Is the tone changing on uses of technology in education? The 2023 GEM report one year on

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

There are great expectations for technology in the SDGs. The achievement of SDG 4 is dependent on opportunities and challenges posed by technology. The Incheon Declaration was explicit: ‘Information and communication technologies (ICTs) must be harnessed to strengthen education systems, knowledge dissemination, information access, quality and effective learning, and more effective service provision’ (§10). The Education 2030 Framework for Action called on education systems to be ‘relevant and respond to ... technological advances’, helping children, youth, and adults to develop the ‘flexible skills and competencies they need to live and work in a ... technology-driven world’ (§6). The existence of ‘relevant teaching and learning methods and content ... taught by well-qualified, trained... teachers ... supported by appropriate information and communication technology’ (§14) was elevated to a criterion of education quality.

The 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report examined the education challenges to which appropriate use of technology can offer solutions, while recognizing that many of the solutions proposed may also be detrimental. The report examined issues of access, equity and inclusion in education, looking at ways through technology can help reach disadvantaged learners but also ensure more knowledge reaches more learners in more engaging and cheaper formats. It also focused on how quality could be improved, both in teaching and learning basic skills, engaging, and motivating learners, and for relevance, ensuring the development of the digital skills needed in daily life. Finally, it recognized the role of technology in system management with special reference to assessment and other education management data that can be widely used for planning. The report explored three system-wide conditions that need to be met for any technology in education to reach its full potential: ensuring that all learners have access to technology resources, protecting learners from the risks of technology through appropriate governance and regulation and supporting all teachers to teach, use and deal with technology effectively.

The 2023 GEM Report was accompanied by four complementary editions.

A gender report which delves into the nuanced dynamics of gender and technology within educational settings, acknowledging the potential of technology to transform learning experiences while also recognizing its role in perpetuating existing disparities.

A youth report which calls for decisions about technology in education to keep learners at the centre when deciding whether the use of technology in education would be appropriate, equitable, evidence-based, and sustainable. 

A regional report on Southeast Asia in partnership with SEAMEO and with the support of EdTech Hub

A regional report on the Pacific in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning

This report’s basic premise was that technology should serve people and that technology in education should put learners and teachers at the centre. The report tried to avoid an overly technology-centred view or the claim that technology is neutral. It also offered a reminder that, as much technology was not designed for education, its suitability and value need to be proven in relation to a human-centred vision of education.

This panel discussion during CIES 2025 will discuss the four questions that the report posed:

The call for personalization and adaptation clashes with the need to maintain the social dimension of education. Those urging increased individualization may be missing the point of what education is about. Technology must be designed to respect the needs of a diverse population. An assistive teaching and learning tool for some may be a burden and distraction for others.

There is a trade-off between inclusivity and exclusivity. Technology can potentially offer an education lifeline to many. However, for many more it raises a further barrier to equal education opportunities, with new forms of digital exclusion emerging. It is not sufficient to acknowledge that every technology has early adopters and late followers; action is also needed. The principle of equity in education and learning must be adhered to.

The commercial sphere and the commons pull in different directions. The growing influence of the education technology industry on education policy at the national and international levels is a cause for concern. A vivid example is how the promise of open education resources and of the internet as a gateway to education content is frequently compromised. A better understanding and exposure of the interests underlying the use of digital technology in education and learning are needed so as to ensure that the common good is the priority of governments and educators.

It is generally assumed that whatever efficiency advantage education technology offers in the short term will continue in the long term. Technology is presented as a sound, potentially labour-saving investment . However, its full economic and environmental costs are usually underestimated and unsustainable. The bandwidth and capacity of many to use technology in education are limited. It is time to reckon with education technology’s cost in terms of environmental sustainability and question whether technology truly strengthens education systems’ resilience.

The expert papers on this panel highlight different local and global perspectives on the use of technology in education. The session begins with 3 presentations.

In the discussion period, discussants will reflect from the perspective of research conducted for the GEM Report on Cambodia.

Then, expert discussants will provide broader reflections on the impacts and implications of the GEM report approach and findings from their vantage points.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Organizer

• Priyadarshani Joshi, UNESCO

Chair

• Manos Antoninis, Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO

Individual Presentations

• GEM Report on Technology in Education: Global, Gender and Youth Report findings, methodologies and impacts - Priyadarshani Joshi, UNESCO

• Understanding Teacher Uses of Technology in the Asia Pacific region - Yung Nietschke, Australian Council for Educational Research; Anna Dabrowski, Australian Council for Educational Research

• Building an evidence-driven future for EdTech in low- and middle-income countries: insights from an implementation research portfolio - Verna Lynn Lalbeharie, EdTech Hub

Discussants

• Nathan M. Castillo, University of Illinois

• Moira V Faul, NORRAG, Geneva Graduate Institute

• Daniel A Wagner, University of Pennsylvania

• Will Brehm, University of Canberra