UNESCO report: “Importance of digital technology in education is not well supported”

According to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), there is “not enough evidence” to support the value of digital technology in education. In addition, the survey claimed that overuse of technology, including smartphones, has a detrimental impact on school performance.

The Global Education Monitoring Report | Technology in Education: A tool on whose terms? observed that it is challenging to obtain unbiased statistics because a large portion of the evidence for digital technology in education is owned by digital technology providers.

The paper supports prohibiting smartphones in schools by citing these reasons. Additionally, it demands for stronger oversight of digital technologies and regulations to protect students’ and teachers’ privacy. Governments are investing educational technology without taking into account the long-term costs of maintaining it and keeping it current, according to the UNESCO GEM report, while “basic education needs remain unmet.”

Smartphones undermine education

According to the paper, using technology in the classroom can interfere with student learning. It was discovered that using smartphones in particular distracted kids and hindered their ability to learn.

Large-scale international assessment results, like those from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), point to a relationship between excessive ICT [information communication technology] use and poor student performance.

Less than one in four nations have outlawed smartphone usage in classrooms, despite findings in 14 countries that just being near a mobile device can distract pupils and hinder learning.

The research issued a warning to governments, stating that while attempting to teach kids digital skills, basic literacy of the pupils “should not be overlooked” as it is essential for digital application.

According to the paper, using technology in the classroom can interfere with student learning. It was discovered that using smartphones in particular distracted kids and hindered their ability to learn.

Large-scale international assessment results, like those from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), point to a relationship between excessive ICT [information communication technology] use and poor student performance.

Less than one in four nations have outlawed smartphone usage in classrooms, despite findings in 14 countries that just being near a mobile device can distract pupils and hinder learning.

The research issued a warning to governments, stating that while attempting to teach kids digital skills, basic literacy of the pupils “should not be overlooked” as it is essential for digital application.

Edtech: There is no unbiased proof

According to the paper, it is difficult to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using digital technology in the classroom because much of the relevant data is within the control of the vendors of the technology. Education technology can help with both teaching and learning.

But it is challenging to identify which technologies function best, in what contexts, and under what circumstances due to the rapid rate of technological change and the control of evidence by technology suppliers, according to the paper.

It also stated that there is “little reliable and consistent information on these costs” and that operating and maintaining technical infrastructure, such as energy, computers, and internet connectivity, is expensive.

“While essential educational needs continue to be unfulfilled, many nations disregard the long-term costs of technology expenditures, and the EdTech business is growing.

According to the analysis, the expense of converting to basic digital learning in low-income nations and connecting all schools in lower-middle-income nations to the internet would increase their current funding gap for fulfilling national SDG [Sustainable Development Goals] 4 targets by 50%.

The paper urges the creation of organisations to assess educational technology and conduct “independent and impartial research” on it. It was stated that digital technology should be used to produce long-lasting advantages and “not be led by narrow economic concerns and vested interests”.

Additionally, it claims research that showed 89% of 163 education technology devices could survey kids.
Additionally, during the pandemic, 39 of the 42 governments that offered online education promoted practises that “risked or infringed” on children’s rights.

The paper recommended creating a framework for curricula that makes use of technology’s promise without becoming “attached to any specific technology.”
Additionally, it was advised that countries introduce legislation to “guard against commercial advertising” by guaranteeing student and teacher privacy and data protection.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has modified its regulations in India, requiring edtech companies to provide evidence to support any claims they make in their marketing. Additionally, the platforms are instructed to consider students’ welfare and mental health when promoting.

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