New Edtech platform LegacyShift wants to make online learning more inclusive

Who you learn from matters. Mentorship is essential in the professional and personal development of almost everyone. Where would many of us be without mentors? Many of us have had people behind the scenes nurturing our potential and keeping us on track while growing, even to the extent of ushering us in our jobs, academic disciplines, and other social groups.

All across the world, ethnic minorities tend to place more value on mentoring because they face unique obstacles and barriers, and are therefore in need of advice and guidance that will help them grow, both professionally and personally. Sadly, the mentoring cards are stacked against them. Finding quality mentors who actually have the time to teach, train and provide useful guidance is a challenge, especially in a post-pandemic world. Roughly about two-thirds of minorities will not have a mentor of the same sex or race, according to a recent survey by LegacyShift.

And on the back of an increasing need for access to online platforms amid COVID-19, a network-based Edtech platform offering expert-led classes, peer-to-peer networking, and mentorship from industry experts has been introduced by Ghanaian-American entrepreneurs Sandra Babu-Boateng and Isaac Babu-Boateng. Known as LegacyShift, the platform makes it easy to learn and grow with the help of influential mentors who reflect the lives and experiences of minorities or people of color. Its mission is to be a catalyst for racial equity and help improve outcomes for people of color through the power of learning and mentorship.

“LegacyShift is here at a pivotal time to address the unique educational, skills training, and aspirational goals of people of color,” says co-founder Sandra Babu-Boateng. “We provide on-demand video courses from multicultural experts with a focus on categories such as wealth, entrepreneurship, STEM, career, self-improvement, and more. We are leveraging the power of culturally-centered learning to help minorities grow and cultivate the skills needed to succeed in today’s global market.”

Research suggests that online learning has been shown to increase retention of information, and offer convenience and accessibility. Following the sudden shift away from the classroom in many parts of the world, many began wondering if the adoption of online learning will continue post-COVID-19. Note that even before COVID-19, there was already high growth and adoption in education technology, with global edtech investments reaching $18.66 billion in 2019. Experts say that the changes the pandemic has caused are here to stay. The global online learning industry is currently worth $269B+ and is expected to grow to $585B+ by 2027, as stated by an online education market report.

Thus, be it virtual tutoring or online learning software, there has been a tremendous rise in educational technology since COVID-19. But even as the pandemic accelerated growth in educational technology, it amplified the lack of diversity in the industry. Roughly 60% of multicultural consumers visit some form of educational app or site to learn, however, there are limited options that address their unique educational needs, according to LegacyShift Inc. Already, progress on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and the economy as a whole in most countries is slow, per a report by McKinsey & Company.

Take the U.S., for instance. More than 42.4 million immigrants come to the U.S. to pursue opportunities and dreams. Many of these immigrants believe in the American Dream and hope to achieve it but are concerned about the political climate and threats they face almost every day coupled with the lack of mentorship.

And so to help reverse the trend and enable minority groups everywhere to grow with the help of “appropriate” experts or mentors who reflect their lives and experiences, LegacyShift has launched, with its first three courses led by experts in the financial services, health, and media industries. Harvard-trained plastic surgeon Dr. Theodore Nyame teaches a course on pivotal lessons from his career in medicine, former C-suite executive Dorinda Walker teaches a course on generational wealth building, and notable African media and TV personality Anita Erskine teaches a course on dominating uncharted spaces.

“We believe that representation is powerful – and a platform where people can access and learn from successful people who reflect their lives and experiences can be transformational,” Ms. Babu-Boateng says. “We have a growing pipeline of new classes in development and would love to also hear from people what mentors they like to see on the platform,” she adds.

At the moment, anyone can create a free account and take any of the available courses. First-time members get a 10% discount on a course, says Ms. Babu-Boateng, who is also co-founder of Face2Face Africa.

To learn more about LegacyShift or to sign up, visit www.legacyshift.com.