Abstract:

Despite Education Technology (EdTech) becoming increasingly infrastructural in many schools around the world, significant gaps remain in knowledge about the influence of EdTech on children’s learning and rights, including their rights to education, inclusion, expression, privacy, and protection from commercial exploitation. Furthermore, the adoption of diverse technologies for a range of learning purposes has been on the rise.

This paper, which draws on Vygotskian sociocultural theory, Dewey’s principles of education, and Children’s Rights theory, addresses this gap by reporting findings from consultations with over 300 children and young people aged 6-18 years from 10 schools across the UK, selected to reflect a broad range of child needs and experiences. These consultations were complemented by semi-structured interviews with education professionals, EdTech walkthroughs and policy analysis.

This multimethod research project, funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Rothschild Foundation, was conducted in partnership with a child rights advocacy organisation and co-designed with a Youth Advisory Board. The aim is to stimulate a national conversation that draws on children’s voices and robust evidence, regarding the policies, practices and anticipated benefits of EdTech. EdTech often escapes regulation or, even, critical attention from the affected communities. In the UK, an EdTech Code is planned, so evidence matters.

Findings reveal that EdTech provision, use, and policies vary significantly across schools, with educators increasingly concerned about widening divides. While children report that EdTech can motivate them to learn, allow them to develop skills and talents, encourage problem-solving, promote inclusion and self-expression, and help them remain organised, they also express frustration over poor software design, harsh and intimidating visuals, unreliable information, commercial exploitation, poor quality AI-driven feedback, and school policies, all of which constrain their learning experiences. Children and educators suggest a range of improvements to EdTech design and deployment that could enhance their learning experience and advance their right to education in the digital age.

Keywords:

EdTech, Learning, Children's Rights, Right to Education, Sociocultural Theory, Artificial Intelligence.