In a world that thrives on technology, many young learners struggle to keep pace. Emme Dao Lan Huong, founder of Teky Academy and speaker at Edtech Asia 2024, recognizes this challenge and is on a mission to bridge the gap in digital literacy through STEAM education. With nearly 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Emme has taken strides to empower the next generation of Vietnamese students by equipping them with essential tech skills. Her journey with Teky Academy reflects a deep commitment to transforming Vietnam’s education landscape.
But what drives her passion, and how does she envision the future of education in Vietnam? In her own words, Emme Dao Lan Huong shares her insights on why digital literacy is vital for today’s youth and how Teky Academy is leading the charge.
Meet Emme Dao Lan Huong
I am Dao Lan Huong, the Founder of Teky Academy. I have had nearly 20 years working in IT industry and then in 2017, I started to found Teky. TEKY is the realization of my vision to equip the next generations in Vietnam with much-needed digital literacy and technology skills with Coding, Robotics & Engineering and Multimedia tech skills and Digital literacy that are life-long skills in this 4.0 era and needed for any industry they work for in the future.
Teky is attracting a total of over 1,000,000 users and 50,000 paid students across our edtech platform, 22 offline centers and hundred of public schools. We have also partnered with DOET to support STEAM education in public schools across various provinces. In the coming years, we plans to expand rapidly by offering thoudsands of Teky STEM labs at public schools. Last year, we have chosen as Top 50 Edtech Company in Southeast Asia, Teky Academy aims to become the leading edtech business not only in Vietnam but also across Southeast Asia, catering STEM & TECH education to millions of K12 learners.
Teky has already been recognized with over 10 prestigious international awards since 2017, including titles such as Best Social Impact Startup in SEA and Best EduTech Asia in 2019, Top 50 Edtech in Southeast Asia. In 2020, Teky was selected as one of the 16 Featured Education Innovation Solutions in the world by the World Economics Forum’s School of the Future Report, further cementing our leadership position in the education sector. I was honoured to be named as Founder of the Year in 2019 for Teky’s contributions towards social impact.
Highlights
Bridging the Digital Divide
Q: How do you define youth’s key skills to succeed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and how do these differ from traditional educational outcomes?
A: A McKinsey report has warned that by 2030, there could be a major shift in jobs across many sectors, with between 75 million and 375 million people globally needing to change jobs or learn new skills. Why does this happen?
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is based on technology such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) and it is reshaping industries, jobs, and economic models worldwide. Therefore, the workforce demands in the 4IR are shifting towards automation, data-driven decision-making, and digital literacy. Many traditional job roles are evolving and being replaced by new ones, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary skills (e.g., tech and soft skills combined).
That is why the key skillsets for the future are Digital Literacy, Problem-solving and Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication. At Teky, our curriculum design and development principles must adhere closely to the goals of building technological knowledge and skill sets of this era.
Q: With the rapid pace of technological change, how can educational institutions and EdTech companies ensure that their teaching skills remain relevant in a constantly evolving job market?
A: Due to the rapid change in technology and society’s demands on the workforce, at Teky we have developed an important philosophy in the working environment, which is “Each teacher is first and foremost a learner”. Continuously updating new knowledge and up-skilling for teachers, maintaining the academic department to continuously improve curriculum, and deploying technology applications for operations, products and educational services of Teky itself that prevents us from becoming outdated and is the most important thing that helps us update the breath of the times.
Q: What role do emerging technologies like AI, VR, and blockchain play in developing these crucial skill sets for youth?
A: These technologies enable innovative educational approaches that go beyond traditional methods, making learning more interactive, personalized, and applicable to real-world scenarios. And through student’s learning engagement, the curriculum goals will foster skill development and achieve better results.
Q: How can we address the potential widening skills gap between urban and rural youth in Asia, especially considering the uneven access to technology and advanced educational resources?
A: When we started Teky, we had to face 3 Zero Problems in STEM & Tech Education: Zero number of STEAM teachers, Zero curriculum, Zero demands from parents and schools. Until now, It still remains the biggest pain points of the education system in Vietnam besides of lack of solution providers and outdated infrastructure. It could be better in the urban area after years of promoting STEM education from MOET but the limited access to technology and advanced educational resources in the rural area create education inequity to students between areas and regions.
To address these issues, especially in those countries that depends heavily on the public school system, if educational innovation is a common problem that the whole society needs to solve, then opening the public education system to edtech solutions is extremely important, bringing great benefits to the whole society: the government has more resources to accompany the implementation of national strategic policies, Edtech businesses have the opportunity to develop and even become Unicorns, contributing greatly to the country’s economy, schools have creative solutions, learners enjoy the benefits of technology for their learning activities.
Q: In your experience, what are some successful models or case studies from Asia where education systems or EdTech initiatives have effectively prepared youth for the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
A: I think it’s China and Korea. Not only do they have a long-term vision and a large investment in technology and STEM education, they also create and nurture an environment that stimulates innovation from Edtech startups.
Q: Share your biggest takeaway in Edtech Asia for 2024.
A: The event is where I can update market changes, educational trends and meet leading experts and investors in the region to seek future cooperation opportunities. This is even where edtech companies can share lessons of success and failure to look to the future together and encourage each other, especially during this difficult economic period.
Key Takeaways
- Teky Academy focuses on equipping Vietnamese students with digital literacy and STEAM skills to close the technology gap.
- Teky Academy emphasizes social impact and diversity, ensuring students from various backgrounds can access and benefit from STEAM education.
- In just five years, Teky Academy has reached 20,000 students across 22 centers, with plans to open 40 more centers and hundreds of Teky STEM labs by 2024.
The Bright Future of Digital Literacy
Emme Dao Lan Huong’s journey with Teky Academy is a testament to the profound impact one person’s vision can have on the lives of thousands. By championing digital literacy, she is not only shaping brighter futures for students but also nurturing a generation that will carry the torch of innovation and change. As Teky expands its reach, Emme continues to focus on ensuring that students across Vietnam, regardless of their background, have access to the tools and education needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving world. Her story serves as an example of how education can be transformed to meet the demands of the modern workforce, providing valuable insights into the role of technology in shaping the future of learning.
Highlights
Read the Chinese version here.
