Logo UNICEF Innocenti
Office of Research-Innocenti
menu icon

Digital Learning

Digital Learning

Digital learning has the potential to offer interactive and personalized learning for children. However, depending on their design, delivery, and use, education technologies (EdTech) can also exacerbate learning inequalities. More than half of the world’s children and young people are on the wrong side of the digital divide, limiting their access to the same learning opportunities as their connected peers. As education systems increasingly invest in innovative and resilient delivery methods in the wake of the COVID-19 school closures, the need for solutions to deliver digital learning to the most marginalized has never been more urgent.

 To help fill this gap UNICEF’s Office of Research embeds implementation research into digital learning programmes to inform and improve the way governments, UNICEF and partners:

Currently active in more than 20 countries around the world research follows three key stages based on the implementation of the digital learning programme:

Publications

Transforming Education in Kosovo with the Learning Passport: The case of Shkollat.org
Publication

Transforming Education in Kosovo with the Learning Passport: The case of Shkollat.org

The Kosovo Education Strategy (2022–2026) recognizes the need to scale up digital learning solutions to support individualized learning for children. Shkollat.org, Kosovo’s version of the Learning Passport, combines the largest repository of curriculum-aligned video learning content in Kosovo with communication tools to engage students inside or outside the classroom. This research presents findings from the implementation of Shkollat.org in Kosovo, providing policy takeaways for the scale-up of digital learning solutions for education policymakers in the Western Balkans and beyond. Research findings are organized around six pillars of digital learning embedded within the Kosovo Education Strategy (2022–2026): digital learning platforms, content, teacher upskilling and support, connectivity, devices, and institutional support.
Integrating Education Technology into Teaching and Learning: Lessons from EDUINO in North Macedonia
Publication

Integrating Education Technology into Teaching and Learning: Lessons from EDUINO in North Macedonia

How can countries engage teachers, parents, and learners in the successful of scale-up digital learning solutions? EDUINO, North Macedonia's platform for digital learning, fostered a community of practice and successfully crowdsourced a large amount of educational content from teachers and educators around the country within weeks of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research presents factors that enabled the rapid development and scale-up of EDUINO at a systems, school, and classroom level. Research findings in the brief are organized around four key implementation strategies: 1. Developing and crowdsourcing curriculum-aligned learning content 2. Fostering user engagement through a community of practice 3. Furthering teacher capacity for digital learning, and 4. Reaching students with disabilities and other learning barriers.
Unlocking Learning: The use of education technology to support disadvantaged children’s language learning and social inclusion in Italy
Publication

Unlocking Learning: The use of education technology to support disadvantaged children’s language learning and social inclusion in Italy

In Italy, more than 700,000 asylum seekers and migrants arrived in the country between 2014-2020. Newly arrived children including refugees and migrants need to quickly acquire Italian skills to succeed in school and society. To help address this urgent need, the Akelius digital learning application was introduced in Bologna and Rome for Italian and English language learning in the 2021/22 school year. This research presents findings from the first year of implementation of the Akelius digital learning application in Italy. Results show the use of the application supported self-paced learning, boosted students’ motivation and confidence and the use of the tool was especially beneficial for newly arrived children and children with disabilities. The report also explores challenges and good practices to inform improvements in the use of digital learning in classrooms.
Unlocking Learning: The use of digital learning to support the education and inclusion of refugees and migrant children in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Publication

Unlocking Learning: The use of digital learning to support the education and inclusion of refugees and migrant children in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of refugees and migrants arriving in the country has increased from just a few dozen arrivals annually prior to 2017 to 95,000 between 2018 and 2022. This increase has put incredible strain on the country’s education systems.
On Call: Using Mobile Technologies to Measure Learning in Emergencies
Publication

On Call: Using Mobile Technologies to Measure Learning in Emergencies

How can we harness the power of mobile technologies to track learning in emergencies? Identifying ways to improve assessments in emergencies is incredibly important as there remains large gaps in understanding how children are learning in crisis settings. This report aims to provide practitioners with practical guidance and resources on using mobile technology to conduct learning assessments in emergency settings. It is the second of a two-part series on uses of mobile phones for education in emergency programmes and draws from a review of the existing literature as well as feedback from education in emergencies practitioners.
On Call: Using Mobile Phones to Provide Learning in Emergencies
Publication

On Call: Using Mobile Phones to Provide Learning in Emergencies

In 2021, an estimated 37 million children were forcibly displaced across the globe. Ensuring these children continue their education in times of crisis is a significant challenge. One tool that can help children stay in education is basic mobile phones. Basic mobile phones can provide learning through multiple channels, such as text messages, voice calls, nudges and lessons through radio broadcasts. This report outlines, in detail, how mobile phones can be applied as a learning tool in emergency settings. It also provides practical case studies and references for how mobile phones have been used to teach students, support parents and train teachers. This report is also part of the On Call two-part series on the uses of mobile technologies for education in emergency settings, with the second report focusing on mobile technologies for learning assessments.
Accessible Digital Textbooks: Universal Design for Learning in Paraguay
Publication

Accessible Digital Textbooks: Universal Design for Learning in Paraguay

The Accessible Digital Textbooks for All (ADT) initiative, implements accessible digital tools and content to make learning accessible to all students - with and without disabilities - in the same classroom.
Digital Learning for Every Child: Closing the Gaps for an Inclusive and Prosperous Future
Publication

Digital Learning for Every Child: Closing the Gaps for an Inclusive and Prosperous Future

Pre-Covid-19, half of the world’s children were already unable to read a simple text by the age of 10. School closures have deepened pre-existing learning disparities, within and among countries, due to inequities in access to technology. This brief summarises research findings and provides actionable recommendations for how to equitably scale up digital learning and provide children and young people with the skills to improve their prospects and safeguard their well-being. It pinpoints solutions for education systems’ use of digital and blended learning anchored in a sound pedagogical approach and urges the G20 and other countries to overcome the barriers that limit the potential benefits of digital learning.
Unlocking Learning: The implementation and effectiveness of digital learning for Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Publication

Unlocking Learning: The implementation and effectiveness of digital learning for Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Digital learning has the potential to offer interactive and personalized learning for children, in and out of school, including the most marginalized. However, depending on programme design, delivery, and use, digital learning can also exacerbate learning inequalities. This report presents tangible findings on the implementation and use of digital learning to improve outcomes for marginalized children in Lebanon. This report focuses on the UNICEF-Akelius Foundation Partnership and its implementation of a digital course used on tablets and mobile phones for language learning of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The report provides findings across three areas: First, the report investigates the digital course’s use in a blended learning environment where it was used on tablets by students as part of traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with teachers. Second, the analysis examines the transition to remote learning where the course was used on devices owned by the household, supported by teachers remotely. Third, the report estimates the effectiveness of the use of the digital course during this period of remote learning from August–November 2020 showing positive results for language and art competencies.
Reopening With Resilience: Lessons from Remote Learning During COVID-19 – East Asia and the Pacific
Publication

Reopening With Resilience: Lessons from Remote Learning During COVID-19 – East Asia and the Pacific

COVID-19 school closures in East Asia and the Pacific threaten to widen existing learning inequities and increase the number of children out of school. During the pandemic, governments rapidly deployed remote learning strategies, ranging from paper-based take-home materials to digital platforms. However, lack of electricity – critical to connectivity – remains a key obstacle for the region, particularly in rural areas. Therefore, while digital learning platforms were offered by most Southeast Asian countries, take-up was low. A combination of modalities – including mobile phone-based learning strategies – and collaboration with a range of non-governmental education stakeholders have the potential to enhance the reach of remote learning and to make it more engaging for students. Lessons from the regional implementation of these strategies emphasize the importance of research to understand the needs of students, educators and parents and the impact of remote learning, especially in low-resource contexts.
Reopening with Resilience: Lessons from remote learning during COVID-19
Publication

Reopening with Resilience: Lessons from remote learning during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures around the world, affecting almost 1.6 billion students. The effects of even short disruptions in a child’s schooling on their learning and well-being have been shown to be acute and long lasting. The capacities of education systems to respond to the crisis by delivering remote learning and support to children and families have been diverse yet uneven. This report reviews the emerging evidence on remote learning throughout the global school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic to help guide decision-makers to build more effective, sustainable, and resilient education systems for current and future crises.
Learning at a Distance: Children’s remote learning experiences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic
Publication

Learning at a Distance: Children’s remote learning experiences in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Italy was the first country in Europe to implement a nationwide lockdown. Children and their families lived in nearly complete isolation for almost two months. Students missed 65 days of school compared to an average of 27 missed days among high-income countries worldwide. This prolonged break is of concern, as even short breaks in schooling can cause significant loss of learning for children and lead to educational inequalities over time. At least 3 million Italian students may not have been reached by remote learning due to a lack of internet connectivity or devices at home. This report explores children’s and parents’ experiences of remote learning during the lockdown in Italy, drawing on data collected from 11 European countries (and coordinated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center). It explores how children's access and use of digital technologies changed during the pandemic; highlights how existing inequalities might undermine remote learning opportunities, even among those with internet access; and provides insights on how to support children’s remote learning in the future. *** L'Italia e’ stata il primo paese in Europa ad aver applicato la misura del lockdown su tutto il territorio. I bambini e le loro famiglie hanno vissuto in quasi completo isolamento per circa due mesi. Gli studenti hanno perduto 65 giorni di scuola rispetto ad una media di 27 negli altri paesi ad alto reddito del mondo. Questa interruzione prolungata rappresenta motivo di preoccupazione, in quanto persino interruzioni piu’ brevi nella didattica possono causare significative perdite nel livello di istruzione dei ragazzi e portare col tempo a diseguaglianze educative. Almeno 3 milioni di studenti in Italia non sono stati coinvolti nella didattica a distanza a causa d una mancanza di connessione ad internet o di dispositivi adeguati a casa. Questo rapporto analizza l’esperienza della didattica a distanza di ragazzi e genitori in Italia durante il lockdown, sulla base dei dati raccolti in 11 paesi europei (e coordinati dal Centro comune di ricerca della Commissione Europea). Studia il cambiamento nell’accesso e nell’uso delle tecnologie digitali dei bambini e ragazzi durante la pandemia; mette in evidenza come le diseguaglianze esistenti possano diminuire le opportunità offerte dalla didattica a distanza, anche tra coloro che hanno accesso ad internet; e fornisce approfondimenti su come sostenere la didattica a distanza di bambini e ragazzi in futuro.
Unlocking Learning: The co-creation and effectiveness of a digital language learning course for refugees and migrants in Greece
Publication

Unlocking Learning: The co-creation and effectiveness of a digital language learning course for refugees and migrants in Greece

Promising Practices for Equitable Remote Learning. Emerging lessons from COVID-19 education responses in 127 countries
Publication

Promising Practices for Equitable Remote Learning. Emerging lessons from COVID-19 education responses in 127 countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on societies, globally. To help contain the spread of the disease, schools around the world have closed, affecting 1.6 billion learners – approximately 91 per cent of the world’s enrolled students. Governments and education stakeholders have responded swiftly to continue children’s learning, using various delivery channels including digital tools, TV/radio-based teaching and take-home packages for parent or carer-guided education. However, the massive scale of school closures has laid bare the uneven distribution of the technology needed to facilitate remote learning. It has also highlighted the lack of preparedness and low resilience of systems to support teachers, facilitators and parents/caregivers in the successful and safe use of technology for learning. Using data on access to technology from household surveys (MICS and DHS) and information on national education responses to school closures gathered from UNICEF education staff in over 120 countries, this brief explores potential promising practices for equitable remote learning.

News & Commentary

3 smiling girls hold tablets containing the Accessible Digital Textbook.
Article

Innovating for Inclusion

By Sophia Torres, Ursula Hinostroza, Lucia Varela and Komai GarabelliChildren with disabilities remain one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in society. Children with disabilities are 49 per cent more likely to have never attended school compared to children without disabilities. Even when in school, children with disabilities still face unique and additional barriers to learning, including limited access to appropriate and accessible teaching and learning materials.  New and innovative technologies can be catalytic to advance inclusion in education to ensure ALL children can access, participate and learn in school. The UNICEF-led Accessible Digital Textbooks (ADT) initiative, in collaboration with Ministries of Education and implementing partners, follows Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles to design and produce accessible digital textbooks (ADTs) for children with and without disabilities, to ensure that all students can learn together. ADTs have accessibility features such as sign language videos, navigation support, voice over and image descriptions, subtitles and interactive UDL activities.  In Uruguay, UNICEF and the National Administration of Public Education (ANEP)1, have designed and tested the first ADT for primary education in the country: Cuaderno para leer y escribir en primero. The ADT offers much more than a traditional textbook, with a variety of accessible writing and reading activities, covering topics like vocabulary, decoding, and phonological awareness. Accessible features of the Accessible Digital Textbook: Cuaderno para leer y escribir en primero To ensure the quality and fit for purpose of the ADT, user testing was carried out to see how children were able to engage with its features. The user testing encompassed four types of schools, involving groups of children aged 6 to 12. Each group consisted of 4 to 5 students, including children with learning difficulties, visual impairments, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities and students without disabilities. Students used their personal accessible devices provided by Ceibal2. Each group was supervised by a teacher and additional support from specialized teachers was provided based on the specific needs of students. © UNICEF/Uruguay/2023/Rivara. Children with hearing impairment interacting and using the Accesible Digital Textbook:                   Cuaderno para leer y escribir en primero Findings All children were very engaged and motivated when using the ADT. Their proficiency with digital devices used regularly for leisure and academic purposes enabled them to navigate and interact with the textbook effectively.   Both the group of students without disabilities and those with learning disabilities engaged with the ADT independently or with minimal support. This independence is closely linked to the design of the book, which was intended to coexist with and complement other tools that students are already familiar with, such as Ceibal devices, browsers and media players. Teacher guidance was key to support children with different types of disabilities when first introducing the ADT in class to explain specific features. Some students with intellectual disabilities faced some difficulties activating and deactivating the audio function, as well as forwarding and rewinding the videos, at the beginning of the user testing.  Uruguayan sign language videos and interactive activities were greatly appreciated by children with hearing disabilities. Especially as some students with hearing disabilities are much more familiar with sign language and are just starting to learn to read and write.  Students with visual disabilities encountered difficulties making use of the screen reader function in the ADT, which is commonly not used for early grades. Thus, it is recommended that the ADT incorporates voice over and audio descriptions for images and icons instead of a more advanced screen reader function.   The user testing research highlighted tangible areas for improvement in the software, such as:  Ensuring the sign language videos fit properly on the screen across different devices to prevent any cutoff. Enhancing the clarity of instructions to avoid errors or confusion when selecting answers. Improving the visibility of the index button to prevent confusion with the background. Making changes to the font for improved readability. © UNICEF/Uruguay/2023/Rivara. Child with hearing impairment developing a writing task in the Accessible Digital Textbook:       Cuaderno para leer y escribir en primero  Receiving the children's input in this process was fundamental and very enriching for the improvement of the book. Uruguay's first Accessible Digital Textbook is now available for use in schools throughout the country.UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight is working together with UNICEF’s regional and country offices in Latin America and the Caribbean to embed mixed-methods research into the ADT initiative. The research aims to learn from children and teachers how to improve inclusive learning experiences, and share these findings with partners, teachers, developers, and governments facing similar challenges worldwide. This is part of a global initiative to build implementation research into de the deployment of digital learning to learn and improve programmes globally.  Para acceder a la versión en Español de este artículo, hacé clic aquí.  1In addition to being the body responsible for the planning, management and administration of all primary and secondary schools, as well as teacher training in the country, ANEP is the entity that produces, edits and distributes all the books of primary education text.2 Ceibal is the center for educational innovation with digital technologies in Uruguay. It arises as a policy of one laptop per child. Currently, it promotes the integration of digital technologies in education, in order to improve learning and promote processes of innovation, inclusion and personal growth. 
A person in Sierra Leonne is sitting at a desk in front of a computer, using the Learning Passport.
Article

Addressing the learning crisis in Sierra Leone with the Learning Passport

A student using the Learning Passport at a Digital Learning Hub in Sierra Leone. Source: https://www.dsti.gov.sl/tag/dsti-sierra-leone/ By Marta Carnelli, Pragya Dewan, and Janice Kaday Williams  Sierra Leone is facing a learning crisis, where only eight per cent of children in the third grade are able to read a simple text (UNICEF, 2022). Missing out on foundational skills, such as reading and mathematics, hinders a child’s growth and learning for the rest of their life. In 2019, only 39 per cent of primary school students in Sierra Leone reached Grade 6 and just 76 per cent of those students passed the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) to enter junior secondary school (UNESCO, 2019). Additionally, only 46% of junior secondary students in Grade 9 passed the Basic Education Certificate (BECE) exam to advance to senior secondary school.  Figure 1 – Pass rate by gender for NPSE and BECE (2019)  As one of the responses to the widening learning crisis, Sierra Leone became one of the 20+ countries to launch the Learning Passport – a digital learning platform delivered through a partnership between UNICEF globally and Microsoft. The Learning Passport provides contextualized and engaging content, which has been aligned with the national curriculum in Sierra Leone.  In February 2022, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), the Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation (DSTI), UNICEF and the ST Foundation collaborated to design a pilot programme that implemented the Learning Passport. The pilot programme helped students from 20 schools in 10 districts to prepare for the two critical national examinations (NPSE and BECE) that would determine their transition to junior or senior secondary school. The pilot targeted schools where ST Foundation had already set up Information and Communication Technology (ICT) labs and had a facilitator available. Previous examination papers from the last 10 years were transformed into digital assessments on the Learning Passport. Every practice exam automatically provided scores and feedback when completed, giving students the chance to evaluate their performance, identify areas for improvement, and hone their skills.Findings Students using the Learning Passport at a Digital Learning Hub in Sierra Leone. Source: Making strides to make digital literacy facilities accessible to children across Sierra Leone | UNICEF Sierra LeoneOne hundred and sixty learners participated in the pilot and took an average of 8 practice tests over two weeks. Students took tests across different examination subjects, but most focused on math and language studies.  Based on data from a survey of participants, more than 90 per cent of students found the Learning Passport to be a ‘very useful’ revision tool to prepare for exams and were ‘very likely to use the Learning Passport to prepare for examinations if available and would recommend it to others as a study tool’. The facilitators at one of the participating ICT labs also provided positive feedback:  ‘the platform is helping participants gain knowledge of the basic use of computers and it has also provided an opportunity for the children to practice answering questions in a timed manner, just as will be expected of them during the real exams’. The primary challenge reported by students was that they were not comfortable using computers being more accustomed to mobile phones. Additionally, internet and power cuts were sometimes an issue as they interrupted practice tests.  Practice test scores improved over time. Of the 20 pilot schools, students from nine schools prepared for the BECE exam using the Learning Passport. To monitor a student’s progress through practice exams, a post-assessment was added to the platform. This post-assessment reordered questions from the first math and language exam students were asked to complete. Students who took several practice exams over the two-week period saw significant improvement in scores from the first to last exam. However, due to some administrative challenges, only a limited amount of data from students who took comparable first and last exams could be analyzed.   Final Thoughts   Results from the pilot indicate that the Learning Passport is a powerful tool to support students’ learning and acquisition of digital skills. Students will have more opportunities to explore various topics as educational content continues to be developed for the Learning Passport in Sierra Leone. An offline version of the Learning Passport will be available in Sierra Leone , allowing the same learning experience to be replicated for students without internet connectivity.  Teachers and facilitators are the most critical stakeholders in supporting children’s learning, with or without technology. Well-managed environments and activities, such as a computer lab managed by facilitators, was crucial to the success of the pilot. More to come. This is part of a global initiative to build implementation research into the deployment of the Learning Passport to learn and improve the programme as it scales.  
Girls from Santo Antônio II school in the Autonomous Region of Príncipe experimenting with the use of laptops.
Article

Listening to Children and Young People to Transform Education Through Digital Learning in São Tomé and Príncipe

Digital learning has the potential to transform education systems, by providing students with interactive and fun learning experiences. However, reaching the promise of digital learning requires much more than inserting technology into a school. Beyond improving access to electricity and affordable connectivity, effective digital learning requires a systems approach with teachers and students at the center. In São Tomé and Príncipe, UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) has begun  the implementation of the Digital Learning Strategy for the next 5 years in primary and secondary education. This systems approach includes teacher training, developing methods for improving pedagogy with technology, plans for how to manage devices in the classroom, and the development of free and high-quality educational content. The strategy is data-driven, with research embedded to allow the country to continually adapt and improve the digital learning system based on evidence. In preparation for the launch of digital learning, qualitative data was collected from students, teachers, and caregivers in four schools on Príncipe island to understand how ready the learning ecosystem is for digital learning in the classroom. This rapid exercise allowed the MEHE and UNICEF to learn directly from users and inform upcoming teacher training and implementation of digital learning tools, including the Learning Passport and the Akelius digital learning course in schools. Below are some key findings:Communication between the school and the community on the use of technology for learning is key and engagement with young people is a crucial part of this process.  Mobile phones were the most commonly reported technology used by households, and caregivers report using mobile phones primarily for social networking and messaging apps. Caregivers control the time of use by children and had concerns about their use for learning especially with regards to privacy, security, and content that children can access. Thus the introduction of technology at school must be well communicated to families so that they understand how it can contribute to learning, and that digital protection and security will be taken seriously. Caregivers frequently rely on their older children to support them to understand and use digital devices, as such communication campaigns on the use of digital learning should involve young people as key catalysts for change.“I feel comfortable, but in some respects I sometimes find barriers that I have to overcome, but with the help of my children I overcome them.” - Caregiver, Santo Antônio II School2. Teachers and students see the great promise of digital learning but are concerned over issues of connectivity. Teachers reported their great interest in including digital learning as a tool that can excite and motivate students in the classroom. Students also have positive reactions, they expressed comfort in using technologies, and excitement in using digital solutions in the classroom. Connectivity, however, is a big challenge reported by both students and teachers and even when the connection exists it is often not stable. As connectivity remains a major barrier, it is critical that digital learning solutions can be used without the internet. This is why the MEHE is prioritizing the use of the Learning Passport and the Akelius digital course which can be used both online and offline.3. Teacher training is crucial, especially to strengthen skills in managing technology in the classroom and integrating digital content into lesson plans. Teachers are curious and willing to learn new methods for teaching, some had already begun preparing lesson plans with educational music and videos found online. Teachers mentioned that the use of digital content creates greater interest among students and helps them to retain information. However, they also brought up the challenge of organizing lessons with digital learning, especially in classes with younger students which can be difficult to manage. The views of teachers show the great importance of strong practical teacher training that focuses on how to integrate technology into lessons. "Students in the ninth and eight grades are more grown up, they already have a better mind prepared for this, but those in the first to the sixth grades will be a job." - Teacher at Santo Antônio II School Implementation phases aligned with research  More to come. In São Tomé and Príncipe, research with teachers and students will continue as teacher training is scaled and the implementation of digital learning in classrooms begins. This process will provide timely insights to inform the implementation of digital learning as it scales. This effort is part of UNICEF Innocenti’s work to build implementation research into digital learning programmes. Rafael Pontuschka is an Education Researcher at the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. 

Project team

Mathieu Brossard

UNICEF Innocenti

Thomas Dreesen

UNICEF Innocenti

Joaquin Cárceles

UNICEF Innocenti

Marta Carnelli

UNICEF Innocenti

Ursula Hinostroza

UNICEF Innocenti

Sophia Kan

UNICEF Innocenti

Svetlana Poleschuk

UNICEF Innocenti

Rafael Pontuschka

UNICEF Innocenti

Sophia Torres

UNICEF Innocenti

Marco Valenza

UNICEF Innocenti

Videos

Related

Innocenti Project(s) 2016-2021:

Data Must Speak

Early Childhood Education

Learning is For Everyone (LiFE)

Let Us Learn

Teachers for All

Women in Learning Leadership

PROJECTS ARCHIVE

Topics

Education