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Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?

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mEducation Alliance Symposium

3 October, 2024

Priyadarshani Joshi, PhD

Senior Research Officer, Global Education Monitoring Report

Good morning. It is an honor to participate in this celebration of the second year of coordinated action of the Digital Transformation Collaborative in New York.

This is a brief overview of the Global Education Monitoring Report’s analyses covering technology in education. The GEM Report, an editorially independent report hosted and published by UNESCO, is the international community's tool for monitoring progress towards international educational goals.

In these past three years - through our global report, gender report, youth report, and regional reports on Southeast Asia, Pacific and East Asia to follow - we have provided a wide range of data and evidence - building on several partnerships with academia, institutions, regional bodies, and 200 PEER profiles on laws and policies on technology in education.

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GEM Report: a 20+ year global brand in education

Editorially independent report hosted by UNESCO �since 2002

A global mandate since 2015 to monitor:

► education progress in SDGs ▷ Monitoring�► strategy implementation ▷ Thematic�

… to ‘hold all partners to account’�

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Technology is not yet transforming education but it is having negative effects on wellbeing

Use has grown BUT varies by income, education, teacher preparedness and gender There are 244 m fewer women than men using the Internet worldwide.

Children can/do learn without technology�Can technology solve key education challenges: equity? quality? efficiency?

What lasting effects is technology having on wellbeing? Social media use is associated with socio-emotional difficulties, esp among girls

Many don’t have the ability….1 in 3 adults in 7 countries in SE Asia can send e-mails with attachments

While there are several types of findings on technology discussed in the report, an overall reflection is: technology has not yet been transformative for education, but we do have a substantial concern over its negative effects on wellbeing.

The scale and scope of technological change has been rapid over the past years. But, the use of different technologies varies by income, education, teacher preparedness and gender. There are 244 fewer women than men using the internet worldwide.

Even in a region like Southeast Asia - where there has been a dramatic growth in digital infrastructure, much increase in technology use, an emphasis on connectivity and devices, and where digital platforms and content have multiplied – only one in 3 adults in seven countries can send emails with attachments.

We know that children can and do learn without technology. Focusing on the question of education first, we have to ask: what are the educational problems we are trying to solve? Can technology help address these problems, and, if so, under what conditions?

There are deep questions we need to ask on what are the lasting effects that technology may be having on well-being, which is a whole of society issue and not just in education systems. Greater interaction on social media at age 10 is associated with worsening socio-emotional difficulties with age among girls in particular.

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Use a compass when deciding to deploy technology in education

Is it equitable?

Is it sustainable?

Is it appropriate?

Is it scalable?

Governments need to use a compass when deciding to deploy technology in education.

The first question is whether this use of education technology is appropriate for its context, aligned with learning objectives. Governments need to identify which digital technologies have been shown to improve learning and how. It is important to design, monitor and evaluate policies with the participation of teachers and learners.

The second question is whether this use of education technology is equitable. We know that currently technology offers an education lifeline for millions but excludes many more. During COVID, 72% of the poorest could not connect. A greater focus is needed on technology that supports the marginalized.

The third question is whether this this use of education technology is scalable. Every country should have a body that evaluates education technology and sets criteria around it, yet hardly any does. Products change rapidly and the evidence is limited. Governments need to be wary of the total cost of ownership and implementation. And ensure transparency in public spending.

Finally, does this use of technology support sustainable education futures? Countries need to establish a curriculum and assessment framework of digital competences that is broad, intended for citizenship, not just the world of work, and not attached to specific technology. We need to protect learners’ and teachers’ human rights, well-being, safety and privacy, including from a gendered perspective. We need to consider the material and energy implications of digital technology in education.

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There is gender parity globally, except in sub-Saharan Africa

a. Primary

b. Lower secondary

c. Upper secondary

d. Tertiary

Adjusted gender parity index

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Millions of girls continue to be excluded from education

Apart from Afghanistan, 9 of the 10 countries with the highest education exclusion rates for girls are in Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, more girls of primary and secondary school age are out of school than boys

The number of out-of-school girls fell by 41% between 2000 and 2022

Out of school rate (%)

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Girls perform quite well once in school

Globally girls perform better at reading�For every 100 boys, there are 115 girls proficient at reading in lower secondary

In science, girls already have an advantage in grade 4 which more than doubles by grade 8

Boys perform better than girls in mathematics in primary, but not in lower secondary education. �

Science performance by gender

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Despite these advances, girls’ confidence in STEM countries is harmed early

Gender gaps emerge when children start deciding about their careers.

In Canada and Ireland, gaps begin in secondary school choices.

Girls are far more anxious about mathematics than boys

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Girls are far less likely to study STEM subjects and pursue STEM careers

Women make up just 35% of STEM graduates ��…with no change in the past 10 years according to UIS

Women held less than 25% of science, engineering and ICT jobs in 2022

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Gender and social identities and stereotypes shape STEM aspirations

Gender stereotypes are generated and perpetuated at home and in school

Female teachers and role models can be a positive influence

Biased gender norms and stereotypes in curricula and textbooks influence girls’ choices

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Girls and women continue to face barriers in access to technology

BUT… ICT can enable access for girls in crisis: Radio (Afghanistan); Tablets (Jordan), Mobile phones (Nigeria); Learning apps (Kenya)

Social and cultural barriers:

244 million fewer women have no access to the internet

Barriers in access:

81% of men and 75% of women own a mobile phone

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Technology can help youth access sexuality education that might not be available elsewhere

Radio and television enhance knowledge on sexual and reproductive health rights in Latin America, Nepal and Sierra Leone

Technology provides a safe and confidential learning environment

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Social media negatively affect girls’ wellbeing

Girls are twice as likely as boys to suffer an eating disorder, which is exacerbated by social media

Greater interaction on social media at age 10 leads to socio-emotional difficulties

Technology-enhanced school-related gender-based violence is rising

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Leverage technology as a catalyst for gender-equitable education

Appropriate?

Equitable?

Scalable?

Design curricula and teacher training that address gender stereotypes and negative gender norms that might be reinforced through the use of technology

Invest in programmes that empower girls and young women to study in STEM fields and pursue STEM careers

Establish bodies to evaluate education technology, set clear evaluation standards and criteria to assess negative effects on well-being or amplifying negative gendered stereotypes

Sustainable?

Protect learners’ and teachers’ well-being, online safety and privacy from a gender perspective

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Keep learners’ best interests at the centre of a framework based on human rights

Focus on learning outcomes, �not digital inputs.

Digital technology should not be a substitute for but a complement to human interaction

#TechOnOurTerms

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