Technological Advancements in the Education Industry

Rachel Kay, Director of Education, Learning People Global

With over three decades of experience in the learning and teaching sector, Rachel Kay has amassed expertise that spans learning design, learning technology, implementation, managed learning services and apprenticeships. She has held prestigious positions such as chief learning officer and managing director of a training services business, showcasing a comprehensive leadership background. Her experience covers both B2C and B2B segments, specialising in learning design solutions, delivery and consultancy services.

Through this article, Rachel shares her insights on technological advancements and the challenges faced in the education industry. 

Could you describe the evolution you’ve observed in technology since the beginning of your career, emphasising the impact on business decision-making?

Looking back, the most striking improvement has been the simplification of platforms for business decision-making, thanks to rapid data aggregation. In the early days, we relied heavily on Excel spreadsheets, manually crunching numbers to generate charts. Today, a mere button press activates platforms that handle this automatically, a leap forward in both speed and accuracy of information processing.

In terms of supply chain management within my sector, there’s been a significant shift towards developing user-friendly platforms. A prime example is the evolution of learning management systems (LMS) over the past two decades. This technology has made learning accessible at our fingertips. Now, identifying a professional development need and finding relevant training is as easy as clicking a button, streamlining the learning process like never before.

The advent of machine learning and AI, particularly generative AI, marks another trendsetting shift. These technologies deliver highly accurate information quickly, though they’ve sparked debates over data ethics. The ability to quickly access reliable information has been a game-changer.

Not to overlook the enhancements in Google Search, which many of us use multiple times daily. In summary, the advancements in platform design, data presentation and the automation of data aggregation, along with the instantaneity of tools like ChatGPT, represent breakthroughs in how we access and utilise information for business decision-making. These are the highlights of technological progress as I've seen it.

What challenges have emerged with the proliferation of advanced technologies in your field?

One of the biggest hurdles we’re facing is the integration of various platforms. In my current workspace, we’re inundated with data from different systems, each churning out its own dataset. The real task then becomes how to synthesise this deluge of information into something analyzable. Despite having vast amounts of data at our disposal, the question remains: do we have adequate analysis capabilities? This is where tools like Power BI become invaluable, transforming raw data into comprehensible charts with ease. Although this doesn’t necessarily spell out a downside, it highlights the challenge of managing and interpreting the sheer volume of information we’re presented with.

“Just as one expects detailed, readily available information when shopping for a new car, learners today demand their educational content to be clear, comprehensive and just a click away.” 

Another significant issue is ensuring compatibility across the multitude of software solutions we employ. How do these disparate systems communicate with one another? Thankfully, the evolution of APIs over the past two decades has largely addressed this concern. Nowadays, the question of whether your software can interface with my customer relationship management (CRM) almost always receives a positive response. Historically, the main concerns revolved around system interoperability and data volume management—specifically, how to quickly and efficiently make sense of it all. These challenges stand out as the most pressing in our journey with technology.

Could you share some recent projects you’ve spearheaded or contributed to recently?

A standout project in my recent portfolio is the integration of a conversation intelligence tool within my current organisation. This innovative software revolutionises how we analyse our salesforce or customer service team’s interactions with clients. By recording conversations, the tool enables us to evaluate these interactions against predefined benchmarks of excellence, subsequently assigning a performance score.

What makes this technology especially impactful is its precision in identifying coaching opportunities. For example, after reviewing a call, I can highlight the positives—what was said well and aligns with our expectations. Simultaneously, I can pinpoint areas for improvement, all facilitated through a user-friendly interface that delivers instant feedback.

We chose a platform named Jiminny for this endeavour, driven by a clear objective to support business growth. By enhancing the effectiveness of our sales calls and ensuring the quality of customer interactions, we aimed to meet specific KPIs related to conversation quality. This project represents the latest in a series of technology-driven initiatives I’ve had the pleasure of leading, emphasising our commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in customer engagement.

What are the latest trends in education and how do you see the industry evolving?

The ongoing trend in education leans heavily towards making learning content easily accessible and highly personalised. I often think of it as treating the learner like a consumer. Just as one expects detailed, readily available information when shopping for a new car, learners today demand their educational content to be clear, comprehensive and just a click away. This reflects a broader shift towards individuals taking charge of their own learning journeys, emphasising lifelong learning accessible through various mediums—be it videos, readings, or peer group discussions in community chats.

A major game-changer on the horizon is AI’s role in personalising learning content. The idea is to tailor educational material to fit each learner’s existing knowledge base, serving content in a sequence that best suits their learning path. This approach moves away from the traditional linear learning model to a more flexible structure, accommodating learners' preferences for tackling topics in a non-sequential order.

In recent years, I’ve been involved in projects leveraging AI to bring personalised learning into apprenticeship programmes. The link between personalised content and learner engagement is unmistakable—the more the learning experience feels tailored to an individual's needs, the higher the engagement. This not only benefits the learner but also provides valuable data to organisations, helping them understand which content resonates most and where learners face challenges. Such insights can inform and improve the design process, addressing areas where learners tend to struggle.

Adaptive learning, therefore, is poised to make a significant impact in the educational field. Alongside this, micro-credentials and government-funded learning, especially in regions like the UK where training costs are high, will continue to be important trends. These elements combine to shape an evolving landscape where education is more accessible, personalised, and aligned with learners' diverse needs and preferences.

Is there any advice you would like to share with the other senior leaders in the industry?

For those of us in the tech development sphere, my key piece of advice is to ensure clarity about what problem your technology aims to solve. In the realm of learning technology, for instance, there’s a plethora of options hitting the market. However, a critical challenge in education remains knowledge retention. So, if you’re innovating a learning portal, focusing on enhancing learner knowledge retention could be a game-changer.

When designing new technology, it’s crucial to start with a clear problem statement and always keep the end user—in this case, the learner—in mind. It might seem straightforward, but it’s a step that’s often overlooked.

At last, don’t underestimate the power of data. Data not only empowers us to weave compelling stories but influences adoption rates based on how it’s presented and the user experience (UX) it offers. A clear, intuitive UX is paramount; without it, even the most innovative technology might face resistance or go unused. 

Supply Chain

Learning Management

Machine Learning