Campus Review, Australia: Asia Pacific Head of Cognizant Digital Business Makes a Case for Leveraging New Technologies to Drive Effective Learning for the Workforce of the Future

“The way we work is being reshaped, redefined and reimagined with the continual emergence of new technologies,” writes John Burgin. “How we learn and teach skills needs to change. Traditional forms of education such as multi-year university degrees, without a focus on lifelong learning, will not equip people for a career constantly disrupted by technological innovations.” Excerpts:

“Here are three key elements that will drive effective learning for the workforce of the future:

Collective learning and growth: Companies are shifting from siloed ways of working, to become more team-focused. Effective learning strategies need to reflect these changes in how employees are interacting with each other, and incorporate approaches that introduce skill-sets such as how to work collaboratively. So rather than asking a student to write a thesis in their final year, deciding whose is the best and grading it accordingly, lets encourage students to see what they can achieve together, and reward groups that are able to become more than the sum of their parts.

Immersive experiences through virtual and augmented reality: The use of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) could help future employees transform theory into practice. Using technology like VR and AR to create visually and physically engaging education-focused content should set the new standards in our schools and universities. In turn, this will drive the corporate world to set their own new standards of engagement and technology-driven processes in the workplace.

Personalised learning experiences: Knowing that human beings tend to perform better at things they enjoy, educational institutions should be doing their utmost to provide enjoyable learning environments. This starts with knowing what is and isn’t enjoyable to each student, and tailoring learning programs to individual needs. Digital technologies that analyse the needs, preferences, and progress of students on a 24/7 basis are already available, and discomfort around the use of data in education is already fading.

Institutions dedicated to delivering effective learning need to make a decision — either create and implement plans to innovate rapidly and continuously, or fall behind.”

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