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The purpose of this chapter is to examine the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and mixed technology as ontology for self and distance learning in the state of Meghalaya in North East India. The points of reference are the population of the state, the men/women ratio, gender ratio of learners, the tele-density of the state, the number of colleges and the rural urban divide. Data and statistics are taken from secondary sources. The chapter highlights the specific use of mixed technologies to address the new breed of learners today; a hybrid of text and hypertext; the digital learner, with his or her penchant for technology; and the mobile phone. Distance education is now gradually merging with online ontology of teaching/learning. The chapter has come up with suggestions for improving delivery of educational services in the state of Meghalaya in North East India. The originality/value of this chapter lies in the cross currents of using technology for learning in the mid of the rural urban divide, strongly advocating the course of digital learners in a state of India besotted with poor road connectivity and envisaging mixed technologies: the computer, radio and the mobile phone as integrated methods of learning.

Purpose: Post COVID-19 disruptions, a new era of online education has begun in India providing new opportunities for imparting quality education. This study aims to explore, identify and understand the factors motivating students to enrol in online courses and facilitate decision-making for students, EdTech firms and policymakers at government level.

Methodology: The study used predominantly a qualitative research design drawing data from students pursuing graduation/post-graduation from universities in the Delhi NCR region. In the first phase, 10 groups with 8–10 members were formulated, and focus group discussions were held. The deliberations were analyzed to identify and screen factors influencing their choice to enrol in online courses. In the second phase, identified factors were presented to the students for giving their rankings to identified factors.

Findings: The student inputs in focus group discussions led to identification of factors, namely low cost, convenience, accessibility, quality education, personalized attention, availability of expert faculty, scholarship opportunities, attractive course design, availability of internet technologies like Google Meet, credibility of degree, usefulness of knowledge and skills learnt and value of online courses towards employability.

Research Limitations/Implications: The study is limited to students from the Delhi NCR region. Thus, findings cannot be generalized for other regions.

Originality/Value: Existing literature suggests that no study has been conducted in India to explore factors influencing student choice of online education. The growth of EdTech companies and government inclination towards online education necessitates research on student perceptions of online courses.

Technology has penetrated in every aspect of society, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become a part of every aspect of life. Over 20 years of ICT use, nearly every government and the big business area has been radically transformed. Education is a profoundly social profession, and historically, effective education has been associated with good instructors who have a high level of personal connection with students. The use of ICT in higher education allows for more student-cantered learning settings. Nevertheless, as digital media and information continue to take over our lives, the importance of ICT inside higher education continues to rise. The higher education system plays a crucial part in every country’s growth in improving human resources (HR); higher education should create an educated population that will bring peace and socioeconomic and societal growth. Education reform agendas benefit from the use of ICT in most developing nations. ICT in education is one of the most practical approaches to improve India’s higher education system. The purpose of this review chapter was to examine the role of ICT in higher education. This chapter addressed how ICT may promote and revolutionize higher education in India through new government initiatives. Furthermore, the chapter addressed the issues and challenges associated with the use of ICT for educational purposes.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in India were caught completely unawares by the Covid-19 pandemic and necessitated lockdown. Despite almost two decades of experimentation with online and distance learning by top-tier and private institutions, the vast majority were unprepared and looked for standalone solutions for different components of teaching and learning. Valuable lessons have been learned based on which a more comprehensive solution must be sought for the post-Covid-19 environment. The lockdown has provided the much-needed impetus to reshape higher education in India. Calls for the adoption of blended learning (BL) have been made on prior occasions; this chapter renews that call and stresses its urgency. It is imperative that educational institutions amplify the momentum gained during the lockdown and transition to a BL model supported by the adoption and use of learning management systems (LMSs). Government should support this initiative by providing a centralized LMS. Corporations must “adopt an HEI,” channeling their unused corporate social responsibility funds to support information and communication technology needs at educational institutions. All stakeholders must work together to transform the country to a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy as envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

Purpose: The research determines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected India’s burgeoning education technology sector and how the new normal responded to this advancement worldwide.

Need for Study: India’s education sector saw a boom in Ed-Tech funding during the pandemic. The Indian Education industry adopted technology as a partner and succeeded in being called as the Ed-Tech capital of the world. The country has a strategic edge in online education that, if explored and researched upon, can be deployed for market growth at a global level.

Research Methodology: The researcher prioritised rigorous original quantitative and qualitative methods of investigation on technology applications in educational contexts during COVID-19 pandemic and drew its conclusions after conducting a comprehensive literature review and collecting and analysing the data from numerous journals and published expert articles on the sector.

Findings: The study found that despite the global pandemic, the Ed-Tech industry was an expanding marketplace for start-ups in India. After the pandemic, the market expanded rapidly, and by 2025, it is expected to have quadrupled in size, expenditure, and investment. It is expected that the global e-learning business, which the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has bolstered, will grow to over 400 billion US dollars by 2026.

Practical Implications: The study sets forth the various Ed-Tech categories, outlining their user bases, growth projections, and the innovative technologies employed in developing these products. The research’s long-term investment projections are envisioned to aid consultants in positioning themselves for profitable operations in the era of digital Ed-Tech disruption worldwide.

Adult learning has been significantly impacted by the massive open online courses (MOOCs). All the preceding literature have mentioned about MOOCs. The current study, however, aims to look into how the MOOC has affected higher education. This study looks into how MOOCs have affected higher education in Gwalior and the nearby areas. Its primary goal is to investigate the crucial elements of creating the teaching and learning processes employed in Gwalior and the surrounding areas by utilizing open-source courses (MOOCs) in higher education. An analytical and descriptive technique was used in this study. The required information was gathered using a quantitative survey. All academics and students in Gwalior and the surrounding areas made up the study population. The findings of the analyses show that MOOCs have a significant direct impact on higher education by enhancing educational achievements (p = 0.001), which is consistent with H1. Additionally, a 65% boost in educational results was attributed to MOOCs. The results demonstrate that MOOCs have a beneficial impact on higher education.

Indian education system is obligated to assure “accessibility” to the “quality” preschool education for all children. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has emphasised this endeavor loudly and provided clear directions to bring quality in the preschool education through effective implementation strategies. En route to this, trained and motivated preschool teachers are considered as the key factor for quality assurance. Diversity of the Indian society (language, culture, socio-economic status), variety of preschool service providers, different models of preschool education system, uneven salary structure, work load, shortage of support system, huge teacher children ratio, and unregulated sector of teacher preparation are the upfront challenge for the quality of preschool teachers and teacher education. Recruitment of trained preschool teachers, assured career growth, performance-based promotions and salary structure, regulated teacher preparation programs, adherence to the other quality standards for preschool education, digital/distance mode of obtaining required qualifications, and development of strong mechanism for monitoring; supervision as well as on-site mentoring of preschool teachers are some of the major milestones set by the government in the policy. With all this, the most important aspect is to provide encouraging and respectful environment for preschool teachers to keep them happy, contented, and motivated. The teachers, who are prepared in this way contribute in the lives of young children by creating warm and welcoming environment when they enter preschool. The NEP 2020 has brought hope, possibilities, and directions in this regard.