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The balance between technology and human touch in education and how teachers are adapting to these changes
Mumbai: I wish to begin with a thought-provoking question: Can technology and AI replace teachers? Technology will not replace teachers who use it judiciously to enhance their teaching skills
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning environments and classrooms in early 2020, compelling many schools to transition to distance learning. The widespread adoption of technology to connect students and teachers during this crisis accelerated trends that were already in motion
Over the past few decades, and especially due to COVID-19, learning spaces have undergone a significant transformation. In both face-to-face and online settings, educators have witnessed a profound evolution at the intersection of teaching and technology.
Technology-Enabled Classrooms
In traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms, the introduction of smart boards and other interactive display tools has allowed teachers to bring their lessons to life, fostering a more engaging and dynamic learning environment. These technological advancements have enabled educators to illustrate complex concepts through multimedia, simulations, and video graphics, helping students comprehend and apply information firsthand.
The role of the teacher has shifted from being the sole disseminator of knowledge to a facilitator who guides students through interactive and visually stimulating educational experiences
The New Role of Teachers in the Tech Age
New classroom technologies, management tools, and collaboration tools are significantly enhancing teaching experiences. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skills), central to the Birla Open Minds Curriculum, combined with technology, improve learning outcomes by allowing students to problem-solve, analyze, and become digital natives while maintaining a balanced human approach and sustainable use of resources.
The benefits of embracing technology are evident. As teachers integrate technology, their administrative tasks have lessened, and technology has become an effective enabler for creating content, lessons, and curriculum materials. This integration helps teachers understand and address the learning needs of their students more effectively.
Teachers are now able to monitor more students simultaneously, assign lesson plans that students receive when ready, and share actionable content through a network of technology-enabled tools, both in the classroom and at home.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
