How are school apps in India revolutionising the way education is delivered in schools?

 Online education revolutionised learning in ways unimaginable. Whatever was once thought got implemented post-pandemic. Education now is no longer a low-experiment sector. It has unravelled the untapped potential at an exponential speed letting children make the most of online education. Edtech companies in India helped the education sector sail through the crisis and made the model resilient to withstand the crisis not just in the present but in the future too. With the help of school apps in India, these ed-tech companies offer services that ensure disrupted learning across schools.

Technology— the saviour?

Despite the stakeholders’ reluctance to embrace technology at a mass level within their school premises, technology did become everyone’s best friend. Tech-enabled schools were the ones that excelled even in times of distress and saw a higher student retention rate in comparison to schools that offer traditional learning. Though technology has not been adopted in the sector like other industries, for example, healthcare, the speed at which schools are finally deploying it to make their daily functions easy is applaud worthy.

 

The learning loss caused by the pandemic. Is it retrievable?

The learning loss created by the pandemic remains incalculable; however, many progressive and tech-enabled schools introduced bridge courses for students to fix the learning gap created by the pandemic. These bridge courses ensure that students obtain the prerequisite knowledge and skills required to achieve the learning outcomes of their current grades. The learning caused by the pandemic could be irreversible; however, if schools take proper measures, this gap can be filled.

 

School, then and now

The educational industry has evolved at an unprecedented speed. As a result, the practices intrinsic to the sector saw an abrupt overhaul and got replaced by an innovative model— an integrated academic system. As a result, integrated systems surfaced to save the sector from devastating effects and irreparable learning loss. This system helps the stakeholders with unique apps that help them make learning a seamless process even when the schools remain shut indefinitely. Some of the benefits of integrated systems are:

·        World-class learning with the integration of various resources

·        Teachers get meaningful resources to teach students from

·        Teachers can conduct exams and assessments seamlessly while sitting at home

·        Parents can maintain smooth communications with teachers

·        Students can learn at their convenience

·        Students can learn at their own pace without hurrying up

·        Students get an opportunity to collaborate with their peers

·        Learning stays undisrupted with online/offline/both modes

·        School owners can access the school data from anywhere, anytime

·        Parents can participate more in their child’s learning

·        Students become self-reliant as they navigate their curriculum

·        Students get to learn via more than one medium

·        Students never miss lectures as every class gets recorded

 

 

The ongoing pandemic has been a reminder to the education sector about the frivolousness of rote learning practised in the Indian schools and the brittleness of the sector. Few of the sectors responsible for driving a country’s economy, such as education, cannot afford to crash under any circumstances. A study by UNESCO says, “Studies on effective integration of technology in education show the opportunities ICT provides to help increase student engagement, motivation, and attendance— key requirements for learning. The potential for eLearning to improve performance on core subjects and foster the development of 21st-century skills in mature and emerging economies depends on the schools' ability to model student-centred, highly personalised learning environments.”

Now is the time to tap the potential of technology and leverage it for better student results and make learning undisrupted. Schools, despite their location and size, must make technology a fundamental part of their functioning.

Best School Management to help the sector survive stressful times

The sudden shift from physical classrooms to virtual classes has brought new challenges along with it. The physical and complex methods of data management are no longer possible. Moreover, the stakeholders of this industry are moving towards modern education technological solutions. Therefore, apart from providing a wholesome new-age educational experience to children, traditional methods of data management systems must also change. All these tasks are administrative and non-administrative tasks such as admission process, student’s attendance, class schedules, assessment, exam schedules etc. 

 

What is ERP?

 

ERP- Enterprise Resource Planning is software that manages business processes for a company, organization or school/university. It features multiple applications and tools that work together seamlessly to connect departments and bring the data from those various departments together into one database. It helps in putting all the required information right at our fingertips. It helps the teachers to spend their time on the teaching process and student’s progress, while the software manages all the intricate and time-consuming administrative tasks. 

 

Benefits of ERP in school:

 

Time-saving: It saves much time involved in managing data and information for the school. It saves time for the teachers and students by providing them ample time to focus on teaching and learning. All the back-office operations of a school are taken care of by this software.

 

Automation: We all know that administration and financial management involves regular recurring work of data entry. ERP automatically pulls specific data from all the applications within the system.

 

Data Integration: ERP is equipped with modern technologies such as cloud computing and machine learning. These technologies make data management more accessible and faster. This enables the schools to restore their data with security and is easy to recover whenever needed.

 

Flexibility: ERP helps us to access any information from anywhere. There are no time or location constraints anymore for a job to be carried out.

 

Organization: Restoring data in an organized manner is a tedious job. ERP helps in operating the entire management system in an organized manner. It comprises multiple applications and apps that share information with all the departments. 

 

Productivity: Once data management and office work is taken care of, teachers can invest more time with students. As a result, the quality of education becomes better, and the workforce also becomes more productive. 

 

Accessibility: All the people involved in the learning-teaching process can access any information anytime. Teachers, parents, students, principals and management can be well informed and connected through School ERP Modules.

 

Performance: The ERP software keeps everyone involved. The students can access all the required information when needed. Parents also stay updated and involved in their ward’s progress.

 

Conclusion: With education being delivered at our fingertips the requirement for easy and fast access to information is a need of the hour. Managing day-to-day administrative tasks have become more manageable with software like ERP. The schools now do not have to rely on stacks of paper files. They have the best school management software available now in the market. They can manage and access all the required data with just a click. This has helped in dissipating the bridge between school management and parents as well. With the help of school ERP modules, the parents can keep track of all the developments in the education system. ERP has made everyone self-dependent and has connected all the departments. All the stakeholders of the education department are now interconnected. Implementing these modules in the schools has helped improve students' and teachers’ performance.

How LMS for Schools lets school owners juggle various tasks

COVID-19 has undoubtedly deepened the existing education crisis that can create havoc on students’ future if not addressed on time. The recovery will need additional budgets, but schools on an individual front can start taking steps to mitigate the learning loss created by the ongoing pandemic.

The school management has been a hassle ever since they declared infinite shutdown. Online learning was deployed to bridge the learning gap created in schools, but to keep the school administration functions going, there was no respite or way out. Many school administrative works such as collecting a fee, conducting exams, and recording students’ holidays became a task—only the best schoolmanagement software can cure this.

ERP software is a one-stop solution to every administrative problem that a student or school staff goes through. With a single click, school stakeholders can juggle various responsibilities and minimise manual tasks.

 

Why technology is no more an option

Earlier technology was considered a TIER-1 concept where only bigger schools had its’ access. However, with the pandemic and school functions coming to a halt, schools even in smaller cities embraced technology. As a result, technology helps in undisrupted learning, upskilling teachers, quality education, and ensures that every school department runs smoothly.

ERP Solutions for schools help schools with the following:

●      Automation of school function

When the conventional walls of the schools got shut, conducting even minscule tasks became harrowing. However, with ERP and smart technology, everything can be taken care of with a single click. 

●      Better connectivity between all stakeholders

ERP helps all school stakeholders stay connected even when the schools are shut. For example, teachers can connect with parents whenever they want and vice-versa. They do not have to fix a parent-teacher meeting to do so.

●      Timely fee collection

Sending endless reminders to parents about timely payment of fees became a daily activity for the school administration. However, reminders can be sent to parents with school ERP, and fees can be paid on time.

●      Ease of taking attendance

Manual attendance became a nightmare during online learning (LMS for school). ERP allows teachers to take students' attendance when they log in and can help school stakeholders know if they are attending fewer classes or taking many leaves.

●      Assessments

 Teachers can conduct assessments online, do instant grading and suggest remedial with the help of ERP enhancing student performance.

 

The unreliability of the current education model was exposed with the pandemic, and with the kind of learning loss created, the industry cannot withstand such shocks in the future, inevitably. So now is the time for schools to think through a structure that’s more than brick-and-mortar and transcends the stand-and-deliver mode of education. The myth around technology in schools finally wanes, and now is the time for stakeholders to make the most of it—to deploy smart technology inside schools.

 

The dawn we have been waiting for

Fortunately or unfortunately, technology has expedited the advancements long due in the sector. With technology comes new hope and a guarantee that the future will have better-prepared children who are fast learners who are more skilled and can take any problem head-on. Unfortunately, COVID induced lockdown pushed nearly 1.6 billion children out of the classroom that caused irreversible learning gaps. To avoid such crises in the future, schools have become necessary to adapt to the change and keep evolving with time.

Smart School ERP: Everything under One Umbrella

Recently, my aunt told me how she struggled to join an online Parent-Teacher Meeting for one of her kids at school. Everyone is speaking the digital language, but many are still not equipped to understand it. She told me her life has become easy-breezy ever since her kid’s school implemented a smart school ERP (Smart school Enterprise Resource Planning) software.

Smart school ERPs have excellent school Learning Management System platforms (School LMS platforms) with in-built mobile applications, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence to provide seamless services to users. In addition, their cloud-based management makes them accessible 24*7. It is everything under one umbrella. Let’s understand how.

School LMS Platform

These solutions are packed with integrated school LMS platforms and learning modules. As a result, you wouldn’t need any new software or plug-ins to run your school.

24*7 Accessibility

These web applications let you access study material, assignments and teaching material from any place 24*7 as everything is stored on the cloud.

Automated Payrolls

You can set up custom payrolls and automate the entire process. It takes account of employee’s leaves – causal or paid and automatically updates the salary.

Eco-Friendly

All of your school’s data is stored in one place in a digital format. There is no need for physical paper and keeping files and records. And the best part is that digital information is easy to carry, secure and available from any Pincode in the world.

Customisable

It is straightforward to customise these ERP solutions as per the needs of your school because they are built upon open source technologies such as PHP & MYSQL.

Seamless Communication

You can stay connected with all the stakeholders through an internal communication system that may include all or some of these – SMS, Email or apps.

Fees Module

They have an in-built fees module that can collect fees online via Payment Gateway with several payment methods such as Paytm, net banking, Google Pay, cheque or cash. In addition, it maintains all the records for fees dues, instalments and fees collected.

Super Affordable

There are no hidden costs, and they provide so much value that you can significantly cut down on your physical infrastructure. All of this makes it super affordable for any school.

Inventory Tracking

You can keep track of purchase, record and restocking of inventory with the module designed for it. You can keep a tab on your inventory while sipping wine in Goa. It’s super easy.

User Friendly

They use intuitive dashboards, designs and layouts to make it user friendly. You will become a pro in no time.

Umbrella

You can manage one institution or several institutions under one umbrella using this smart school ERP.

Flexible

You can launch it on any local server or Linux or Windows or the web in no time. You just need a secure internet connection to do it.

Highly Secure

All the data is encrypted, so you can be assured that your sensitive information is safe with this robust software.

Compatible with All the Boards

Whether your schools the CBSE Board or State Board or ICSE Board, or International Board, it is compatible with all of them. It can accommodate the grading structure of all of them.

Compatible with All the Formats

You can host the learning material in any format – audios, text, videos, ePub, pdf, online quizzes, ppt, word, or embed content from online resources.

Better Parent Engagement

You can send auto-generated reminders and reports to the parents about their kids’ performance and progress. You can also inform them about their low attendance score.

The ed-tech companies are continuously evolving and improving the features of smart school ERPs and LMS for school. You will get all the updates free of cost. So invest in the best deal today.

Pivotal Role that Blended Learning in Schools has

 The role technology has played in the education sector in the last year remains monumental. Traditional education has always been ‘good enough for all stakeholders, but the urgency to revolutionise every school’s department was felt when the pandemic struck upending lives in 2020. Overnight, technology for schools became necessary rather than a luxury, and blended learning in schools became more than just a temporary arrangement.

When the sector got disrupted

Causing the biggest disruption to the education sector in history, the pandemic calls for a resilient model in the present day scenario that can withstand any future crisis. To facilitate undisrupted learning with quality, schools are opting for a blended learning model. Blended learning combines the best of traditional face-to-face classroom learning and eLearning. This mode helps keep all kinds of learners engaged ―the ones who learn better in a structured environment and those who learn better at their own pace with the help of technology.  Schools in India have kept technology at bay owing to the massive infrastructural changes that come with it. But integrated solutions bring the entire school functioning on a single dashboard where all the stakeholders can access information anytime without any massive infrastructural changes.

Why is the technology required now more than ever?

For a very long time, technology in schools has been considered a privilege where only Tier-1 cities had its access. But with integrated solutions, technology has reached the remote parts of the country, bringing about a ‘much needed’ change in the sector.

But how is technology making education seamless and effective? Let’s have a look:

●      Learning at your pace: When a school gets tech-enabled, students can learn from the comfort of their houses at their own pace. Every student has a different learning curve, and this can be addressed with integrated solutions.

●      Better learning resources: Unlike online learning, where the entire learning structure remains haphazard, a tech-enabled school provides adequate learning resources and engages students during lectures with a well-curated curriculum and practices.

●      Collaboration: In the absence of camaraderie that school life brings, students can indulge in collaborative learning, hone critical thinking skills, etc., with integrated solutions. Students also learn empathy and master leadership skills.

 

Technology beyond learning

Technology has overhauled the nitty-gritty of the education sector. Not only does it ensure quality learning, but it also ensures seamless functioning across various school departments. Conducting various functions in a school has always been done manually and used to take several hours and sometimes days. But when a school is tech-enabled and has integrated solutions deployed, every function can be taken care of with a single click.  The integrated solution has also made teachers proficient at handling online classes better. Teachers can navigate better during their classes through various tools and make learning effective and impactful.

Reports have suggested that “85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't been invented yet.” To cater to the fierce generation, schools must look beyond textbooks to bring about change.

 

In January, World Bank reported, “At the peak of school closures in April 2020, 94 per cent of students – or 1.6 billion children – were out of school worldwide, and, still, around 700 million students today are studying from home.” To avoid learning loss of this scale from happening in the future, schools must make technology an intrinsic part of their infrastructure.

The world we live in right now is highly unpredictable. Unfortunately, the learning gaps are irreversible, and the gaps that get created now will leave a long-term impact on students. Sustainable practices like integrated solutions must be adopted to make the education sector thrive in all circumstances.

How technology for schools has proved a boon to learning

 The ‘double mutation’ covid virus has worried the world, with more impact and increased mortality rate. This virus has made over 17-18 countries, including India, impose lockdown (complete/partial) again. The countries where the schools were reopened have again switched to online learning. In the present scenario, the technology for schools has again emerged as a blessing in disguise for the students.

The school ERP software have enabled schools to conduct the online classroom seamlessly. Also, these ERP solutions for schools ensure that the students can easily access the smart classes without facing any difficulty. It won’t be an overstatement that ERP software for schools have proved supreme solutions to prevent loss of learning. Not only does the school ERP system confirm the undisrupted learning, but also it is helpful in school management tasks. 

Let’s read further to understand the benefits an ERP system for school offers to different stakeholders:

 For teachers 

A school ERP app enables teachers to conduct virtual classes with time management to keep pace with the session’s syllabus. Also, the teachers can find the organised teaching material and methods on the app to derive the best teaching outcomes.      

 For students

 Easy access to virtual classroom is the prime benefit students can avail using the school ERP. None of us has the answer to when shall normalcy be established and traditional classroom start. In such a context, students rely on the online classrooms driven through the school ERP system.

 For parents       

 The school ERP app allows the parents to track the real-time progress of their wards vigilantly. It has also enhanced the communication between parents and teachers. Now, parents don’t have to wait for PTMs to get the feedback of their kids. They can connect with the class teachers with a click of a button on their mobile.

 For principals/ school owners

 Schools owners and principals can also attain benefits from a school ERP system. It brings ‘school on the cloud’, and principals can check everything right from the performance of teachers & students to the status of school management/administrative tasks. Hence, school ERP enables principals/ school owners to get overall control over school functions.   

Future of School ERP Systems 

Now you all must be wondering about the future of school ERP systems. There is a misconception that schools will use ERP systems until the situation gets back to normal. But this is not true. The highly functional school ERP systems allow hybrid learning - an amalgam of offline and online learning. Hence, even when schools will get back to traditional four-walled learning, the ERP systems will be operational. 

Once the world gets independence from social distancing and other strict COVID guidelines, schools will reopen, and conventional learning will take off. But school ERPs are all set to add a new essence to the learning even in offline mode. The learning gets pretty effective with school ERP systems, and students get to read an enhanced curriculum - way more advanced than their regular course curriculum.    

Wrap Up 

This is all about how ERP solutions support offline as well as online learning in schools. The point that bids a mention here is that a school ERP should be highly advanced so that the stakeholders in schools can harness its power wholly. An advanced ERP software for schools confirms the undisrupted learning and also smoothens the management tasks like attendance management, report card creation, fee submission, etc.