Brainly survey: 77% of Indian students find educational apps helpful to aid their holiday homework

By mapping existing and emerging education trends, the survey underscores the growing popularity of online learning platforms amongst young learners across India

Mumbai- June 4, 2021: With summer school breaks now in effect in most regions across India, Brainly, the world’s largest online learning platform, has conducted a survey to shed light on the learning practices and challenges faced by Indian students while doing their holiday homework. Collecting 1,758 responses in total, the online survey maps several interesting trends in India’s study-from-home and remote schooling landscape. The top three trends highlighted by the Brainly survey include:

1.                   Students are increasingly relying on educational apps and online resources to supplement their learning journey

On being asked which subjects they needed the most help with, one-third (33%) of students picked Maths, followed by English (17%) and science (15%). Against this backdrop, a remarkable 77% of the respondents said that they find education apps helpful in clearing their doubts and queries regarding their holiday homework. The finding underscores the increasing role such platforms are playing in a new-age student’s life.

The survey also found that students are using online learning platforms (28%) such as Brainly and others to get help with their holiday homework. The increasing preference of students to rely on digital sources of information highlights the ongoing sea-change in India’s K-12 education paradigm. This shift marks a move towards more dynamic, responsive, and community-led solutions for accessing and sharing knowledge instead of static, rote-learning-based methods used conventionally.

2.                   Students prefer brainstorming with their peers than taking the help of their parents

A majority (67%) of students admitted to taking the help of or collaborating with their peers for doing their holiday homework while 58% of them said they took the help of their parents for the same. The respondents’ preference for discussing ideas and working together with their peers, friends, and classmates to solve scholastic problems suggests the increasing self-reliance and confidence of young minds when it comes to learning. This trend can be attributed in part to the easy availability of, and quick access to, digital connectivity tools and online learning platforms that enable and promote such collaborations.

3.                   Indian students prefer to digitally connect with their peers to dispel the lockdown-induced isolation

Given the ramifications of the pandemic on the mental and cognitive capacity of the population, it comes as no surprise that a substantial 70% of young students claimed that they found it stressful to do their holiday homework during the lockdowns. Part of the reason can be attributed to the lack of opportunities to socialize with their peers and classmates in a physical setting, alongside the general pandemic-induced isolation and distress. This factor could also contribute to the increasing preference of students to digitally connect and collaborate with a like-minded community of fellow students to overcome shared challenges.

Speaking about the survey, Rajesh Bysani, Chief Product Officer, Brainly, commented, “Our survey aims to capture the evolving trends in India’s schooling landscape, in the wake of the pandemic. The trends indicate a potential shift towards a more flexible approach that complements traditional education outside the classroom with a peer-to-peer model based on knowledge-sharing between students, parents, and experts.”

“A lot of students are struggling with studying outside of the classroom. EdTech can help them to readily access a wide range of credible sources of information. Students are more confident and willing to explore online learning platforms that best suit their individual needs and preferences while learning from home. We are committed to serving and promoting the best interests of students, parents, and teachers by empowering them to navigate the shifting tides of the global learning landscape,” he added.