Little to no cost of adaptations for equitable design of EdTech solutions using the EQUIP Framework

• In Event: Leveraging technology for equity in Education- A Framework, and tool for EdTech Designers and Deployers .

Proposal

Digital technologies in education have the potential to transform learning experiences and outcomes. However, equitable access to these technologies remains a challenge, particularly for marginalised populations. As Cermakova et al. (2024) notes, equity considerations are critical in EdTech design to positively influence developers, consumers, and policymakers. In East Africa, Ochieng and Ngware (2022), reveal that many marginalised learners were excluded from EdTech-supported learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an indication that shows equity is often considered an afterthought in EdTech design, with most attention on it arising during implementation challenges. Moreover, even when equity considerations are acknowledged, they are often perceived as too costly to implement effectively. This paper explores low-cost adaptations for equitable EdTech solutions using insights from the EQUIP Equity Framework developed in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.The EQUIP project, titled EdTech for Quality Learning: Understanding Inclusion and Equity Pathways, was a two-year study which aimed at understanding how EdTech designers and deployers ensure equitable access to education technology. Through collaborative efforts with teachers, educators, policymakers, NGOs, and EdTech entrepreneurs, the EQUIP framework was developed to guide EdTech interventions in the East African context. It sought to address critical barriers to equitable EdTech deployment, including limited infrastructure, cost constraints, and gaps in digital literacy among teachers and learners. To test the framework, a three months’ test with EdTech entrepreneurs was conducted. The EQUIP test included monthly group reflections that allowed the 8 testing organisations to reflect on practical, low-cost adaptations that significantly improved the equity of EdTech interventions.

These changes included ensuring accessibility through offline platforms, optimising content for mobile devices, and creating gender-sensitive learning environments. The testing organisations also reported a shift in their perceptions and planning regarding equity in EdTech, with many prioritising underserved populations and designing for sustainability. Specifically, the testing organisations learnt that engaging users in the design process and frequent feedback loops highlighted insights that resulted in addressing immediate barriers to equity. For example, Uwezo, a civil society organisation, after collecting data from parents learnt that some of them did not have access to mobile phones and sent their SMS content instead to teachers who facilitated the messages to the learners. The parents also requested for adult learning programs as an add on to help them support their learners better. The paper will explore adaptation pathways implemented by EdTech designers, government representatives and civil society organisations implementing EdTech interventions.
The EQUIP Equity Framework has demonstrated that equitable EdTech design does not necessarily require significant financial investment. Through small but strategic adaptations, EdTech entrepreneurs, NGOs, and policymakers in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania can be able to improve access and learning outcomes for varied marginalised populations. This framework provides valuable insights for other EdTech designers and deployers seeking to create inclusive and affordable educational solutions in resource-constrained contexts

Authors

• Faith Mbushi Wanjiku, Dignitas

• Jane Sebuyungo Nantayi, STiR Education

• Jennifer Cotter Otieno, Education Design Unlimited