A more equitable learning future with technology?

• In Event: Highlighted Presidential Session: Digital Societies and Learning Equity: Exploring our multiple futures

Proposal

Looking back at nearly a half-century of experimentation with technology, the evidence has revealed two critical outcomes for learning: it has become an integral policy issue for nearly every national education system, but its benefits have not been evenly realized. Data shows that digital solutions are either inadequately designed for the diverse population of learners that SDG4 has at its focus, or are poorly implemented, or both (Castillo et al., 2023). Notwithstanding, there is much that we can do to improve learning outcomes among marginalized groups if we leverage the evidence to improve systems for a more equitable learning future. Early iterations of EdTech or ICT4D introduced the need to bridge the digital divide by focusing on access to infrastructure and connectivity in schools, but overestimated its extension to quality learning opportunities. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic led to a much stronger interest in the relationship between technology and schooling, as well as to concomitant challenges for teacher preparation, enhancement of remote learning options, and ethical dimensions of new regulations of the collection and production of massive data. Our educational future will ultimately depend on how we handle new opportunities for digital learning and learning equity that is: personalized (or not); connects (or not) individuals across continents; reinforces (or not) human rights; and supports (or not) environmental sustainability in a changing global landscape. This paper draws on recent research to describe the pros and cons of anticipated changes that will impact (or not so much) an equitable future for education globally.

Author

• Nathan M. Castillo, University of Illinois