By Claire Field

It’s the global edtech conferences and events where education is discussed

In reflecting on last week’s TAFE Directors Australia conference, it occurred to me that one thing was missing from the program … a dialogue about improving educational performance.

It’s not just a TDA issue. All leading conferences in the sector (and yes, ACPET as was, ones too when I was there) discuss government policy change, funding, regulation, responsiveness to the changing world of work, educator capability building, etc. Rarely do they focus on improving student learning.

By contrast, it’s now the global edtech conferences and events where education is discussed.

The edtech sector has moved beyond simply facilitating more online delivery at a lower cost. Edtech companies are scientifically studying learning and using the evidence, combined with the power of AI, to change teaching and assessment practices. They now have proof they can teach learners more and have them retain that knowledge for longer than traditional providers can via face-to-face delivery.

That’s why corporates, like Optus who spoke at the TDA conference, are looking beyond the formal tertiary sector for their upskilling needs.

There’s more here if you want a run down on some of the edtech companies I’ve been impressed by and the results their learners are getting, or here if you prefer a podcast version (Episode 2).

Claire Field advises on VET, international education and private higher education.