Using educational technology to address the global learning crisis: a scalable and sustainable solution?
Abstract
Despite global efforts to increase access to primary education, where basic literacy and numeracy skills are typically accomplished, currently 330 million children leave primary education unable to read and perform basic maths (UNESCO, 2017). Traditional methods of education have failed to solve this global learning crisis, so innovative, alternative, approaches are required. Since 2013, I have been working with the Unlocking Talent alliance which is capitalising on the advantages of EdTech, to deliver a new and innovative app-based intervention – onecourse – developed by the UK not-for-profit – onebillion, winners of the 2018 Tech4Good Africa award and joint winners of the 2019 Global Learning XPRIZE. I will present the body of scientific evidence my team has accrued to demonstrate the effectiveness of this intervention at raising basic literacy and numeracy skills in different countries, with different groups of children, and through different modes of implementation. I will then consider if EdTech interventions are a scalable and sustainable solution to the global learning crisis.
About the speaker
Nicola is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nottingham. Her research expertise lies in developmental psychology and education. She investigates how the cognitive processes that underpin scholastic progression develop over childhood. Since 2013 she has been exploring the use of innovative mobile technologies to support the acquisition of basic skills (numeracy, literacy, English) by primary school children in Malawi, the UK, and several other countries. This international programme of work is being carried out in partnership with the charities onebillion and Voluntary Service Overseas.
