Highlighted Session: Role of Philanthropy in Educational Technology and the Digital World

Group Submission Type: Highlighted Paper Session

Proposal

In recent years, educational interventions in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) have increasingly leveraged technology to enhance learning outcomes. These interventions range from simple text messaging programs that engage parents in their children's education to advanced AI-based tutors that support teachers and provide personalized guidance to students. The potential of EdTech in these contexts is immense, but it also comes with challenges that need careful navigation.

A group of philanthropic funders, connected through the International Education Funders Group (IEFG), has been actively exploring how they can play a unique role in this space. These funders are working to help education systems make the most of EdTech while avoiding its pitfalls. Across their initiatives, these foundations are setting context-specific standards for high-quality EdTech products, offering pre-seed grants and first-loss funding, and supporting rapid-cycle evidence generation to ensure that tested projects gain traction. Their ongoing discussions and learning raise important questions and reflections for the global education community.

In a recent podcast series, featuring leaders from IEFG member organizations, trusted and knowledgeable experts and practitioners who are at the forefront of EdTech innovation for underserved populations worldwide, we delved into a nuanced discussion around these key themes.

Building on the energy and engagement of those sessions, we hope to continue the conversation, in this panel discussion. Here, we'll have an opportunity to learn from philanthropy and about philanthropy. We’ll dive into the tremendous potential that philanthropic capital and networks could have in shaping the future of EdTech. Our discussion will explore several key questions: How do philanthropic organizations think about EdTech and its funding? What criteria are they using to select EdTech organizations to support, and what types of assistance are they offering? Will they embrace or resist the revolution that EdTech could bring to traditional schooling models? And, importantly, how they encourage tech companies to focus on learners at the bottom of the pyramid?

We're excited to have three speakers from philanthropic organizations around the globe joining us for this session. Their insights will shed light on the role of philanthropy in advancing EdTech in LMICs and how they are working to create a positive impact in education.

The first speaker is Asyia Kazmi, the Global Education Policy Lead at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With a focus on effective instructional practices, education advocacy and edtech, she is a global leader in philanthropy with a strong focus on enhancing educational outcomes worldwide.

Next we have Gouri Gupta who leads CSF’s work in the area of Education Technology. She works with a portfolio of EdTech products that take high-quality, contextual solutions to young children from low-income backgrounds to support learning. She works with leading researchers to build evidence on what works in EdTech and supports the building of public goods like EdTech Tulna that fill critical white spaces in the EdTech ecosystem.

Lastly, we have Janhvi Maheshwari Kanoria, the Executive Director of Innovation at the Education Above All Foundation, a global foundation reaching 16 million marginalized children and communities in 60 countries. Her passion lies in designing solutions that advance quality learning solutions for the world’s most marginalized. In her previous roles in the Ministry of Education and Qatar Foundation, she was responsible for conceiving multiple creative solutions.

Sub Unit

• Philanthropy and Education SIG

Chair

• Anjali Nambiar

Individual Presentations

• Leapfrogging the Challenges of Technology - Janhvi M KANORIA, Education Above All Foundation

• Integration of AI and Technology in Classrooms - Asyia Kazmi, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Discussants

• Janhvi M KANORIA, Education Above All Foundation

• Asyia Kazmi, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• Shaveta Sharma, Central Square Foundation