International research reveals expectations and fears about technology in education

International research reveals expectations and fears about technology in education

New research published Wednesday by 'Economist Impact', and commissioned by Qatar Foundation, has revealed that most education leaders are making personalised learning a priority for their schools – and that Covid-19 has accelerated adoption. However, to ensure that personalised learning can reach its full potential, there needs to be further work to develop new forms of performance metrics, enhance collaboration between classrooms and EdTech firms, and secure buy-in from students and parents.

The report and international survey of hundreds of educators and EdTech executives, launched at the WISE Summit 2021 in Doha, explores how Covid-19 has impacted attitudes towards personalised learning in the UK and the US. The report examines how technology can support personalised education, what its adoption could mean for teachers, and whether it can lead to better learning outcomes for students.

Its findings also show that while educators feel an increase in EdTech is inevitable, funding could affect the quality and effectiveness of the solutions that schools and universities are able to use, while concerns also surround student privacy, data usage, and ethical considerations.

“The lockdowns experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic have created an unprecedented reliance on education technology,” said Abeer al-Khalifa, president of Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education,