As millions of students have shifted their studies either completely online or into a hybrid format, educational technology (edtech) companies have flourished due to the increasing demand for their services. In just the first half of 2020, edtech businesses raised over $800 million. As companies have worked to capture customer demand by increasing the quality of online tools and programs, this surge in edtech will serve to further improve and legitimize online learning even beyond the current pandemic.

Less than ten years ago, such an immense pivot toward online learning was unimaginable. While the Coronavirus pandemic has obviously forced many students to take classes online, a trend toward embracing e-learning has steadily grown even prior to 2020. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that in 2018, over 6.9 million students, equivalent to 35 percent of postsecondary students in the nation, were enrolled in online education courses at degree-granting postsecondary institutions. 

Zoom and other telecommunication services have been most prominent for many college students. These tools have been critical for schools that have shifted lectures and classes online. But when students begin returning to the classroom and lecture halls, these telecom services, while still likely to be used, will not experience the same level of usage as has been seen. However, much of the edtech boom has been attributed to products that can serve to streamline learning even when physical classrooms are bustling once again. Some of these products include learning management systems such as Canvas or Schoology, online educational content and materials providers like Newsela or Knewton, or supplementary tools such as Quizlet or Kahoot. These different offerings can improve learning experiences even as students go back in person.

One of the most noticeable growing edtech segments, however, has been in Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs. Just two major US-based MOOC providers, Coursera and Udemy, have raised almost $200 million since only the start of the pandemic. These companies work with educators to create curricula and course offerings in various fields such as business or computer science. MOOCs have worked especially hard to present themselves as reputable alternatives to traditional brick-and-mortar learning. They’ve created partnerships with major educational institutions and companies to develop certificate, degree, and occupational upskilling programs. Moreover, with credit granting programs such as edX’s MicroBachelors and MicroMasters programs, students can potentially transfer their online courses to actual credit at traditional institutions, though this option is not very widely available currently. Despite this, these advancements in MOOCs have helped to improve the reputability of online education. When large companies sponsor the various job training programs, or when professors from schools such as NYU or Duke lead the online lectures, the legitimacy of such programs increases, as can be observed through their rapidly rising student memberships and partnerships with businesses and educational institutions.

As a student, these advancements in edtech, whether specifically concerning MOOCs or supplements to in-person learning, should be an exciting prospect. Learning management systems and online learning tools, among other services, have made our lives easier, and can continue to do so as remote learning shifts to hybrid and eventually in-person instruction. MOOCs also present a unique opportunity to gain skills or potentially even earn credits at a cheap cost and with a flexible schedule. While an in-person education is certainly preferable or even necessary, especially for smaller courses or classes with a lab component, edtech has the ability to improve learning experiences for when in-person instruction returns, while also offering reputable online alternatives.