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BRIEF

Education and Technology: EdTech Publications

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Listed below are a variety of publications either by World Bank staff or commissioned by the World Bank on topics related to technology use in education (edtech).  These publications come in a variety of formats and have been subjected to varying degrees of review -- in some cases these documents have been subject to intensive internal and external peer review, in others the documents have received little or no 'official' review, but have been made public in the hope that doing so will help enrich our global knowledgebase on the use of ICTs in education in developing countries.

note:

  • In partnership with the UK FCDO, the Gates Foundation & UNICEF, the World Bank supports the EdTech Hub, an initiative to synthesize existing evidence, conduct new research, support innovations to scale, and provide advisory support to governments and other country partners related to the uses of educational technologies. Through its evidence library and in partnership with the World Bank edtech team, the EdTech Hub publishes evidence reviews, working papers, country scans, help desk responses, blog posts, and results from its research portfolio.
  • In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the World Bank and its partners have published many papers highlighting uses of edtech in support of remote learning and providing related guidance for policymakers and evaluating specific projects, including a remote learning toolkit containing two dozen resource and knowledge packs on specific topics (together with UNICEF), a series of education continuity stories highlighting uses of edtech during the COVID-19 crisis (together with OECD, Harvard and HundrED), and evaluations of emergency remote learning responses (through SIEF).
  • For many years, the World Bank published a popular blog on ICT and education issues, EduTech (over 200 articles) and supported related working papers as part of its SABER-ICT Technical Paper series. A larger, machine-generated list of over 100 World Bank publications which touch on ICT/education issues in various ways is also available.


Notable World Bank publications on EdTech Topics

World Bank EdTech Flagship Publications

Reimagining Human Connections: Technology and Innovation in Education at the World Bank
Hawkins, Trucano, Cobo, Twinomugisha, Sanchez Ciarrusta. 2020.
(note: This is often referred to as the 'World Bank edtech approach paper' or 'strategy document')
 in English: Reimagining Human Connections: Technology and Innovation in Education at the World Bank
 in French: Réinventer les interactions humaines: Technologie et innovation dans l’éducation à la banque mondiale
 in Arabic: إعادة تص ور الروابط البشرية:التكنولوجيا واالبتكار بقطاع التعليم في البنك الدولي
 in Spanish: Reimaginar las conexiones entre las personas: Tecnología e innovación educativa en el Banco Mundial
 in Portuguese: Reimaginando as Conexões Humanas: Tecnologia e Inovação em Educação no Banco Mundial
 in Chinese: 重新构想人际联系：世界银行的教育技术与创新

EdTech Toolkit for Remote Learning
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020-2022.
(note: this includes many thematic resource and knowledge packs, listed individually below)

Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons from Today, Principles for Tomorrow
Munoz-Najar, Gilberto Sanzana, Hasan, Cobo Romani, Azevedo. 2022.

Remote Learning During the Global School Lockdown: Multi-Country Lessons
Barron Rodriguez, Cobo Romani, Munoz-Najar, Sánchez Ciarrusta. 2022.

How Learning Continued during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Global Lessons from Initiatives to Support Learners and Teachers (OECD/World Bank)
Vincent-Lancrin, Cobo Romani. 2022.

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EdTech Toolkit for Remote Learning

Devices for Education Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Antunes De Carvalho / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Cloud for Education Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Fogel / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

EdTech Procurement Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Bhatia / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Technologies for Personalized and Adaptive Learning Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Teachers’ Skills and Skills Frameworks for Remote and Blended Learning Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Freeman, Raigosa Montoya / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Innovation Ecosystems Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Kline / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022

Digital Teaching and Learning Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Mogos / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Learning Management Systems for Education: Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Antunes De Carvalho / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Assistive Technologies Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Mogos / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Technology for Literacy Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Mogos / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Knowledge Pack: EMIS 2.0 Learning and Accountability System Architecture (LASA) (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Remote Phone-Based Formative Assessment Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Luna Bazaldua, Khurana / World Bank EdTech Team. 2022.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Radio (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Grant, Jordan, Kamal, Kube-Barth, Waistell, Williamson, Hedges, Power, Richardson. 2021.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Print (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Mohn, Rafique, Cardoso De Barros, Twinomugisha, Hawkins, Barron Rodriguez. 2021.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Television (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Mohn, Rafique, Cardoso De Barros, Twinomugisha, Hawkins, Barron Rodriguez. 2021.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Digital (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Mohn, Rafique, Cardoso De Barros, Twinomugisha, Hawkins, Barron Rodriguez. 2021.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Mobile (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Mohn, Rafique, Cardoso De Barros, Twinomugisha, Hawkins, Barron Rodriguez. 2021.

Resource Pack to Support Remote Learning: Formative Assessment (UNICEF - World Bank EdTech Resource Pack)
Mohn, Rafique, Cardoso De Barros, Twinomugisha, Hawkins, Barron Rodriguez. 2021.

Education Radio Knowledge Pack: With a Focus on Low-Resource Settings (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Zacharia / World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

Television Education Knowledge Pack: With a Focus on Low-Resource Settings (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Zacharia / World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

Mobile Distance and Hybrid Education Solutions: A Knowledge Pack (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
Steinmetz, Solveigh / World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

Remote Learning Response to COVID-19 Knowledge Pack: With a Focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) (World Bank EdTech Knowledge Pack)
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

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Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund (SIEF) COVID-19 Emergency Window

Take-Up, Use, and Effectiveness of Remote Learning Technologies: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic (Bangladesh) (World Bank SIEF COVID-19 Emergency Window Evaluation)
Beam, Mukherjee, Navarro-Sola, Ferdosh, Sarwar. 2021.

Remote-learning, Time-Use, and Mental Health of Ecuadorian High-School Students during the COVID-19 Quarantine (World Bank SIEF COVID-19 Emergency Window Evaluation)
Asanov, Flores, McKenzie, Mensmann, Schulte. 2020.

Nudges to Improve Parental Engagement and Gender Disparity in Remote Education and Return to School During COVID-19 in Ghana (World Bank SIEF COVID-19 Emergency Window Evaluation)
Worlf, Aurino, Osei-Akotto, Brimfah Ackwerh. 2021.

SMS Girl Data Insights: How has COVID-19 affected support for education at home in Punjab, Pakistan? (World Bank SIEF COVID-19 Emergency Window Evaluation)
Hasan, Given, Tahir. 2021.

Live Tutoring Calls Did Not Improve Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sierra Leone (World Bank SIEF COVID-19 Emergency Window Evaluation)
Crawfurd, Evans, Hares, Sandefur. 2022.

SIEF Template for costing remote learning encouragement
Blagrave. 2020.

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Other COVID-19 evaluations and analyses

EdTech in COVID Korea: Learning with Inequality
Yarrow, Kim, Yoo, Pfutze. 2022.

Saudi Arabia’s Digital and Distance Education: Experiences from the COVID-19 Pandemic and Opportunities for Educational Improvement. (in Arabic)
Boni, Gregory. 2022.

Remote Learning: Evidence from Nepal during COVID-19
Radhakrishnan, Sabarwal, Sharma, Cullen, Crossley, Letsomo, Angrist. 2021.

TV-Based Learning in Bangladesh : Is it Reaching Students?
Biswas, Asaduzzaman, Evans, Fehrler, Ramachandran, Sabarwal. 2020. 

Building back better: Education systems for resilience, equity and Quality in the age of COVID-19
Vu, Savonitto. 2020.

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Remote formative assessments (COVID-19 response)

Phone-Based Formative Assessment: Guidance for Evaluating Implementation Feasibility of Phone-Based Formative Assessments in Low-Resource Settings
Khurana, Kruske, Levin, Liberman, Luna Bazaldua. 2022.

Supporting Student Learning at Home with Phone-based Formative Assessments: Landscape Review
World Bank LeAP Team. 2022.

Psychometric Considerations for Implementing Phone-Based Learning Assessments
Luna Bazaldua, Liberman, Levin, Khurana. 2022.

Global Package of Remote Formative Assessment tools Using Basic Mobile technologies Piloted in Ghana, Nepal, and Pakistan
World Bank LeAP. 2022.

A Synthesis Report on Piloting of Remote Phone-Based Formative Assessment Solutions in Ghana, Nepal, and Pakistan
Khurana, Levin, Luna-Bazaldua, Liberman. 2022.

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Technology for Teaching (COVID-19 Response)

Effective Teacher Professional Development Using Technology : Technology-Based Strategies from Across the Globe to Enhance Teaching Practices - A Guidance Note | interactive document version
Quota, Cobo Romani, Patil, Wilichowski. 2022.

Technology for Teacher Professional Development Navigation Guide : A Summary of Methods
Cobo Romani, Mata-Sandoval, Quota, Patil, Bhatia. 2022.

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Education Continuity Stories (COVID-19 Response)

produced under a partnership between the OECD, Harvard, HundrED and the World Bank
(full list of continuity stories authored by the World Bank)

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COVID-19 Emergency Response documents

Guidance Note on Remote Learning and COVID-19
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

Rapid response reference note: Remote Learning and COVID-19 
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

The COVID-19 Crisis Response: Supporting tertiary education for continuity, adaptation, and innovation
World Bank Tertiary Education Team. 2020.

Rapid Response Guidance Note: Educational Television & COVID-19
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020

Remote Learning, Distance Education and Online Learning During the COVID19 Pandemic: A Resource List
World Bank EdTech Team. 2020.

EdTech Hub COVID-19 evidence, research and advice
EdTech Hub. 2020.

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Earlier EdTech Publications

Mexico: Can mobile tutors improve learning in remote schools? (SIEF From Evidence to Policy Brief)
World Bank SIEF Team. 2020.

Connecting Africa’s Universities to Affordable High-Speed Broadband Internet: What Will it Take?
Bashir. 2020.

Edtech In Indonesia. Ready for Take-off?
Bhardwaj, Yarrow, Cali. 2020.

Re-Kindling Learning: eReaders in Lagos
Habyarimana & Sabarwal. 2018.

The short-term effects of the Mobile Pedagogical Tutors: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in rural Mexico
Agostinelli, Avitable, Bobba, Sanchez. 2018.

Technology Offers New Possibilities for Teaching and Learning
World Bank Education Focus Area: New Technologies, flyer prepared for the World Bank Annual Meetings. 2018.

Evoke - Developing Skills in Youth to Solve the World’s Most Complex Problems: Randomized Impact Evaluation Findings
Freeman & Hawkins. 2017.

Building and sustaining national educational technology agencies: Lessons, Models and Case Studies from Around the World
Trucano & Dykes. (eds.) 2017.

Evoke -- Developing Skills in Youth to Solve the World’s Most Complex Problems: The Social Innovators’ Framework.
Freeman & Hawkins. 2016.

The Role and Status of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) in Africa
Foley. 2016.
 en français: Le rôle et le statut des réseaux nationaux d’éducation et de recherche (NREN) en Afrique

SABER-ICT Framework Paper for Policy Analysis: Documenting national educational technology policies around the world and their evolution over time.
Trucano. 2016.
excerpt: Themes & Characteristic Components of ICT in Education (‘edtech’) Policies: A Rubric for Quick Analysis

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from international experiences.
Trucano & Dykes. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Korea (KERIS).
Kwon & Jang. 2016.

Sector focus 2: Education, from: World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends.
The World Bank. 2016

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from England (Becta).
Dykes. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Malaysia (Smart Schools) 
Lee & Soon. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Chile (Enlaces)
Severin. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Armenia (NaCET).
Gaible & Shahverdyan. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Uruguay (Plan Ceibal).
Severin. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Indonesia (PUSTEKKOM).
Butcher & Bodrogini. 2016.

Technologies in education across the Americas: The promise and the peril – and some potential ways forward.
Trucano. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Costa Rica (The Omar Dengo Foundation).
Jimenez. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from the Philippines.
Vergel De Dios. 2016.

Building and Sustaining National ICT Education Agencies : Lessons from Thailand (Schoolnet Thailand)
S. Rattankhamfu. 2016.

ICT and the education of refugees: A stocktaking of innovative approaches in the MENA Region : Lessons of experience and guiding principles
The World Bank. 2016.

Building and sustaining national ICT/education agencies: Lessons from Australia (EdNA)
White & Parker. 2016.

Improving education performance in Math and Science in the Gambia: An overview of the progressive science initiative and progressive math initiative (PSI-PMI) and its implementation in the Gambia
Tomita, Savrimootoo. 2016.

Teachers and tablets, mobile devices and 'MOOC Times': Innovations in technology use in education in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog (Volume VII)
Trucano. 2016

Getting Textbooks to Every Child in Sub-Saharan Africa : Strategies for Addressing the High Cost and Low Availability Problem.
Fredriksen, Brar, Trucano. 2015.
Chapter 8 is on "Digital Teaching and Learning Materials: Opportunities, Options, and Issues"

Mobile Phones & National Educational Technology Agencies, Sachet Publishing & the Khan Academy: What's happening with educational technology use in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog (Volume VI)
Trucano. 2015.

Expanding Access to Early Childhood Development: Using Interactive Audio Instruction
Education Development Center. 2015.

Haiti - Can smartphones make schools better (SIEF From Evidence to Policy Brief)
World Bank SIEF Team. 2015.

Tablets & MOOCs, Digital Textbooks & Matthew Effects: What's new (and what isn't) in technology use in education in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog (Volume V).
Trucano. 2014.

ICTs for Education in Africa.
Souter, Lishan, Sibthorpe, Tusubira. 2014.

Mobile learning and textbooks of the future, e-reading and edtech policies: Trends in technology use in education in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog (Volume IV)
Trucano. 2013.

The Jordan Education Initiative: A Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Model to Support Education Reform
Bannayan, Guaqueta, Obeidat, Patrinos, Porta. 2012.

Separating the Hope from the Hype: More perspectives on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to benefit education in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog (Volume III)
Trucano. 2012. 

"Information and Communications Technologies". Chapter 9 in Strengthening Education Quality in East Asia: System Assessment and Benchmarking for Education Results (SABER).
Trucano. 2012.

Transformation-Ready: The strategic application of information and communication technologies in Africa. Education Sector Study.
Adam, Butcher, Tusubira, Sibthorpe. 2011
 [executive summary]

Worst Practices in ICT Use in Education, Low-Cost Gadgets, e-Books in Africa and a Hole in the Wall: Investigating the use of educational technologies in developing countries. Excerpts from the World Bank's EduTech blog (Volume II)
Trucano et al. 2011.

Project EVOKE: Evaluation
Gaible, Dabla. 2010.

Survey of ICT for Education in India and South Asia
infoDev. 2010

ICT in Education Strategy and Implementation Plan for Education in Papua
World Bank. 2010 

Perspectives on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to benefit education in developing countries, Excerpts from the World Bank’s EduTech blog 
Trucano. 2010

Survey of ICT and Education in the Caribbean: Regional Trends and Analysis (Volume 1)
Gaible. 2009

Survey of ICT and Education in the Caribbean: Country Reports (Volume 2)
Gaible. 2009.

The Use and Misuse of Computers in Education: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Colombia (pdf, 3MB)
Barrera-Osorio, Linden. 2009.

Complement or Substitute? The Effect of Technology on Student Achievement in India (infoDev working paper #17)
Linden. 2008.

Survey of ICT and Education in Africa (Volume 2) - 53 Country Reports
Farrell, Isaacs, Trucano. 2007.

Survey of ICT and Education in Africa - A Summary Report, Based on 53 Country Surveys
Farrell, Isaacs. 2007.

Information & Communications for Development (IC4D) - Global Trends and Policies
World Bank. 2006.

Knowledge and Skill Development in Developing and Transitional Economies
World Bank & DFID. 2006

Using Technology to Train Teachers: Appropriate Uses of ICT for Teacher Professional Development in Developing Countries
Gaible, Burns. 2005.

Monitoring and Evaluation of ICT in Education Projects: A Handbook for Developing Countries
Wagner, Day, James, Kozma, Miller, Unwin. 2005.

Designing Open and Distance Learning for Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Toolkit for Educators and Planners
World Bank. 2005.

Improving Educational Quality through Interactive Radio Instruction
World Bank. 2005.

Chapter 6: Responding to the Twin Challenges: Teacher, Teaching, and Technologyin Expanding Opportunities and Building Competencies for Young People: A New Agenda for Secondary Education
World Bank. 2005.

Knowledge Maps: ICTs in Education (pdf - 852KB)
InfoDev. 2005.

Global Network Readiness for Education (pdf - 1.05MB)
Maclay, Hawkins, Kirkman. 2005.

Technology in Schools: Education, ICT and the Knowledge Society
Hepp K., Hinostroza S., Laval M., Rebién F., 2004.

Closing the Gap in Education and Technology
de Ferranti, Perry, Gill, Guasch, Maloney, Sanchez-Paramo, Schady. 2003.

Engendering ICT: Ensuring Gender Equality in ICT for Development
World Bank. 2003.

ICT and MDGs: a World Bank Group Perspective.
World Bank. 2003.

Enhancing Learning Opportunities in Africa - Distance Education and Information and Communication Technologies for Learning
Murphy, Anzalone, Bosch, Moulton. 2002.

Information Infrastructure: The World Bank Group's Experience
The World Bank, 2001.

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