What You Missed
In this section, you will find featured EdTech events from the last few months. We’ve also included below this a special section with general stats about Symposia events over the last 10 years. Enjoy!
Recent EdTech Events
Host: World Bank EduTech Podcast
Date: March 1 and 11, 2021
Summary: The World Bank EdTech team recently released a paper about its edtech strategy – 5 key principles that it follows to support countries to effectively use edtech to improve the access to and quality of education globally. In the first episode, the EdTech team speaks about this strategy and discusses the first three principles that animate the World Bank’s edtech work with ministries of education around the world. The second episode covers the last two principles.
Speakers: Robert Hawkins (Senior Education & Technology Policy Specialist and Global Lead for Technology and Innovation in Education, World Bank); Cristobal Cobo (Senior Education Specialist, World Bank); Alex Twinomugisha (Senior Education Technology Specialist, World Bank); Mike Trucano (Senior Education & Technology Policy Specialist and Global Lead for Innovation in Education, World Bank); Inaki Sanchez Ciarrusta (Analyst, EdTech, World Bank); and Hallie Applebaum (External Communications Lead, World Bank)
Host: EdTech Hub
Date: March 10, 2021
Summary: EdTech Hub brought together education leaders, including teachers, program managers and policymakers, to reflect on a year of EdTech and Covid-19, discuss the lessons learned so far and consider how we can prepare for the future. Over 200 people joined from around the world for a lively and thought-provoking discussion.
Speakers: Helen Grant (MP, UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Girls’ Education);
David Sengeh (Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Head of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation); Ranjit Disale (Global Teacher Prize Winner 2020); Sarah Shaikh (Director, Deaf Reach Program, Pakistan); and Albert Nsengiyumva (Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa)
Host: T4 Education
Date: March 2, 2021
Summary: Anthony Bloome, Founder and Executive Director of the mEducation Alliance, joined Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education, for a conversation about the mEducation Alliance. They also covered topics like governments’ responses to the need for EdTech and what evidence is being used to show that EdTech works.
Speakers: Anthony Bloome (Founder and Executive Director, mEducation Alliance) and Vikas Pota (Founder, T4 Education)
Host: mEducation Alliance
Date: February 25, 2021
Summary: eCafe attendees had the opportunity to discuss the work of two great organizations recognized by the Library of Congress in their 2020 Literacy Awards. Dorette Louw from Book Dash and Nancy Press from Child Aid spoke about their literacy programs and the steps they took during the pandemic to ensure access for young readers.
Speakers: Dorette Louw (Director, Book Dash); Nancy Press (CEO and Founder, Child Aid); and Anthony Bloome (Founder and Executive Director, mEducation Alliance)
Host: Silver Lining for Learning
Date: February 20, 2021
Summary: During this episode, Chris and his colleagues interviewed Tony and Scott about their 2+ decades (what Tony often refers to as “almost half a century” of combined experience) of EdTech experiences and lessons learned. They were also invited to provide background about mEducation Alliance events and signature activities and events including Math Power!, Youth Digital Champions, and the EdTech Academy.
Speakers: Anthony Bloome (Founder and Executive Director, mEducation Alliance); Scott Isbrandt (Director of Strategic Initiatives, mEducation Alliance); and Chris Dede (Timothy E. Wirth Professor, Learning Technologies, Harvard Graduate School of Education)
Host: mEducation Alliance
Date: February 11, 2021
Summary: The Anniversary Event and Award Show was a celebration of the Alliance’s work over the last 10 years and award recognition of 10 exceptional organizations and individuals who significantly contributed to ed tech, particularly in low-resource context. Special guests were invited to reminisce about memories of Alliance activities, events, and partnerships — while also celebrating all of those institutions and individuals that have contributed to its success. Additionally, the event included an Award Show that highlighted EdTech organizations and individuals working in lower-resource developing country contexts.
To kick-off the event, Anthony Bloome, Executive Director and Foundation of the mEducation Alliance, held “red carpet” interviews with Alliance members and other friends to talk about their work and how the Alliance has contributed. Following this, Tony dialogued with event MC Alexis Bonnell, mEducation Alliance governing board member, to share their own memories of the Alliance over the last 10 years. Alexis then mc’d the award ceremony. Midway through the award show, the audience was treated to a surprise.performance from Muzology and recording artist, Adara!
For more information about the Anniversary Event and Award Show, check out our event page where you can find a recording of the full event, as well as information on the awardees.
Red Carpet Interviewees: Michael Hollander (Head of Competence Centre – Education, Vocational Education and Training, Labour Markets, GIZ); Carmen Strigel (Director, Technology for Education and Training, RTI); Mike Trucano (Senior Education & Technology Policy Specialist and Global Lead for Innovation in Education, World Bank); Rebecca Leege (Chief Impact Officer, World Reader); and Ayan Kishore (Director, Digital Development, Creative Development Lab).
Presenters: Anthony Bloome (Founder and Executive Director, mEd Alliance); Alexis Bonnell (Senior Business Executive and the Emerging Technology Evangelist for Public Sector, Google); Christer Gunderson (Chief Technology Officer, Global Digital Library, Norad); Suraj Shah (Lead for the Regional Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, Mastercard Foundation); Jackie Strecker (Connected Education Lead, UNHCR), Scott Isbrandt (Director of Strategic Initiatives, mEd Alliance); Deepti Samant Raja (Disability and Development Consultant, World Bank); Vicky Collis (Managing Director, EdTech Hub), Mark West (Project Officer for the Future of Learning and Innovation, UNESCO); and Albert Nsengiyumva (Executive Secretary, ADEA).
Awardees:
- Literacy – Rising Academies
- Youth and Workforce Development – International Youth Foundation
- Crisis and Conflict Response – Education Above All
- Numeracy and S.T.E.M. – Pratham Education Foundation
- Inclusive Education – World Around You
- EdTech Researcher Extraordinaire – Sarah Pouezevara and Carmen Strigel
- Policymaker EdTech Champion – Department of Education Philippines
- Policymaker EdTech Champion – Ministry of Education Sierra Leone
- Alliance Member Award – Mike Trucano
Hosts: Learning Equality, UNHCR, and EdTech Hub
Date: February 17, 2021
Summary: How do you tackle the project of aligning digital resources from around the world to more than a thousand learning objectives in the areas of math, science, language arts, and social studies? Learning Equality, UNHCR and EdTech Hub hosted a discussion with six subject matter experts working in Honduras, Ghana, Chile, Kenya, the UK, and the US who did just that, sharing process, challenges, and lessons.
Speakers: Maxie Gluckman (Program Director, Train for Change Honduras); Michael Bell Former UNESCO assessment specialist and Mathematics curriculum writer for McGraw-Hill); Vikki Pendry (Leader, Curriculum Foundation); Werner Westermann (OER Advocate, National Library of Chile); Wanjira Kinuthia (Curriculum Designer and Educator from Kenya); and Mania Mubaslat, (Education Programs Manager, Madrasati)
Host: mEducation Alliance
Date: January 27, 2021
Summary: This session covered the topic of ‘How is COVID-19 reshaping mathematics education?’ since the pandemic has forced many to reckon with the devastating learning losses induced by school closures, and to examine how technology can support children’s learning at home. Dr. Junaid Mubeen, Director of Education at Whizz Education, had a dialogue with Scott on how parents and educators are rethinking the learning and teaching of mathematics. He also shared Whizz’s research into learning loss, along with ideas and initiatives for ensuring students can continue to flourish during these times.
Speakers: Dr. Junaid Mubeen (Director of Education, Whizz Education) and Scott Isbrandt (Director of Strategic Initiatives, mEducation Alliance)
Host: The UNESCO Chair in ICT for Development, with support from the EdTech Hub
Date: December 18, 2020
Summary: The UNESCO Chair in ICT for Development, with support from the EdTech Hub, developed this report and associated Guidance Notes in 2020 building on a series of regional and sectoral consultations with education experts. The central purpose of this report is to provide recommendations to governments in light of the COVID-19 pandemic about how to use digital technologies to deliver better quality and more resilient education systems that enable everyone to have access to equitable learning opportunities.
Speakers: Professor Tim Unwin (Chairholder UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, Royal Holloway University of London); Srinivas Reddy (Branch Chief, Skills and Employability, International Labour Organisation); Janet Longmore (CEO, Digital Opportunity Trust); Professor Christopher Yoo, Dr. Leon Gwaka, and Dr. Müge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania; Azra Naseem (Director, Blended and Digital Learning, Aga Khan University, Pakistan); Paul West, (Creative Commons Chapter Lead, South Africa); and Speakers from UNESCO, the International Telecommunication Union, and Digital Opportunity Trust Rwanda
Host: UNESCO IITE & Tsinghua University
Date: December 9 – 11, 2020
Summary: The Global MOOC Conference brought together a large audience in response to the “emergency for global education” as described by the UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, as well as the global educational challenges and opportunities presented by the age of internet and virtual interconnectivity, the Global MOOC Conference aims to bring together world-leading universities and online education platforms across all geographical regions at this unprecedented time.
Speakers: Svetlana Knyazeva (Chief of the Unit of UNESCO IITE’s Digital Pedagogy and Learning Materials, DPLM); Anant Agarwal (Founder and CEO of edX); Nikolay Kropachev (Rector of Saint Petersburg University); Ennio Vivaldi (President of the University of Chile); Stephen Kiama (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi); and Wu Yan (Director General of the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education)
Host: The World Bank
Date: December 17, 2020
Summary: This workshop provided a platform for various stakeholders to share some lessons learned and the latest iteration on the use of Blockchain technology to incentivize 21st century skills and create transparent exchange of value in an education system. Also, the workshop served as a platform to discuss the role of technology in education and the engagement of youth to foresee and address new challenges including the unique role that blockchain technology can be used to empower these youth.
Speakers: Jaime Saavedra (Global Director, Education Practice, World Bank); Robert Hawkins (Senior Education & Technology Policy Specialist and Global Lead for Technology and Innovation in Education at the World Bank); Jane McGonigal (Director of Games Research & Development at the Institute for the Future); Brian Brooks (Acting Comptroller of the Currency, US Department of the Treasury); Asyia Kazmi, Global Education Policy Lead (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation); Mustafa Hakan Bucuk (Ministry of Education, The Republic of Turkey); and Prema Shrikrishna ( Blockchain specialist, World Bank Technology & Innovation Lab).
Host: The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Date: November 9, 2020
Summary: This event was an opportunity to look back over 20 years of INEE and to reflect on the achievement and challenges in the field of education in emergencies (EiE). The virtual event was an opportunity to hear from children, young people, and teachers on why education is important; to share stories from INEE members, past and present; to learn about the key achievements and challenges in the EiE sector; and to come together in celebration.
Speakers: Dean Brooks (Director, INEE), Stefania Giannini (Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO), and variety of other presenters!
Host: OECD Education
Date: November 5, 2020
Summary: As schools closed across Latvia during the first wave of the pandemic, the Ministry of Education rapidly developed and deployed (in just three weeks) the Tava Klase (Your Class) project to help Latvian students continue learning during the difficult period. Tava Klase used television broadcasts to reach primary and secondary students and provide educational material and remote lessons, all of which were also made available online to maximize reach. Alongside this, the Ministry also commissioned three analysis reports on how teaching and learning took place during the school closures, giving them a good overview of how the system adapted during the crisis.
Speakers: Jānis Volberts (State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science); Suzanne Grant Lewis (Director of UNESCO IIEP); Aune Valk (Vice-rector of the University of Tartu, Estonia); and Andreas Schleicher (OECD Director for Education and Skills)
Past mEducation Alliance Symposia
Where: Washington DC
Location: Hyatt Regency Bethesda
When: August 18 – 19, 2011
Presenters: 20 organizations
Attendees: 130 participants
Countries represented: 17
Summary: The first ever Annual Symposium had presentation sessions focused on several thematic areas. These topics included literacy, system strengthening, evidence, and scaling up. Participants were invited to contribute to discussions, network with other participants, and take part in interactive activities focusing on brainstorming ways to solve real-world issues with mobile technologies. As the first ever mEd Symposia, participants were also invited to offer feedback on how to improve future events.
Where: Washington DC
Location: Grand Hyatt Washington
When: September 5 – 6, 2012
Presenters: 26 organizations
Attendees: 200 participants
Countries represented: 35
Summary: The 2nd Annual Symposium was a structured differently each day for engagement purposes. The first day was more of a participatory event in which the audience was able to share their own experiences on partnership building, and then receive feedback and insight from a select panel of private and public sector representatives. On the second day, participants joined a series of breakout discussions, where they had the chance to interact with other members of the mobiles-for-development community.
Where: Washington DC
Location: Organization of American States (OAS) Hall of the Americas and the Ronald Reagan Building
When: October 15 -16, 2013
Presenters: 90 organizations
Attendees: 170 participants
Countries represented: 23
Summary: The 3rd Annual Symposium gave a platform for promising mobile education projects to find private sector and donor funding. Program leaders, researchers, investors and donors all came together to brainstorm ideas for scaling and strengthening mEd projects, and for building meaningful partnerships within the mEd sector. One key highlight of the 2013 Symposia was the Pitch Fest. The Pitch Fest allowed organizations to present their projects to an audience of investors, who in turn gave feedback for strengthening these projects.
Where: Washington DC
Location: Organization of American States (OAS) Hall of the Americas and the Ronald Reagan Building
When: October 20 – 22, 2014
Presenters: 115 organizations
Attendees: 200 participants
Countries represented: 26
Summary: The 4th Annual Symposium included plenary discussions, keynote addresses, breakout presentations, pitch sessions to mock investors, a cocktail reception, and an mEducation Alliance Exhibit Fair with over 40 project booths. This Symposium provided participants opportunities to meet fellow international development professionals, including those from governments, non-profits, universities, and private-sector organizations. Through activities such as “lightning talks,” this Symposium increased knowledge exchange and possible collaboration on a broad range of technology-related education initiatives in lower-resource low- and middle-income country settings.
Where: Washington DC
Location: United States Institute of Peace
When: October 28 – 30, 2015
Presenters: 125 organizations
Attendees: 200 participants
Countries represented: 30
Summary: The 5th Annual Symposium featured, for the first time ever, highly participatory and interactive sessions instead of panels. Participants explored four main themes: promoting learning, education in crisis and conflict, alternative education models, and lifelong learning. The Symposium exclusively featured highly participatory and interactive sessions in lieu of panels. It aimed to facilitate new partnerships, encourage idea sharing, and heighten awareness around key opportunities and challenges in the use of education technology.
Where: Washington DC
Location: United States Institute of Peace
When: October 18 – 20, 2016
Presenters: 100 organizations
Attendees: 250 participants
Countries represented: 30
Summary: The 6th Annual Symposium included a variety of highly interactive sessions and formats, such as pitch sessions, gallery walks, plenary networking sessions, panel discussions, and unconference sessions. Additionally, it marked the first Symposium where participants engaged in problem set workshops, through which they delved more deeply into challenges related to information and communications technology (ICT) education initiatives.
Where: Washington DC
Location: United States Institute of Peace
When: October 5 – 6, 2017
Presenters: 100 organizations
Attendees: 300 participants
Countries represented: 33
Summary: The 7th Annual Symposium asked presenters to look into the future and think about evidence-based technological innovations to improve learning outcomes in the future. Presenters were specifically asked to project forward from 2017 to the year 2020 to describe what their successful initiative looks like. [Editors Note: The irony is not lost on us that 2020 has certainly proven to be a year full of technological challenges and advances for learning and quality education worldwide. Who would have guessed!] Presenters addressed a variety of topics including learning in conflict, non-formal and lifelong learning, literacy and connectivity, teaching training, and more.
Where: Washington DC
Location: United States Institute of Peace
When: November 6 – 8, 2018
Presenters: 86 organizations
Attendees: 325 participants
Countries represented: 28
Summary: The 8th annual mEducation Alliance Symposium brought together leading minds to share information, deepen connections, and form new partnerships. The primary focus was the central role of the teacher and community educator, and how technology can provide greater support for their professional development, motivation, networking, and delivery of instruction in traditional and non-traditional educational settings. The event included interactive sessions in dynamic formats including lighting talks, interviews, dynamic panel presentations, gallery walks, and impactful and intentional networking opportunities.
Where: Washington DC
Location: United States Institute of Peace
When: October 9 – 11, 2019
Presenters: 82 organizations
Attendees: 350 participants
Countries represented: 41
Summary: The 9th Annual Symposium addressed how enhancing digital literacy acquisition, instruction, and extension leads to improved national and community development outcomes. The event connected policymakers and practitioners from government, leading donor organizations, the private sector, NGOs, ICT4E researchers, and other innovators engaged in the field. As in past Symposia, the 2019 event included interactive sessions and formats, including dynamic panel presentations, gallery walks, and intentional networking opportunities.
Where: Virtual
When: September 14 – 16, 2020
Presenters: 80 organizations
Attendees: 780 participants
Countries represented: 25
Summary: The 10th Annual Symposium used the virtual space to attract a larger audience than previous events and more participation from around the world. In this virtual space, presenters focused on play-based interventions for learning. These interventions ranged from both tech and non-tech solutions, which were adapted for formal and non-formal educational settings. The event featured fun game play, networking opportunities, a virtual escape room, and a math-focused concert. The Alliance also announced the launch of its first signature activity, Math Power!, at the close of the event.
