SITUACIÓN INSTITUCIONAL

Rochelle P D‟souza, PhD Research Scholar

Dr. Sudha Pingle, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, University of Mumbai

Abstract

Technology is an indispensable part of our lives. It has entered our lives and also transformed the teaching-learning process. The advent of apps and their popularity have changed many aspects of our life. Not just gaming apps but educational apps have found favour too and are being downloaded in large numbers. These educational apps thus present another occasion to integrate technology in our classrooms. Both rural and urban learning environments face several challenges. This is true especially for those institutions that are plagued by crammed classrooms and poor teacher-student ratio. Integrating educational apps in the classroom is the next step for technology entering our classrooms. But are our classrooms ready to integrate educational apps? Can the environment aid this integration? The authors examine the presence of opportunities in the current educational set-up and seek to present these as elements that can galvanise the integration of educational apps in the Indian classroom. Keywords: Educational apps, Integrating, Opportunities

Introduction

―Tech will transform from something we actively use to a more seamless integrated experience that is ‗on‘ all the time.‖

- Daniel Bæk, Co-founder of Nodes Daniel Baek‘s ‗seamless integrated experience that is ‗on‘ all the time‘ refers to applications or apps. Interestingly, Steve Jobs back in 1983, in his speech at Aspen, predicted the evolution of a ‗new digital distribution system‘ where ‗software would be downloaded over phone lines‘. This set the stage for technology that would influence not only our day-to-day lives but also have the potential to impact the teaching-learning process. From July 2008, where the first apps were developed for Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), app technology has come a long way. Launched in October 2008, Google Play Store offered approximately 3 million apps in March 2017, according to Statista‘s (2017), with the top grossing apps being gaming apps. iTunes has 80,000 educational apps. Boost e-Learning (2015) reported that Google Apps for Education has grown from 8 million users in 2010 to over 40 million users as of February 2015 which includes students, faculty, and staff using Google Apps for Education, a free service for schools. With apps finding place not only in our tech devices but also in our lives, what then prevents our Indian education system from integrating educational apps as a catalyst in enhancing the teaching-learning experience. A study by the government in 2014 revealed that 67% of India‘s population belonged to rural areas, with nearly 60% of rural students up to the age of 10 not possessing basic reading or mathematical skills and having a high dropout rate of nearly 50% by the age of 14, which is more pronounced in female students, due to the prevailing socio-economic conditions. The teacher-student ratio in rural schools was appalling, with crammed classrooms having more than 100 students of different age groups. Walking many miles to school and being taught in these poor learning conditions

managed if not completely eliminated? Can the teacher be better equipped to transact the curriculum, motivating students to be active participants? Can integrating educational apps be the answer to overcome these challenges? India isn‘t among the early adopters of technology in the education sector but the scenario has changed with access to high speed broadband internet, low cost computers, tablets and mobile devices. Chaplot, Vivek (2016) opined that the effectiveness of e-Learning has increased considerably over the last few years as he reviewed the development of e-Learning products and e-Learning opportunities among students. He recommends it to be one of the most promising areas of education and training. However, he observed that rural students fall back due to lack of mobile devices and the ones to benefit the most are on-campus students. Having found favour with its users, e-Learning can now pave the path for app-based learning whether native, web-based or hybrid or whether offline, online or both In a study taken in China, where Zhang, Jinlong & Liao, Boqin (2015) deliberated on the opportunities (mobile terminal and wireless network, the use habit of the user, mobile learning and online education market) and the challenges (imbalance of development, poor quality and unclear business model) of educational apps, they proposed ‗educational apps fit the demand for portability and contribute to the learning style on the fingertip‘. Further, Francois, Uwizeyimana‘s (2016) ‗anywhere, anytime learning‘ actuated the authors‘ search for opportunities that will mobilise the educational app revolution in India. Is it easy to integrate educational apps in our teaching-learning environment? Is this a myth or can this be for real? If this is real, what then are the opportunities that aid integrating apps in the classroom to reach the goals of education? An opportunity is a time or a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. The authors believe that the current scenario has many circumstances which are opportunities to integrate educational apps in our classrooms. These are categorised into three major areas, represented as ‗TIP‘ for Integrating Apps in the Classroom and explained in Figure 1.

1.Accepting Temperament 2.Robust Infrastructure 3.Supportive Policies

1. Accepting Temperament: Temperament is the usual attitude, mood or behaviour of an individual. An accepting temperament is one where user acceptance is high. It further indicates interest and user engagement. User acceptance is governed by Diffusion of Innovations by E Rogers (1995) which explains how ‗an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system‟. This is a 5- step process that involves knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and conformation. The steady number of increasing downloads and app users verifies an accepting temperament. App Annie‘s Fourth Annual Retrospective Report (2017) confirms that India outpaced the US and ranks number one in Google Play downloads. Indians downloaded over 6 billion apps in 2016, up from 3.5 billion in 2015 and engagement is also significant. The report explained that these increases are a result of ‗exploding user bases and increases in time spent per user.‘ In Share of Available Active App, Dogtiev, Artyom‘s (2016) reported that among the most popular App Store Categories in 2015, educational apps are the second most popular category (9%) in Google Playstore after Games (21%). User acceptance is also substantiated by the fact that schools today use customised web-based apps for administrative work and Whatsapp for communication. Also, students use language learning apps and other educational apps. Teachers like Imran Khan and Dheeraj Mehrotra by turning app developers depict how user acceptance for educational apps is a reality. An accepting temperament, coupled with user interest and engagement, is favourable in achieving educational goals.

2. Robust Infrastructure: Infrastructure includes the environment that aids the process of integrating educational apps. The authors have considered three dimensions here - software development, teachers and connectivity.

(i)Software development: Suri, S. P. (2016) reported that the e-Education market is expected to touch $40 billion by 2017 as India is currently the largest market for e-Learning, next only to the U.S. Nandakumar.V; Director of Datta Educational Consultants opined ―They are growing because schools have failed.‖ Another report based on a study by Hyperlink Infosystem in Business Insider stated ―on average, across both iOS and Android, an app that takes eight weeks to develop from beginning to end will cost roughly $48,000 in the US and that same app is 10x less expensive to develop in India‖ According to Sengupta, Google VP of Product Management Caesar ―The significant difference in cost of developing an app in the US versus India could be driving the projected uptick of developers in the country. India‘s developer community is set to reach 4 million by 2018, making it the largest in the world,‖ The report stated that in July 2016, Google launched Android Skilling in India aimed at training 2 million developers with Apple announcing similar plans in Bengaluru to provide additional and specialized support for local iOS developers. Byjus Learning App is an excellent example to gauge the promise of these EdTech companies - 5.5 million downloads with 250,000 plus students using it on an annual subscription basis in one year since it was launched in August 2015. From investors like Mohandas Pai to Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, the app has found favour with all. All these suggest how time and circumstances encourage software development in India.

opportunities. Being a key resource and an important stakeholder in the teaching-learning process, teachers who are abreast with modern technological developments and willing to tap into the huge potential of app-based learning play a vital role. Imran Khan, a teacher from Rajasthan has made 50 mobile applications in 2015 and dedicated them to students free of charge. Inspired by Imran Khan, Dheeraj Mehrotra, a recipient of the National Award for teachers has developed more than 100 Android educational apps (namely Six Sigma in Education, 99 School Improvement Plans and WoW Classroom) for students, teachers and parents on one common platform.

(iii) Connectivity: Going from no connectivity to over 350 million mobile Internet users in less than two decades is encouraging. Over the last few years, new and existing players have made significant investments in transforming the infrastructure for 3G/4G/LTE roll-outs in India. Further, these players namely BSNL, Airtel, Reliance Jio propose to connect schools and colleges by providing free Wi-Fi. These are great opportunities to improve reach, increase access and thus galvanise the process of integrating online app-based learning. Improved connectivity will bridge the gap between software development and the teacher and go a long way in achieving educational goals.

Supportive Policies: Policies not only smoothen and remove impedances but often pave the path to a better future. One such policy is the Digital India Programme whose vision to ‗transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy‘ bestows a great opportunity to integrate educational apps in our classrooms. One of its major pillars is e- Kranti, under which emphasis has been given to digitising rural India through e-Technology, especially in the domain of education. Figure 2 explains the various initiatives of this programme.

Figure 2: Initiatives Under E-Kranti (Digital India)

• Collaboration with various telecom service providers and

players such as Google and Facebook to • Empowering

geographically- remote areas with basic infrastructural set-ups for internet

services

• Providing free Wi-Fi to 2.5 lakh schools within the next five

years and • Distributing of

devices such as tablets to students in

central universities and among rural

students

• In keeping with the Skill India initiative, planning for soft-skill courses regarding computer literacy, functioning and hardware-software solutions at rural centres. • Developing Massive Online Open Courses to help rural students pursue any course of

their choice from institutions all over the country and abroad as well with

courses taught by eminent academicians and industry leaders via

virtual classrooms.

MOOCs Digital literacy

Free Wi-Fi in all schools All schools connected

The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry in 2015 launched a number of mobile apps and web-based platforms like 'E-pathshala', Saransh', 'Shala Siddhi' that allow students access to study material online and encourage parents to keep a track of the performance and attendance of their children. Another important enterprise is the

NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning), a joint initiative of the IITs and IISc. Available also as an app, this initiative conducts various online courses and certifications in various topics offered by the brightest minds in the country. Accepting temperament, infrastructure and policies are important forces that encourage the use of educational apps, providing the basic thrust for integrating them in our classroom. Without user acceptance, educational apps will not find favour in the teaching-learning environment inspite of policies and infrastructure. An accepting temperament and supportive policies are of little use without the environment to encourage software development, technologically-adept teachers or improved connectivity. Poor infrastructure prevents growth and results in stagnation. Policies provide the foundation for future investments and direct future goals; without them, very little can be achieved.

Conclusion: The stage appears set for integrating educational apps in the classrooms. With supportive policies, robust infrastructure and an accepting temperament towards educational apps, we are prepared to integrate educational apps to achieve our educational goals. This is backed by the fact that India has the second largest mobile phone user subscription base in the world, with over 900 million mobile phone users on an average spending 3 hours and 18 minutes every day with their smartphones. The introduction of tablets (Aakash promoted by the government) and smartboards and the presence of technology-adept teachers have set the tempo. However, challenges do exist. User acceptance in terms of students‘ acceptance of apps and their learning curve can be studied. Massive content creation will aid acceptance but there is a need to review student engagement with these apps which may be different for India. Supportive policies could help in engagement and this can be further probed. Further, while addressing this gap, the need to exploit demand drive would also provide valuable insights. The delivery model (apps or web-based or hybrid) needs to be investigated from the perspective of user acceptance and preference to interact with mobiles, tablets or computers. The preference of developers and teachers and suitable business models can also be probed. The various opportunities have set the ball rolling but probing these gaps will facilitate the integration of educational apps in a better manner and enhance the learning environment. As Dr. Marcus Specht says ―The students of the future will demand the learning support that is appropriate for their situation or context. Nothing more. Nothing less. And they want it at the moment the need arises. Not sooner. Not later.‖

References:

Adler, Bryn (2014, July 24). The 10 Most Telling Quotes About the Future of Mobile. Localytics. Retrieved from http://info.localytics.com/blog/the-10-most-telling-quotes-about-the-future-of- mobile

App Store. Whatever the lesson, makes apps part of the plan. Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/education/apps-books-and-more/