In addition to being a prominent figure in the Middle Eastern energy industry, Karim Khayat also has extensive experience of academic and educational publishing and printing as Chief Executive Officer of Seeds Education. This article will explore the topic of EdTech, looking at how technological advancements have paved the way for making learning more immersive, engaging, effective and fun.
Education technology or ‘EdTech’ leverages innovative technology to make learning more engaging, inclusive and individualised.
Today’s learning experiences have moved beyond clunky desktop computers, with modern classrooms incorporating tables, interactive online courses, and in some cases even robots that can record lectures and take notes for absent students.
An influx of EdTech tools have changed the landscape of teaching, with innovations like virtual reality lessons, EdTech robots and gamified classroom activities making learning more engaging and fun for students.
EdTech IoT devices are lauded for their ability to create digital classrooms for students, enabling them to attend lessons virtually when they cannot physically be in school. Even blockchain tools and machine learning are helping teachers in innovative new ways, helping them to grade tests and hold students accountable for homework. Individualised learning has a key role in the ascendance of EdTech.
EdTech has a variety of different benefits for students, with cloud-enabled tools and tablets driving increased collaboration in the classroom. Tablets loaded with online lessons and learning games encourage children to work together to solve problems.
Meanwhile IoT devices provide 24/7 access to learning, enabling students with WiFi and cloud access to compete work at their own pace without being hampered by the restriction of having to be present in person for lessons. EdTech also provides scope for personalised education experiences, flipping the traditional notion of education and classrooms.
In the United Arab Emirates, EdTech is having a transformative impact on classrooms, with the UAE Ministry of Education putting its weight behind distance learning initiatives. As of June 2022, the number of educational technologies companies in the Emirates had risen to 288, with growth predicted to accelerate for the foreseeable future.
Alongside its printed materials, Seeds Education has developed a comprehensive repertoire of digital learning products. These digital materials are designed to be used as either stand-alone products or for use in conjunction with print materials. Popular digital learning materials produced by Seeds Education include eBooks, augmented course books with embedded audio, answer keys, and interactive course books featuring embedded learning objects in addition to audio and video.
