Every avid reader knows the importance of great writing, but perhaps takes the ability to read for granted. Few readers will take the time to consider what it would mean not to be able to read. It is not just about the ability to enjoy poetry and novels, but to read road signs, gain employment or even sign a contract.
Educational technology, or ‘EdTech,’ is changing how we learn and teach, across the world. EdTech can help teachers in developing countries to promote better literacy in the classroom and well beyond. It has great potential to increase the literacy of most students, but it has to meet a very stringent set of criteria first.
EdTech can level the playing field – that is why there is such a buzz around it. With the UNICEF Development Fund pledging $9 million to EdTech initiatives, many consider it a real solution to the financial and infrastructure-related difficulties that learners in these countries often experience in their attempts to access education. Recently, EdTech startup Kukua raised $2.5m in Seed funding in a bid to solve child illiteracy. Through methods such as the game-based apps, animated entertainment and making the EdTech locally relevant, Kukua is working to build the first pan-African education franchise. The ambition behind these initiatives is impressive.
Source: Pexels
It is important to remember that literacy levels have been improving globally for decades and technology can only be credited for a small slice of the improvements. Innovation and technology often can lead to an over-optimistic understanding of their benefits, allowing people to credit the benefits of societal change to technology alone and turning a blind eye to the shortfalls, however they may surface.
The Rise of the MOOCs
Education is not only about learning basic numeracy and literacy skills – countries need doctors, scientists and entrepreneurs to prosper and thrive. Whilst some education needs to be practiced, rather than taught, distance learning can provide a platform to fill gaps in their skills or gain invaluable qualifications.
Distant learning is not a new concept. The Open University has proved to be hugely popular for people who not only need flexible learning, but those who cannot physically be present at a university or college.
Developing countries are often characterised by a lack of high quality infrastructure. Poor quality roads and a lack of public transport can have a substantial negative impact on further education. Many of these issues can seem insurmountable, but for these same reasons, free online education through either Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), micro-masters programmes or other short courses can be a lifeline for those trying to access further education.
Online platforms, such as Coursera or edx, have revolutionised how people learn across the world. Anyone can access lectures by Harvard professors or learn economics at MIT, allowing that they can access the internet. Moreover, the provision of free online courses along the MOOC model means that a lack of financial resources does not present a barrier to learning either. Theoretically at least, anyone can access world-class education.
As developing countries are often characterised by the lack of traditional forms of infrastructure, so they are often lacking the infrastructure for IT. Indeed, one of the key challenges to online learning is the lack of mobile phone and internet coverage. Though rates of mobile phone ownership in most developing countries are pretty high, access to online learning is often hampered by patchy broadband availability. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 4G coverage is not estimated to be available until after 2020. This threatens to exacerbate the gap in educational levels between developing and developed nations.
Source: Our world in data
Returning to the avid reader, EdTech may be able to provide new tools to teach children how to read and write. It is difficult to quantify the benefits of these skills, but leveraging some new technology to work alongside traditional forms of teaching could be hugely beneficial. Although there are very real limits to EdTech, and these are only amplified by positive biases, it is clear that EdTech can provide help and assist those trying to access education in less conventional ways – whether basic or further education. It is important to consider who has access to these tools, to allow it to be a driver for shared prosperity, rather than a means to further division.
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