The COVID-19 pandemic has had a colossal impact on education systems across the world. Edtech and the use of technology became the lifeline of school and college going students during the pandemic. As students return to the classroom, education systems now have to carefully consider the longer-term role of technology in the education sector. 

Returning To School

With schools reopening across the globe., many are asking if the use of edtech based learning platforms should play a greater role in student learning beyond the pandemic. With the third wave of COVID-19 imminent amidst the surge in delta variant cases, these concerns are valid and need to be addressed with caution. Will online learning continue to be a part of education systems going forward? What are the ways students can optimize edtech platforms to improve their performance? 

A study conducted by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) helps to shed light on the impact of edtech on the education sector. The study was conducted in 2018, where more than 340,000 students in 51 countries participated. Although this study was conducted 3 years prior to the pandemic, the questions addressed are relevant to this date. 

More Than Being Gadget-Savvy 

The data derived from this study focused on the extent and intensity of technology in education. Here are the 5 key findings from the PISA study in the context of the boom of edtech amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

1. The type of device used by the student matters and is associated with poor student outcomes. 
2. Where the student is located geographically can have a greater impact on the device/technology he or she uses. For example, students in the United States have easy access to technology which in turn is associated with higher student outcomes. A student from rural India may not have access to technology and will have poor outcomes. 
3. Who is using the technology also matters. Technology in the hands of the teacher is associated with higher scores than in the hands of the students. 
4. The intensity of usage of technology plays an important role as well. Students who use technology intensely or not at all perform better than those who use technology moderately. 
5. The school’s current performance can have an impact on the end results. Lower performing schools are not able to adapt to learning/teaching technology easily, thus resulting in poor results. 

Please note that this analysis is based on only one source of data. Nonetheless, the 2018 PISA results show that education systems aiming to improve student outcomes should deploy technology in a phased manner. Edtech is more than simply adding devices in the classroom, it is utilizing these devices and online platforms to empower students to perform better.