of the curriculum for all departments ✅Introducing Generative AI, LLMs, or AI-automation workshops ✅Training students for AI-assisted engineering and intelligent product roles ✅Aligning placement outcomes with new industry-ready standards We would be glad to collaborate, assist and support the transition. If you represent a college and are interested in introducing AI into the curriculum roadmap or hosting an industry-aligned AI workshop from our team, let’s connect. #HigherEducation #AICurriculumForAll #CurriculumUpgrade #FutureReadyCampus #PlacementRoadmap #IndustryShift #AlgoTutor #GenerativeAI #AcademicRoadmapEvolution

Generative #AI and #Education - #Digital Pedagogies, #Teaching Innovation and #Learning #Design (2024) - Mairéad Pratschke, PhD "This volume addresses the gap in knowledge around generative AI and its applications in education. It draws on the recent history of technological innovation and digital pedagogies, locating generative AI in the contemporary discourse around education futures. It argues that a new hybrid model of education is emerging, requiring educational institutions to embed generative AI into course and programme design, delivery and assessment. It also proposes a shift from a focus on learning as output to learning as a process, and explores what that shift might look like. Grounded in educational theory, it offers actionable pedagogy-informed guidance on how to position AI as a collaborator in the construction of learning in a manner that is congruent with the values and aims of education..." https://lnkd.in/e5Swkix6 #Education #HumanCapacity #DigitalTransformation #BlendedLearning #Competencies #Skills #UX #GenAI #AIEd #DLW2024 #Edtech

95% of teens have smartphones, and half report being online "almost constantly" — a 24% increase in just a decade. The knee-jerk reaction? "Less screen time." But what if that's the wrong approach? Instead of "How do we reduce screen time?" perhaps we should be asking: "How do we transform screen time into something valuable?" At our tech schools across America, we've discovered that deliberate screen time can actually double learning speed. The data proves it: Our Brownsville school took kids from the 31st percentile to the 86th in just one year. The 5 Elements of Transformative Screen Time 1. Creation Over Consumption Our 3rd graders don't watch YouTube - they: • Produce news broadcasts • Build business plans with ChatGPT • Program self-driving cars and drones • Create school ambassador presentations 2. AI-Powered Personalization Every student gets a custom AI tutor that: • Adapts to their exact level • Adjusts material in real-time • Identifies knowledge gaps instantly • Tracks genuine mastery (not memorization) 3. Strategic Time Limits The secret is just 2 hours of focused tech learning daily. The rest is hands-on projects and real-world skills. This isn't theory—we've proven it across 10+ schools. 4. Building Status Through Contribution Research shows teens desperately need to feel competent and valuable. We transform passive scrolling into active creation, where students build real confidence through meaningful digital contributions. 5. Adult-Guided Innovation Parents and teachers don't just monitor—they collaborate: • Join coding projects • Review business plans • Guide content creation • Shape tech habits actively What have our results been? Students are more engaged, learning faster, and developing skills they'll actually use. The digital world isn't going away anytime soon. Traditional schools use tech to deliver the same old lectures. We use it to unleash potential. The challenge isn't screen time itself. It's teaching kids to use technology as a tool for growth instead of an escape from boredom. Because the next generation of entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators won't come from less screen time. They'll come from better screen time.

What if universities became the launchpads for 𝐀𝐈-𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭—not just academic hubs? "AI is making students lazy." We hear this a lot. But what if the opposite is true? Used well, AI doesn’t replace learning—it deepens it. It can help students ask better questions, receive instant feedback, unlock personalized pathways, expand access to research, and transition from memorization to curiosity, experimentation, and mastery. This is the shift I’ve been observing across Asia’s education landscape, and it was powerfully echoed at THE Digital Universities Asia 2025, where academic leaders and tech innovators explored how universities can evolve in an AI-powered world. One standout voice: Junfeng Li, VP of Huawei and CEO of Global Public Sector BU. His keynote made a bold case for transformation, backed up with tangible results. Huawei is partnering with universities globally to redesign how students learn, engage, and research in the digital age. Here’s what stood out: 1. From Passive Learning to Active Exploration Smart classrooms aren’t just delivering content faster—they're creating space for personalized, adaptive learning. Zhejiang Shuren University uses AI-driven lesson planning and 24/7 intelligent Q&A—tailoring the experience to students. 2. Every Major Needs Digital Fluency No matter the discipline, students need applied tech skills. Shenyang Institute of Technology integrates real-world enterprise practices into learning. With Huawei, it built 28 industry-aligned labs in 5G, HarmonyOS, AI, etc., cultivating job-ready talents and accelerating education transformation through deepening industry-academic integration.   3. Campuses as hands-on Innovation Hubs At Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Huawei co-built one of the world’s largest campus innovation hubs. Through diverse practical initiatives, this hub—featuring shared devices, open practice hub, bootcamps, and competition— effectively empowers thousands of students to become innovative and future-oriented talents. Huawei’s “1+3” Intelligent Education Solution also shows how it turns curiosity into capability. •1 Core: Hands-on digital training •3 Scenarios: Smart Classroom, Smart Campus, Research Data Management/Scientific Research   This is not only about future-proofing students. It’s about present-empowering them. To think critically. To build creatively. To collaborate courageously, with each other 𝐚𝐧𝐝 AI. AI isn't a shortcut—it's a mirror, reflecting our institutions' readiness to evolve, our willingness to reimagine education, and our commitment to preparing the next generation.   I’m grateful to collaborate with partners like Huawei, who are leading this transformation not just as tech providers, but as co-creators of a more intelligent and impactful education ecosystem. Education and future-work leaders: How do you see #AI supporting—not sabotaging—real learning? Let’s keep bridging the gaps between knowledge and action, academia and industry.

The edtech market is being flooded with “AI-powered” products right now and most aren’t making much difference at all. They’re quick wrappers on public models, lightly branded, and pushed out with a big price tag. But when you look closely, they don’t offer anything schools couldn’t already get elsewhere. AI will, without question, reshape education. But the tech itself is becoming cheap and widely available, so the real difference won’t come from the tool - it’ll come from the way companies put it to work for schools. The edtech businesses that thrive won’t be the ones shouting “we've got AI” the loudest. They’ll be the ones that: - Understand real school challenges and apply AI where it solves them - Stay agile instead of over-engineering - Combine technology with deep expertise in teaching, learning, and operations AI won’t replace strong edtech companies, but what it will do is expose the ones that never had real impact to begin with - those who led with features, not outcomes. The next big edtech winners won’t be those who “use AI.” They’ll be the ones who make AI invisible, because the focus will be on the problems solved, not the tech itself. What's the best embedded AI you've seen in edtech so far? #edtech #AI #innovation #product