ABSTRACT
The skills necessary to work in the technology sector are endlessly and rapidly changing as technologies themselves advance and new transformational technologies are introduced. It has been argued that traditional education models, like structured 3- or 4-year undergraduate degrees, may not be the most effective way to prepare learners for their future working lives. In this chapter, we present a case study of Qwasar, a digital skills learning platform that uses experiential learning techniques to help learners develop programming skills alongside a broader set of skills relevant to the industry, like problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, creativity, and flexibility. The findings and discussion sections of this chapter elucidate how experiential learning features in the pedagogical approach taken by Qwasar, and relatedly the impact of Qwasar’s programs in terms of workplace readiness and broader educational infrastructure. The contributions of this chapter are threefold: (1) provide novel empirical illustrations of experiential learning in EdTech, (2) problematize EdTech within broader debates about its aims and efficacy, and (3) suggest practical considerations those in this entrepreneurial space might want to consider.
