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

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of education technologies (EdTech) to enable continued learning during the pandemic related school closures. With the absence of traditional in-person classroom experiences, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) was enhanced to support access to learning materials and teachers. Although schools have since opened, the value of incorporating technology in teaching and learning is not lost. The increase in demand for remote learning products and materials is encouraging. It shows the real potential for education technologies to improve the quality of education to those that need it the most. This increase in demand, however, raises equity questions on who is being left behind as the world moves to educating children through ICT.
On the other hand, technology is not a solution for all the challenges to equity and inclusion in education in East Africa. However, when education technology (EdTech) solutions are strategically designed and built with an equity lens, they provide promising initiatives to increase enrolment of marginalised and left behind populations including girls and learners with diverse needs. Technology designed and deployed with an equity lens brings along the users, ingeniously addressing mind-sets and accessibility challenges faced by teachers and parents and creatively using the available resources and techniques to reach all learners by addressing barriers in hardware, software, content, training, support and effective feedback loops.
Access to EdTech resources in East Africa varies based on the social and historical disparities and vulnerabilities associated with geography, socioeconomic status and political exclusion leading to inequitable access to services. As the world increases its investments, Ed Tech developers and deployers need to address equity considerations to avoid exacerbating existing systemic inequalities in pursuit of quality education. These considerations may include the gender digital divide, access to internet, access to digital devices, the rural/urban digital divide, learners with special needs, refugee learners and learners in pastoral communities.
A recent study in Africa indicates that only 4 percent of children are accessing distance learning solutions and those who do, it’s mostly via television and radio. Additionally, a report by Bouhaj (2021), highlighted that internet coverage in Sub Saharan Africa was at 27% and while mobile phone usage is widespread, only 40% of Africans own a smartphone. These findings imply that low technology and non-technology considerations are needed in the design and deployment of Ed Tech solutions to reach more children with little or no access to internet, power and connectivity. Additionally, system level factors are critical as the three countries in East Africa vary in their preparedness to deploy ICT interventions in their schools. This requires solutions to align closely with system needs, capacity and local preferences.
Furthermore, evidence increasingly suggests that technology complements a teachers’ efforts and is not a substitute to traditional teaching. The human element in technology still matters. As the different stakeholders continue to develop and deploy Ed Tech solutions, the Regional Education and Learning Initiative (RELI) Africa, a network of 63 organisations in East Africa, commissioned a study to understand the considerations given to equity in the design and deployment of Ed Tech solutions dubbed EdTech for Quality Learning: Understanding Inclusion and Equity Pathways (EQUIP). As the partner organisations interest in EdTech grows, Ed Tech equity guidelines and resources are required to support the design and deployment of solutions.


This panel will delve into the first year's (2023) research on equity and inclusion in East African EdTech. We will discuss the successes and challenges encountered, as well as the testing of the EQUIP equity framework developed by the RELI collective in 2024. Key topics of discussion will include collaboration in co-designing country-specific equity frameworks, the development of a regional online prototype, and defining equity in the East African context. The panel will also explore how the framework has become a shared tool, highlighting the differences and similarities between countries and the simple adaptations testing organizations have implemented to promote equity without significant financial investment.
This study employed a collaborative action research approach, combining qualitative methods like secondary data analysis and primary data collection (literature reviews and key informant interviews) to assess equity in East African EdTech. Stakeholder meetings, including the EQUIP Regional Advisory Group, were conducted to explore findings and shape the EQUIP framework. Country-level working groups were formed to co-create probing equity questions and validate the framework. These sessions fostered knowledge sharing, reflection, and a collective decision to develop a regional online prototype.
Through a collaborative and iterative process, this study successfully developed the EQUIP framework as a shared tool for promoting equity in East African EdTech. The framework's grounding in the region's specific context, coupled with its co-creation and validation by diverse stakeholders, ensures its relevance and effectiveness. By engaging organizations to test the framework, the study demonstrated its potential to influence mindsets and practices, paving the way for more equitable EdTech solutions in the region.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Nganga Kibandi, DIGNITAS LIMITED

Individual Presentations

• Understanding the enablers and barriers to equitable design and deployment of EdTech solutions - Deborah Kimathi, Learning Generation Initiative, EDC; Faith Mbushi Wanjiku, Dignitas; Faraja Nyalandu Kotta; Jennifer Cotter Otieno, Education Design Unlimited; Roopal Thaker, ZanaAfrica

• Little to no cost of adaptations for equitable design of EdTech solutions using the EQUIP Framework - Faith Mbushi Wanjiku, Dignitas; Jane Sebuyungo Nantayi, STiR Education; Jennifer Cotter Otieno, Education Design Unlimited

Discussant

• Deborah Kimathi, Learning Generation Initiative, EDC