EdTech Interoperability: What’s New
Without communication or exchange of information and knowledge human evolution was next to impossible. If that is true, food for thought — do you believe the software systems that are basically replicating the functioning of a human brain can survive or evolve without the exchange of information or in their case the data?
There was a time when software systems worked in silos. They maintained their own database and stay cooped up in their little world. But one day, someone had an idea to provide it the ability to interact with different systems, devices, applications, and products that exchanged information. This my friend is called interoperability.
Interoperability is connectivity, communication, and coordination between different software systems which does not require any human intervention. It enables data accessibility, data transmission, and cross-organizational collaboration. Through interoperability, a system becomes more efficient and has a holistic view of information to provide real-time insights to the users for improved functioning and decision-making.
Interoperability in EdTech
There are many education technologies that are using the interoperability concept. This provides the software with more capabilities to reshape education fundamentally. Interoperability is allowing institutes to become more creative and improve the effectiveness of education. Modern concepts in education such as personalization of education, online learning, AR / VR, etc., cannot function without interoperability.
Interoperability becomes so much more important because most modern technologies cannot function without accessing and analyzing mounds of data collected over the course of each learner’s journey. Unfortunately, when the data remained stored in silos blocked the vision of these technologies to achieve their true potential. The space between the different systems made it difficult to access, analyze and use for better student outcomes. Data needs to be accessible and well-structured to come of any use for increasing the functionality of the software systems.
Benefits of Interoperability
Interoperability allows the seamless exchange of data between different software systems. The benefit of having a software ecosystem that gives way for interoperability within the education system provides more than just basic data sharing and accessibility. These are smartly created software systems that are mandated to leverage platforms and applications that are built for the exact purpose of optimal and secure data sharing.
- Improves educational experience
One of the best features of interoperability is the provision of a unified experience. The system allows integrations with multiple tools and software allowing educators and non-academic staff to function more efficiently. Having said that, interoperability can help institutes to render personalization and enhance knowledge retention with the use of different media, and formats for teaching.
- Reduced Technology Expenses
Interoperability causes a significant reduction in the Total Cost of Ownership, especially for state-run schools and colleges where funds are meager. Interoperability enables rapid and sustainable growth. Software systems that are built on technology stacks that promote interoperability can provide flexibility to institutes to gradually make their way towards digitalization, rather than wait for a large fund to invest in an all-serving toolset. They can enhance the existing technology to meet their growing needs and modernize and scale with time.
- Improve Data Usability
Modern institutes can be highly benefitted by putting data to use. An interoperable system can help in fueling personalization and provide insights to institutes for constant improvement. It helps in reducing time and resources in managing data and information. It provides for improved speed in operations and enables automation through modern technologies such as AI and ML.
Bottom Line
Technology is constantly evolving and offering more ease in operations. It is important for institutes to stay abreast with new trends and technologies to ensure the cost-effective functioning of institutes while managing their challenges effectively. Interoperable software solutions are one of the innovations that have helped many industries to scale over time and embrace digitalization truly. The education sector too can explore the opportunities and be benefitted from them. Modern cloud ERP solutions help colleges to recruit and retain students that are academically and culturally more aligned with the organization, hence making retention easier.
