Toward a holistic approach to EdTech effectiveness: Lessons from Covid-19 research in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, and Sierra Leone

Susan Nicolai; Katy Jordan; Taskeen Adam; Tom Kaye; Christina Myers

doi:10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102841

Toward a holistic approach to EdTech effectiveness: Lessons from Covid-19 research in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, and Sierra Leone

Int J Educ Dev. 2023 Jun 27:102841. doi: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102841. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Susan Nicolai^{1

2}, Katy Jordan^{3

2}, Taskeen Adam^{4

2

5}, Tom Kaye^{4

2}, Christina Myers^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ ODI, 203 Blackfriars Road, London, UK, SE1 8NJ.
² EdTech Hub.
³ Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 8PQ, UK.
⁴ Open Development & Education.
⁵ Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa.

Abstract

During school closures prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, educational technology (EdTech) was often used to continue educational provision. In this article, we consider EdTech effectiveness using a holistic framework, and synthesise findings from 10 primary research studies of EdTech interventions conducted in low- and middle-income countries during the pandemic. The framework includes five main lenses: learning outcomes, enhancing equity, implementation context, cost and affordability, and alignment and scale. While in-person schooling has largely resumed, there continues to be further integration of EdTech into education systems globally. This analysis provides evidence-based insights and highlights knowledge gaps to shape holistic analysis of both EdTech mainstreaming and future research into the effective use of EdTech to strengthen learning.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic; Development; Educational technology; International education; Research synthesis.