Over 1.6 billion students were affected by Covid-19 school closures, with an estimated global average of 14 weeks of school lost (UNESCO, 2021). This compounded a learning crisis that existed before the pandemic and has increased inequality, as the most marginalized were often left without structured learning for longer periods (Brookings, 2022). With nearly 90% of countries utilizing some form…
Academic experts in education are increasingly turning their attention to EdTech as a serious research topic because it is both exciting and potentially transformative while also posing unique challenges.In the past, the field of EdTech has perhaps had a reputation for needing to take research more seriously and scaling rapidly without a deep understanding of context or waiting for evidence…
Utafiti Elimu Tanzania (Swahili for Education Research Tanzania) is an annual evidence-into-policy forum bringing together collaborative planning efforts across the education system in Tanzania. In 2022, the conference focused on teacher continuous professional development (TCPD), data for decision-making, EdTech strategy, inclusion, school safety, and gender. In 2023, two main themes — teacher workforce planning and climate change — were selected…
“There’s a tendency to assume that gathering data is for researchers, not for start-ups or implementers. We’re here to say that it’s actually everyone’s job!” – Asad Rahman, Experimentation Lead, EdTech Hub With the above quote in mind, EdTech Hub hosted a community showcase on 5 April 2023, bringing together practitioners and entrepreneurs from EdTech Hub sandboxes and the EdTech…
Photo 1: Image showing a school in Sierra Leone. Photo credit: Chris McBurnie (EdTechHub) In Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) are developing plans to increase the equity and efficiency of teacher allocation. Over the past few years, the government has struggled to retain qualified teachers in remote and…
Photo 1: Video model shooting session at EPP Ambatomena in Antsirabe with the Ministry’s multimedia team. Photo: Hasiniavo Rasolohery, 2022 This blog is also available in French. Click here to read the French version. The Madagascar Ministry of National Education, through the National Institute for Pedagogical Training, plans to use new technology in teacher training for early-stage reading and writing…
Photo 1: Séance de tournage de modèle vidéo à l’EPP Ambatomena à Antsirabe avec l’équipe multimédia du Ministère. Photo: Hasiniavo Rasolohery, 2022 Ce blog est disponible en anglais. Cliquez pour lire en anglais. Contexte Le Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale, via l’Institut National de Formation Pédagogique (INFP), prévoit d’utiliser les nouvelles technologies dans la formation sur les premiers pas en lecture-écriture…
Despite two years of recovery since Covid-19 lockdowns, school systems worldwide still experience lower post-pandemic attendance levels than pre-Covid. Marginalised learners have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Several strategies are being used to accelerate returns to schooling. Messaging is one strategy that is often regarded as likely to be highly cost-effective. Our Hub-led research in Ghana tests and compares…
MEWAKA (Mafunzo Endelevu kwa Walimu Kazini, or Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD)) is a landmark teacher professional development programme being implemented by the Government of Tanzania. The programme is decentralised, with teacher learning based in schools and focused on semi-structured Communities of Learning (CoLs). CoLs are spaces where teachers can gather weekly to discuss and reflect on issues most relevant…
At EdTech Hub, we’ve been reflecting on how coloniality is embedded in our work: from the colonial roots of the international development sector to colonial practices embedded in research methods to “core-to-periphery” design and deployment of EdTech interventions. We’ve previously blogged about resources for tackling coloniality and digital neocolonialism in EdTech, decolonising Open Educational Resources and a reflection on personalised…
