What parents need to know
In the UK, only 7% of EdTech companies had conducted proper trials before schools bought their products. Most evidence comes from the companies trying to sell them – Pearson even funded its own studies after independent research showed no impact. Schools are making million-pound decisions without peer-reviewed evidence.
Full Citation
UNESCO. (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education – A tool on whose terms? Paris: UNESCO.
Publication Type
Major international policy report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
What They Studied
UNESCO conducted a comprehensive global review of educational technology adoption, examining evidence quality, commercial influence, cost-effectiveness, and learning outcomes across multiple countries. The report analyzed how EdTech products are evaluated (or not evaluated) before being purchased by schools, and investigated the relationship between technology investment and educational improvement.
Key Findings
- In the UK, only 7% of educational technology companies had conducted randomised controlled trials on their products
- Only 12% of EdTech companies had used third-party certification to validate their claims
- A survey of teachers and administrators in 17 US states showed that only 11% requested peer-reviewed evidence prior to adoption
- Much of the “evidence” for EdTech effectiveness comes from the companies trying to sell the products
- Pearson, one of the world’s largest education companies, funded its own studies to contest independent analysis that showed its products had no impact
- The distraction effects of devices appear to exceed whatever benefits educational apps might have
- As referenced by Jean Twenge in The New York Times: too much device use can hurt academic performance, mostly because of increased distraction and engagement in non-academic activities
- Jonathan Haidt noted that “the most damaging mistake seems to have been the 1:1 devices – putting a Chromebook or tablet on each student’s desk”
