Advancing Educational Systems Through Knowledge Exchange and Technological Innovations: Lessons from the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) Region

• In Event: Roundtable Session 1
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Brokering the Knowledge Brokers: Are regional hubs the way forward?

Proposal

The rapid expansion of new technologies is significantly transforming educational systems worldwide. This transformation has been especially pronounced in schools and classrooms, where the pandemic disrupted student-teacher interactions and accelerated the adoption of virtual, hybrid, and distance education models—ranging from low-tech to high-tech solutions. While these new modalities offer significant benefits in a digitally advancing world, they also highlight the persistent barriers to equitable access, particularly in the Global South. The digital divide has exacerbated inequalities, further marginalizing disadvantaged populations.

In this context, the KIX Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has emerged as a key platform for fostering knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaboration among diverse educational stakeholders. Since late 2019, SUMMA, the Laboratory for Research and Innovation in Education for LAC, in partnership with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), has driven efforts to mobilize scientific and expert knowledge to enhance educational systems and improve student learning outcomes, with explicit focus on achieving educational justice. The KIX Hub has facilitated the sharing of evidence-based insights on "what works" and "what does not," emphasizing the need to adapt and contextualize this evidence to inform educational policy and practice.

One critical challenge in the LAC region is the lack of a holistic view and sustained investment in research, innovation, and development ecosystems. Compared to the Global North, the Global South generates less scientific knowledge in education, and what it is produce is less visible. Hence, the importance of the KIX hub is that it has promoted the mobilization and synthesis of knowledge, which can inform countries promptly in their decision-making processes on national priorities. Another challenge is the development of reliable and valid Education Management Information Systems (EMIS). These systems, underpinned by technological advancements, are reshaping how data is collected, stored, and analyzed, and are crucial to the effective functioning of education systems.

This roundtable will explore the experiences and insights gained through virtual learning initiatives—such as the implementation of the KIX LAC Knowledge Mobilization Cycle on EMIS for social equity—and face-to-face efforts -such us Technical Learning Visits (TLV) to develop and strength information and data systems in the Eastern Caribbean. We will discuss lessons learned from TLV in the Eastern Caribbean countries, highlighting their progress in EMIS development and how these experiences can support national processes. Additionally, we will present the advances on a regional EMIS for the Eastern Caribbean and the formation of a technical working group dedicated to this purpose. This initiative emphasizes the importance of leveraging international evidence to address technological challenges, from connectivity and infrastructure, privacy and data sovereignty, to the integration of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, with a core focus on ensuring quality educational pathways for all students.

Author

• Sisera Simon, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States