Covid-19 School Closures in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Emergent Perspectives on the Role of Educational Technology

Authors

  • Katy Jordan University of Cambridge

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v7i3.433

Keywords:

COVID-19, digital divide, educational technology, education in emergencies. education systems

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in school closures at an unprecedented scale and prompted educational systems to find alternative teaching models at short notice. The role for educational technology in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has recently become the focus of much discussion. While prompted by the pandemic, the discussions surface latent issues in educational systems, and the perspectives and ambitions of organisations in relation to educational technology and LMICs. The influence of the discussions during this period is likely to extend beyond the initial crisis, and warrants investigation. This paper presents a thematic analysis, using a grounded theory approach, of documents published online between February and April 2020. Five themes emerge, in relation to access, responses, support from carers, teachers and communities, educational quality and the future.

Author Biography

Katy Jordan, University of Cambridge

Dr Katy Jordan is a Research Associate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. Her current research is part of The EdTech Hub, which focuses on the potential for educational technology to support learners at scale in LMICs. Previously, she was a visiting fellow in the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University, UK, where she also received her doctorate.

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Published

2020-11-19

How to Cite

Jordan, K. (2020). Covid-19 School Closures in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Emergent Perspectives on the Role of Educational Technology. Journal of Learning for Development, 7(3), 399–415. https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v7i3.433

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2020): ISSUE 3

Section

Research Articles

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Received 2020-07-13
Accepted 2020-11-03
Published 2020-11-19