Technological innovation is changing the way educational materials are generated, the manner in which educational content is distributed, the way learners engage with materials and the processes used to evaluate educational outcomes. Technology companies such as Amplify, byteXL and edX are digitizing textbooks, creating content based on gamified learning and revolutionizing education delivery through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Generative AI is reframing the purpose of education by putting powerful tools in the hands of children, in a phase where their brains are still developing. Still, some education systems, especially at the primary and secondary level, have been slow to incorporate even the most basic learning technologies. Educators need to be involved in the development of classroom tools, since they can take the long-term learning perspective versus the short-term interests of tool providers, and they may struggle to keep pace with the rapid transformation of education. Technology presents opportunities to deliver learning in personalized ways, which could change the traditional role of teachers and facilitate a blended learning experience.
Innovation is also required in school curricula. UNICEF advocates for balancing hard skills such as reading, writing and mathematics with soft skills such as problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking in order to provide a future-proof education to children. The presentation of this content should no longer take place through front-of-class teaching, but interactive sessions and the “flipped classroom” model of student-led learning. Pedagogy, psychology and other fields are ripe for innovation, especially when it comes to personalized learning. However, research has also highlighted that new learning tools do not always enable engagement with hard-to-reach groups when deployed without context and training, as shown by the lack of positive impact from programmes aimed at distributing laptops to children in low-income countries. It is critical that the drive towards education innovation is matched by a monitoring of its effectiveness in providing the right returns. Funding should be strategically allocated to trials, and successes can be grown to scale. Since governments cannot influence each classroom individually, they should instead focus on setting the stage for future-proof curricula and enabling innovative formats. As the education sector is highly sensitive to change and a central pillar in the economy, data collection can ensure effectiveness of new measures and the maintenance of educational standards.