3 imperatives for what’s next in education’s digital transformation

By now, it goes without saying that education has undergone massive upheaval since the pandemic began. But for all the changes, academic experiences are largely familiar and functional. And the technology that enabled this continuity has opened doors for the industry’s digital transformation.

The education industry operates differently than many others, with students and educators—not shoppers or shareholders—being the prioritized groups. But research from The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), commissioned by Microsoft, shows that people across sectors—after grappling with the disruption, heartache, and progress of the past year—are asking a similar question: If digital transformation brought us this far in an emergency, what can we achieve with an intentional approach?

Here are my top three imperatives for new technology in the education industry as we all digest what we’ve learned from the changes during COVID and continue forward to tackle what’s next:

1. Build on the emergency response to virtual learning with intention.

Although few industries were prepared to absorb the impact of the massive shift to remote working and learning, education’s adoption of—and funding for—new technology are not typically quick. In the EIU’s research, industry respondents also were more likely to highlight a lack of technology solutions appropriate to their market.

But in response to the pressures of the pandemic, schools and educators responded swiftly with ingenuity and empathy to keep teachers and students connected. A real-world example happened over just three days in March 2020. During that short timeframe, Duval County Public Schools moved 125,000 students and 8,000 teachers in Jacksonville, Florida, from physical to virtual classrooms, enabling secure instruction and communication via Microsoft 365 and Teams.

The rapid progress of the past year has had a positive impact on educators’ view of what’s possible, especially when new tech implementation is part of an intentional strategy over time. Looking three years ahead, education respondents in the EIU study say they’re less concerned than other sectors about their industry’s digital transformation being hindered by the pace of change.

2. Introduce channels for students and educators to connect with their communities.

For many in the industry, though, this shift exacerbated pre-pandemic gaps in access and raised concerns over how to adequately support the disenfranchised. Further, education respondents were the likeliest among the eight industries that the EIU surveyed to cite isolation and loneliness as a top drawback of remote work and learning, with 29 percent also pointing to an erosion of work-life balance.

As new technology enters the in-person and virtual classroom, everyone must have access to the technology and connectivity needed to participate. And it’s equally important to assess students’ social and emotional needs, as well as educator engagement with their own peers. Productivity and collaboration tools can bridge the gap and encourage natural, spontaneous ways of learning and working together across distances.

3. Reimagine tech to help students focus, flourish, and prepare for the next step.

Education’s digital transformation can be successful only if it equips students with the skills needed in the future. So it’s unsurprising that skill-building tops educators’ list of the most positive societal impacts that digital transformation can have in their industry.

Here, educators must bridge the gaps students experience between the lessons learned in school, the areas where they want to develop, and the preparation they need to go on to college or the workforce. At a recent Microsoft event, my team spoke with a high school senior who shared his desire to focus on “real-world skills.” He observed that the traditional route from elementary to secondary school then on to college is not relevant for students wanting or needing to enter the workforce more quickly, attend trade schools, or start their own businesses. 

In line with students’ desires to develop critical skills, the move to remote learning, and the realization of digital transformation’s remarkable impact on education, Microsoft has enhanced its own support in this industry. Tools like LinkedIn Learning, Career Coach and Reflect in Microsoft Teams, Resume Assistant in Office 365, and others support educators and work with solutions in place in their schools and classrooms. To keep the momentum going, on May 4 we announced over 50 new education features across Microsoft 365 and Teams to help facilitate better learning and teaching

It’s important to note education respondents’ appetite for even more advanced technology like augmented and virtual reality solutions. There’s so much potential here for immersive learning experiences, and we’ll continue innovating and working to ensure all students and educators can access them, regardless of where they are in their digital transformation journey.