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Report to help in learning technology choice

Dubai, August 14, 2013

Pearson, a British education company, has launched a new report which gives practical advice on how to make informed, evidence-based decision when selecting learning technology.

The report entitled ‘Alive in the Swamp’ comes as governments in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar continue to spend millions of dollars on digital learning solutions.

The report contains an index which allows for systematic evaluation of new digital innovations.

Under the index, learning technologies are assessed along three criteria: the effectiveness of the learning technology’s pedagogy; its ability to activate real and lasting system change; and the accessibility and usability of the technology itself.

While the large number of new learning technologies available in the Gulf region has presented both education ministries and schools with unprecedented choice, it has also made it more difficult to determine which of these tools will have the biggest impact on the learning outcomes of students.

The index and report will allow education agencies, as well as primary and secondary schools, to decide what technology to invest in and when.

Sir Michael Barber, who acted as an education advisor to the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said: “The future will not belong to those who focus on technology alone, but to those who place it in the wider context of what we know about maximising learning and realising system impact. This report helps advance that goal.”

Pearson’s Katelyn Donnelly, who co-authored the report with Michael Fullan, said: “Technology has huge potential for strengthening and deepening what we can learn. However, given the breadth of digital learning products available in the market, it is often difficult to determine which products will have the greatest tangible benefits for schools and students. The index is accessible and simple to use, allowing educators to employ it to select those digital learning tools that have proven efficacy”.

By identifying gaps in the digital education market, it is also hoped that the index will lead to producers of learning technology creating products that are more effective in generating improved outcomes for students.

“The Index has highlighted where innovation gaps exist, so we are hoping entrepreneurs will take up the challenge of creating new products that fill these holes in the market, and ultimately improve the quality of the learning technology available in the Gulf region and all around the world,” Donnelly added. - TradeArabia News Service




Tags: technology | Learning | Pearson |

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