The world is becoming increasingly globalised, connected and digitalised, allowing people to access information and resources from wherever they are geographically, or well, almost anywhere. This is an advantage for the education sector. Connectivity has enabled access to learning and not only to traditional teaching methodologies, but also to digital learning.
Digital learning refers to an educational approach that uses technology and online resources to broaden access to education, improve learning outcomes and prepare all age groups to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It can also promote inclusion and equity, especially for people in vulnerable and emergency contexts. Moreover, digital skills and media literacy are increasingly becoming key components of basic learning, without which individuals cannot participate effectively and responsibly in social, civic and economic life.
While the benefits are quite evident, the digital gap remains a reality and an obstacle for those who wish to connect with what is happening globally, a situation that is cause for concern and is on the agenda of large organisations to find a solution that will benefit everyone.
Digital technologies, which are here to stay, must be used to support holistic individual development and inclusion in our societies. The United Nations as part of its role in the fulfilment of SDG 4 and sustainable development, made digital learning a priority during the 2022 Education Transformation Summit. Recognising its importance, UNESCO Member States selected 19 March as International Digital Learning Day, which is held for the first time in 2024.
“No screen can replace a teacher. On the other hand, when technology is applied correctly, it can complement and enhance the work of educators. For technology to improve learning outcomes and reduce inequalities, we must actively lead the digital revolution in education by our own standards”. UNESCO, 2024
Today, on the first commemoration of International Digital Learning Day, ProFuturo joins the celebration by highlighting the critical role that digital learning plays in transforming education globally.
Digital innovation in education by ProFuturo
ProFuturo’s digital innovation in education has been fundamental in a context where digital technologies have become a social necessity to guarantee education as a basic human right, especially in a world facing increasing crises and conflicts.
Since its inception, ProFuturo has been committed to using technology to bring quality education to vulnerable communities in different regions of the world, spanning Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. Through its education programme, the organisation seeks to provide digital skills and capabilities to both teachers and students in these territories. Through training and professional development programmes, it helps educators integrate digital tools into their pedagogical practices, thereby improving the quality of teaching and learning.
“For the introduction of technology in the classroom to be successful, it is crucial to first make pedagogical changes aimed at putting the learner at the school, taking into account the cultural and social context of the children’s environment. When this happens and we adapt the pedagogy and include technology, we see that this is where the introduction of technology is successful”, says Magdalena Brier, CEO.
This was most powerfully evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the urgent need to combine technologies and human resources to transform school models and build inclusive, open and resilient learning systems was made manifest. It was not only to include the digital medium, but also to redesign the pedagogical contents to leverage the benefits of the technology and, additionally, to make it available to all.
An open digital education model
At ProFuturo, we have an educational programme that is divided into three modes:
- A Comprehensive Digital Education model that acts on key elements to achieve educational quality, such as the digital learning platform and teacher training.
- A Model in Humanitarian Contexts tailored to the educational needs of refugees.
- An Open Digital Education Model that offers open educational contents, accessible online, and virtual or face-to-face teacher training courses.
The latter significantly boosts digital learning by focusing on teacher training in educational innovation, leadership, communication and classroom planning. To achieve this, it offers face-to-face and online courses on innovation and ICT, pedagogical and teaching skills, and digital skills.
Teachers can be trained autonomously or with the support of online tutorials. This model focuses on teachers, as they are the ones who trigger the learning process, and in turn it contributes to improving the quality of education for millions of children who benefit from having teachers trained in these competencies.
ProFuturo focuses its efforts internationally to help countries understand the role of technology in accelerating progress towards the education target, Sustainable Development Goal 4. It also promotes equity, ensuring that women and girls are better represented in digital disciplines. This Digital Literacy Day, which will be held from now on, is the perfect reason to reinforce these messages and continue to raise awareness of the importance of this issue.
#EducatingTransforms
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