Technology for Education in Low-Income Countries: Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are increasingly available, even in developing countries, leading to a number of pressing questions. Will ICTs for education (ICT4E) improve learning and educational quality? Might they increase the ‘digital divide’ with negative consequences for equity? What can ICT4E offer to help assist in the achievement of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals? The present review addresses these questions and uses of ICT4E in developing countries. First, a short overview is provided of how ICT4E intersects with the learning outcomes and the quality of education, including contemporary perceptions of what does and does not work in ICT4E. Second, an ICT4E framework is suggested as a way to reconceptualize the parameters currently in use that will lead to more effective ICT4E design solutions. Third, ICT projects in four key education subsectors – early childhood, basic as well as secondary education, and teacher education – help to disaggregate where and how interventions have been made in recent years. Finally, a set of investment domains in ICT4E is described, along with a set of specific suggestions to advance the field. The paper concludes with the suggestion that measurable, sustainable, and scalable design solutions in ICT4E are the best way to assist in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.