By 2030, every child and young person will have access to “World-Class” digital learning solutions.

On December 10th, 2021, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Digital Learning Consultant Auken Tungatarova, and Rachel Cooper of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) contributed to this report (EDUCATION SPECIALIST – UNICEF).

UNICEF and EdTech Hub are working together to improve educational results via the deployment of digital learning methods. The first pillar of UNICEF’s Reimagine Education program, world-class digital learning solutions, is the topic of this guest post by Dojoit.com, an online whiteboard for teachers.

Covid-19 school closures have resulted in the loss of more than 1.8 trillion hours of in-person learning. It affected 1.6 billion pupils at the height of the pandemic in 2013. Schools were put to the test and the gap between rich and poor became even wider. As many as 24 million pupils are at risk of not returning to school because of the effects of the violence in rural, remote, and conflict-affected areas.

As a result, 91% of countries and 85% of countries used online platforms and television to provide distance learning. Enrollment in high-quality digital learning platforms has increased, but fair access remains a problem. A staggering 1.3 billion school-age children do not have access to the internet at home. Leaving 31% of the world’s students unable to benefit from online education. Continuity of education and access to relevant educational materials and content are directly impacted by the digital divide, especially for children from low-income families.

Future effects of digital learning and technological divides

Globally, UNICEF and partners are working to close the learning and technological divides. The current and future generations can develop the full range of skills – foundational, transferable, and digital job-specific – they require for education, employment, and life in general. The digital learning industry is predicted to reach $458 billion by 2026. There are numerous digital learning tools accessible. All children and youth must have access to “world-class” solutions with relevant material. Reimagine Education is a global effort by UNICEF to improve the lives of children and young people around the world by reaching 3.5 billion children and young people by 2030.

How to describe something as “world-class”

In order to pick digital learning solutions that are appropriate in a wide range of contexts. For varied groups of learners like children, kids UNICEF has created a realistic set of criteria. In order to have a significant impact, digital solutions alone are only the beginning; how they are deployed is just as critical. We feel that in order to be considered ‘world-class,’ the following must be in place:

1. Learners and other stakeholders, such as teachers, are able to receive real-time feedback on their progress in an interactive way.
2. Learning that is adaptive to the individual learning styles of students, both via the use of individualized instruction and improved efficiency in the classroom.
3. Children with disabilities and other marginalized and vulnerable groups, such as girls are all included in the design of inclusive education programs. Which are accessible and aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
4. Online and offline, in the appropriate languages and allowing learners to practice key skills in their environments, these courses are market relevant.
5. Learning may be made more fun for kids by incorporating gamification and other forms of play-based learning.
6. It must be fast in order to work with other solutions, collect and share data, and integrate with other educational techniques and methods.

Results of  Digital Learning technologies in developing countries

Here are two examples of UNICEF and its partners’ use of digital learning technologies to promote children’s education in developing countries. Many of the criteria for “world-class” digital learning systems are met through their design.

A collaborative UNICEF-Microsoft venture, the Learning Passport has helped more than 1.6 million students in 14 countries. That was named one of Time magazine’s 100 greatest inventions of the year in 2019. Lao PDR’s Khang Phanya Lao was derived from the Learning Passport and utilized for both continuous learning and professional development of teachers. A study will be conducted to determine the influence on student achievement and classroom instruction.

The refugee and migrant children have learned to speak English with the collaboration of digital learning technology. Students’ Greek language proficiency has risen as a result, according to research conducted in Greece.

The imagination of digital learning solutions

UNICEF’s Reimagine that Education program has helped the organization to identify and execute best practices that may be used to ensure equitable access to world-class digital learning solutions.

A steady commitment to systematically reaching the most disadvantaged children. In all of the countries, 21.2 million pre-schools to high school students are being taught digital literacy and skills. Through the use of Accessible Digital Textbooks, the governments of Kenya and Uganda are making education more accessible to students.

Teachers and parents have to understand that students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds have the resources they need to succeed in a digital learning environment. With the correct educational approaches, digital learning may enhance group activities and project-based learning. Digital learning does not mean studying in isolation.

It’s critical to have well-trained experts and caregivers who feel empowered. Taking a virtual instructional leadership course is a great way for school leaders in Jamaica to get up in educational technology.

Enhancement of digital learning for weak children

In order to enhance the results for children, we must keep learning at the center. For personalized and relevant learning, rapid and regular assessments integrated into digital platforms are essential. Learning outcomes and math in India were significantly improved by using a computer-assisted adaptive learning tool called Mindspark. Which was particularly helpful for children who were weak academically. The assessment programs of student progress are identifying obstacles and the most effective strategies for overcoming them.

In 2030 the goal of reaching 3.5 billion children and young people calls for an enormous amount of effort and collaboration. Which necessitates the development of world-class digital solutions that are inclusive, equitable, and innovative. Now is the perfect time to take action, since we have the largest generation of young people in history.

Is this content useful to you? Comment down your thoughts.