GOLA – Global Online Learning Alliance

INTRODUÇÃO

Eu sou Pedro Sebastião Teta, e tive a honra de colaborar na elaboração deste artigo que explora as complexas interseções entre educação e tecnologia em tempos de crise global. A pandemia de COVID-19 trouxe desafios sem precedentes para o sector educacional, exigindo respostas rápidas e inovadoras para garantir a continuidade do aprendizado. Neste contexto, reuni líderes e especialistas de diversas partes do mundo para discutir e compartilhar experiências sobre como as tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TICs) podem ser integradas de forma eficaz nos sistemas educacionais.

Ao longo deste artigo, relato as contribuições valiosas de participantes que ocupam posições de destaque em instituições educacionais e governamentais de várias regiões, incluindo Europa, África, América Latina e Oriente Médio. Esses líderes compartilharam suas perspectivas sobre a implementação de soluções de e-learning, a necessidade urgente de infraestrutura robusta e os desafios de equidade no acesso à educação digital. Minha experiência como ex-Secretário de Estado para as TICs em Angola me permitiu compreender profundamente as dificuldades enfrentadas por países em desenvolvimento e a importância de políticas sustentáveis para a transformação digital na educação.

Minha intenção com este artigo é não apenas documentar as discussões e soluções propostas durante as conferências da Aliança Global de Aprendizagem Online (GOLA!), mas também inspirar ações concretas que possam ser adoptadas por governos e instituições educacionais. Acredito firmemente que, ao compartilhar essas experiências e aprendizados, podemos construir um futuro educacional mais resiliente e inclusivo, onde a tecnologia serve como um catalisador para a inovação e o desenvolvimento sustentável em todo o mundo.

Format & Participants

1.1 Introduction
The purpose of the Global Online Learning Alliance (GOLA!) is to bring together government ministries of
education and ICT, civil society, and industry solution providers to serve the global community during
such a prolonged period of school and university closures. Our first online video conference took place at the beginning of April to hear the challenges and efforts to find solutions in response to the worldwide
school closures due to COVID-19 and the necessity to ensure continuous education.

The participants spoke of a few common themes from their immediate experiences of school closures
around the world. These include the support of health, safety and well-being of students and
parents; ICT infrastructure; partnerships and funding; the quality of learning and its key components
of content, assessment, teacher development and communications. To maintain schooling the fundamental challenge is to ensure the preservation of the pedagogical link between teachers and
students. The ICT infrastructure, its capacity, usage, and responsiveness is now being truly tested; in most
countries the state of unreadiness has been exposed.

The key unanimous statement was that any actions and policies must have long-term consideration and accordingly governments and civil society must view such responses in terms of national resilience.
Accordingly, picking up on the key issues raised around the delivery of content, ICT infrastructure,
e-learning platforms, teacher training and importance of the pedagogical connection between
learners and teachers, the 2nd GOLA video conference addressed: Practical ICT for Education Policies: Short-Term Solutions & Long-Term Frameworks Each participant was encouraged to produce “how
might we” statements to reframe the challenges into opportunities.

1.2 Format of Video Conference & this Report In section

1.3 we list the participants of the second GOLA! video conference. The most immediate lesson of online conferencing is to ensure that every participant has a voice. Small groups are essential. There were 53 participants and so the video conference was structured to ensure that the bulk of the time was dedicated to small break out groups – giving everyone their voice. The following was the conference structure.

Part A: Opening statements: Four opening statements were given by European Schoolnet, US State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), Arab League Educational, Cultural & Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and the World Bank Group.

Part B: How Might We exercise – Short-term Solutions: Break into moderated break-out rooms of
4 or 5 people per room

Part C: Summary: Moderators summarising key points raised during the “short-term solutions”
discussion.

Part D: How Might We exercise – Long-Term Frameworks: Break into moderated break-out
rooms of 4 or 5 people per room

Part E: Summary and Close: moderators summarising key points and an open floor for closing
discussion

The total time of the video conference was 120 minutes After introducing the participants in 1.3, the format of this report is structured around the issues and not individual attributable quotations. The participants hold senior positions in education & ICT from multiple countries across Europe, Middle East, Africa, North America, Australasia and LATAM countries.

In section 2.1 we give an abstract of the key findings of this second GOLA! video conference and the remainder of the report further examines these issues according to the experiences of the conference participants.

.3 Participants
We would like to thank all those for participating and providing such wonderful insights. This group of
participants is a cross-section of people on the front-line of education around the world:

• Pedro Sebastião Teta, Executive Director Sovereign Fund & former Secretary of State for ICT,
  Angola
• Jim Knight, Chief Education Officer TES & Former Schools Minister, UK
• Claudia Costin, Senior Director for Global Education, World Bank Group, Brazil
• Marc Durando, Executive Director, European Schoolnet, Belgium
• Elarbi Imad, President, Centre for Civic Education, Morocco
• Mohamed Jemni, Head of ICT for Arab League Educational, Cultural & Scientific Organisation:
  ALECSO
• Peter Muzawazi, Chief Director, Junior, Secondary & Non-Formal Education, Ministry of
  Primary & Secondary Education, Zimbabwe
• Deeqo Godah, Senior Advisor to Minister of Education & Higher Education, Somalia
• Phil Lambert, University of Sydney & Former GM for Curriculum & Assessment, Australia
• Inas Sobhy, E-Learning General Director, Ministry of Education, Egypt
• Christine Niyizamwiyitira, Head of ICT for Education, Rwanda Education Board, Rwanda
• Johan van Wyk, Head of ICT for Education, Ministry of Education, Namibia
• Martyn Beckett, Special Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Ontario, Canada
• David Njengere, Advisor to Minister & Head of Curriculum, Ministry of Education, Kenya
• Pascal Cotentin, Academic Inspector, Ministry of Education, France
• Lourino Chemane, Advisor to Minister and CEO of National Research & Education Network,
  Mozambique
• Christine Fox, Deputy Executive Director, State Educational Technology Directors Association,
  USA
• Fernando Valenzuela, Managing Partner, Global Impact EdTech Alliance, Mexico
• Nathalie Terrades, Mission Head for Digital Education, Ministry of Education, France
• Stanley Kanovengi, ICT for Education Administrator, Ministry of Education, Namibia
• Philippe Ajuelos, Director of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education, France
• Bart Verswijvel, Senior Advisor, European Schoolnet, Belgium
• Ehrens Mbamanovandu, National Professional Officer, Education Sector, UNESCO Office,
  Namibia
• Mirian Cecilia, Head of International Project Management, Ministry of Education, Spain
• Goodwill Chademan, Deputy Director of ICT & E-Learning, Ministry of Primary & Secondary
  Education, Zimbabwe
• Leonor Stejpic, CEO Montessori Group, UK
• Manolo Roja Mata, Director, Ministry of Education, Costa Rica
• Cesar Herrero, Pedagogical Advisor, National Institute of Educational Technology, Ministry of
  Education, Spain
• Adam Horvath, Division Director, Centre for Digital Pedagogy & Methodology, Hungary
• Nicolas Delbar, Project Coordinator, Wallonia-Brussels Federation General Administration of
  Education, Belgium
• Sami Faruqi, Manager Social Infrastructure, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia
• Jawara Gaye, Lead Education Specialist, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia
• Muzahid Ali, Senior Education Specialist, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia
• Faisal Al Jehani, Education Specialist, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia
• Abdurahman Ali Mohamed, Office of Minister of Education & Higher Education, Somalia
• Katariina Salmela-Aro, Professor at University of Jyvaskyla, Finland
• Maurice Nkusi, Professor, Namibia University of Science & Technology, Namibia
• Marcus Mbambo, Professor, University of Namibia
• Blanca Heredia, General Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Program on Educational Policy &
  Practices, Mexico
• Samira El Keffi, Coordinator, Wallonia-Brussels Federation General Administration of
  Education, Belgium
• Youssef Maiga, Senior Project Officer, Association for Development of Education in Africa,
  Cote d’Ivoire
• John Abbey, COO, Montessori Group, UK
• Kagendo Salisbury, Strategist, Cambridge, UK
• Michelle Guzman, Projects Coordinator, INICIA, Dominican Republic
• Jennifer Adams, CEO, Educating Leaders Consulting & Former Director of Education, Ottawa
  Canada. Moderator
• Jane Mann, Managing Director, Cambridge Education Partnerships, UK. Moderator
• Patricia Vázquez del Mercado, Radix Education, Mexico. Moderator
• Giancarlo Brotto, Founder, Catalyst, Canada. Moderator
• Mário Franco, Founder, Millennium@Edu Sustainable Education, Portugal. Moderator
• John Glassey, CEO, Brains Global, UK. Moderator
• Claire Urie, Head of Government Relations, Brains Global, UK. Moderator
• Maria del Huerto Pini, Advisor to the Government of Santa Fe, Argentina. Moderator
• Adam Collis, Cofounder & Director of Innovation, Catalyst, Hungary. Producer

Discussion

Here we present an abstract of the key findings, a summary of opening statements and a breakdown of
the key discussion areas by subject matter, bearing in mind the overlap between issues and the necessity
to retain an overall holistic view of education and teaching. Each section is closed with a series of
“how might we” questions to engender the spirit of collaboration and for policy makers to take action.

Although the video conference was split into short term actions and long-term policies, for the purpose
of this report it is the issues that take centre stage.

2.1 Abstract of Key Findings
After a few weeks into the continuing impact of COVID-19 being felt by the education sector worldwide and as of end of April, school closures still affecting 72% of the world’s student population (source: UNESCO), a number of common themes are shared by educators and policy makers. For both short-term continuity and long-term sustainability:

ICT & Digital Learning: the need for substantial ICT infrastructure investments sits alongside the current
healthcare & economic priorities of governments worldwide. The danger of a digital divide has never
been more apparent. Concerns over cyber-security for children are paramount Teachers & Pedagogy: continuous professional development and embedding of blending learning into teacher training. New innovations in pedagogical development Policy, Planning & Cooperation: policy makers are now collaborating more with counterparts, initiating school surveys & starting to think about new definitions of learning and schooling

Assessment: the assessment conundrum is proving one of the hardest areas for policy makers to tackle
who are currently abiding by a “no harm to students” approach In this report we detail the comments made regarding these common themes, including how participants discussed the “silver linings”. Everyone spoke of how the challenges of COVID-19 can be turned into opportunities for better delivery
of education services. Reforms are needed and strong collaboration amongst teacher unions,
governments, schools, learners, the education industry, and families will lie at the heart of future
strategies.

Blended learning now needs to take centre stage in teacher training. The crisis has brought into
question the role of the teacher. Technology will not replace the teacher but those with digital competencies will certainly substitute those without such skills. Teachers are faced with many complex
issues in terms of delivering online and blended learning so support and guidance in the continuous
professional development (CPD) is essential.

Participants agreed unanimously that teachers are more than just content delivery systems. Certainly, the general sentiment is that we need to see better training at the service level to give teachers the requisite digital skills. Such training should be considerate both of how to confidently utilise ICTs and for teachers to embed them in their pedagogy in the long-term.

Going forward it will be interesting to see universities and teacher pre-service institutes revamping their curricula to include ICTs and digital skills such that teachers are better prepared. Furthermore, teachers have a great capacity to develop content, but this talent is not used enough.

We need to focus on CPD and make sure teachers do not standstill. Assessment is a big dilemma because we are used to exams taking place in a controlled environment. Until this is answered, more emphasis will be on formative learning.

Digital transformation has long been touted as the future of education, but such words remain ineffective while the ICT infrastructures all around the world do not match the dreams. Infrastructure investment is critical to deliver on the ideals of blended learning and digital competencies, and above all is an absolute necessity to ward off the danger of a digital. Important questions are now being asked on how
governments are going to know how much students have missed during these extended closures.

What will be the plan to make sure this is addressed within the timeframe of re-openings? In sections
2.3 to 2.8 we summarise the key findings and ask several how might we questions, with the purpose of
framing the challenges being faced into actions.

2.2 Overviews: European Schoolnet, US State Educational Technology Directors Association, Arab League Educational, Cultural & Scientific Organisation, World Bank Group (LATAM).

2.3 ICTs & Digital Learning

In Hungary, of the 1.2m children in K12 education, between 15 to 20% cannot participate in digital learning due to the lack of equipment, connectivity, and family support; the most basic factor being the socioeconomic background of the family. Without addressing how to take care of this 15-20%, a clear digital divide in education will open-up. Australia is also experiencing the same equity issues, where there are a significant number of private schools who have been able to respond independently in providing e-learning methodologies.

In Arab League and Islamic Development Bank member countries there is exists a wide variance in internet connectivity and accessibility along with device ownership. Some countries are weak in terms of their digital transformation and private sector technology partners are essential in playing an active role to strengthen capacity. Each country should develop a suitable and bespoke model based upon their own variables, including their internal educational environment, the speed of connectivity and types of devices available.

Egypt has had successes in the use of online learning management systems (LMS) and of services such Microsoft Teams, as result of its existing Education 2.0 strategy, launched well before the interruption of COVID-19, but accelerated since. The LMS can look like a virtual school, complete with daytime schedule.

Regarding the ICT infrastructure, ALECSO has identified three main components of immediate short-term
continuity actions by governments: the network, the software/platform, and content. In Belgium, the decision not to give access to any new content has exposed inequalities in access to ICTs as well as real gaps in knowledge levels of ICTs in schools and individual teachers. The issue of equity has been
a key consideration of the government in not giving new content. The government had already developed a digital strategy, but the COVID-19 crisis has changed their approach. Before they were thinking about equipment for the classrooms, now they are thinking about the students who must all have access to equipment at home. They need to fill the gaps between the different socioeconomic circumstances of the parents to avoid any digital divide.

2.4 ICTs & Digital Learning – “How Might We?”

How might we better leverage the power of ICTs to reach every learner?

How might we better supply broadband and ensure equity of access across rural and more deprived
areas?

How might we provide the best possible learning experience where the infrastructure is lacking?

How might we utilise caching and offline services to overcome connectivity problems?

How might we better collaborate with industry technology partners and operators to make
broadband and devices available during the emergency response?

How might we develop standards for cloud-based solutions, thus ensuring a common set of tools for
teachers & learners?

How might we make certain of evidence-based research practices for edtech companies to use when
developing and improving their products?

How might we repurpose existing infrastructure to respond to the current challenges?

How might we move ideas of investment into front of classroom to getting technology out of schools and
into communities?

How might we provide consistent access to education and unified curricula through different modes of
delivery?

How might we encourage more public-private partnerships to overcome the many difficulties still
faced with ICT for education?

How might we embed cyber-security and ensure the online safety of students both into policy making and technological investments?

How might we guard against this issue remaining narrow with the provision of devices and make sure
we account for the human and relational aspects of the challenge of ICT for education?

How might we advance the practices and behaviour of students while working on devices from home?

How might we better support parents in facilitating the use of devices and e-learning technologies at
home?

2.5 Teaching, Pedagogy & Assessment

At primary school level the process of delivering and teaching content is made more complex by the
necessity of parental involvement at home. Basic access to written content is not always preparing
children with critical thinking, learning to validate, pick information sources and problem solving. So,
teachers need to choose a new content framework using the internet which they are not necessarily
trained and prepared for. Several countries are now looking for solutions that teachers can easily use to
bring online content into practice.

Dealing with assessment is a conundrum and it is a challenge online to better measure learning
outcomes. Are the educators able to write up examination questions in a suitable format given the
new conditions? We should not separate educational tracks and competencies from the technology skills.

For example, in Egypt teachers and professors do not have enough background in new technologies such
as learning management systems or what is meant by integrating e-learning platforms into pedagogical
practices. Thus, it is essential to improve continuous professional development (CPD) to give teachers
knowledge about the tools.

This sentiment was repeated by many participants who agree their countries need to urgently issue
guidelines for teachers. Egypt now has a training program every day for teachers and to share their
daily problems. By giving lessons during the day and at the end of the day speaking with master trainers
for more advice is proving successful in upskilling teachers about ICTs for education. Teachers use Teams for engaging with learners online during the morning and then have their own teacher training
in the evenings. This helps with best practice and the use of the learning management system. Now
we should be looking at guidelines for best practices for online teaching and to consider changing the
annual evaluation system for teachers.

To make sustainable model using blended learning then we should change the evaluation reporting mechanism for teachers in appreciation of their changing methodologies. The next step is then training
teachers on how to develop their own digital content.

2.6 Teaching, Pedagogy & Assessment – “How Might We?”

How might we bring assessment online in the same we have done for learning?

How might we enhance teacher certification and qualification to include digital competency?

How might we redesign pedagogies to teach remotely in an effective way and ensure this becomes part
of pre-service training and continuous professional development?

How might we support teachers adapting to the transition from front of classroom to online learning?

How might we identify the necessary competencies to thrive in a rapidly transforming world?

How might we redesign curricula to quickly embed blended learning into the education system?

How might we create a more inclusive response that is mindful of special needs learners?

How might we assess learning outcomes for this school year and particularly produce numerical assessment for grade 12 students’ university applications?

How might we scale up greater peer-to-peer collaboration amongst teachers and implement
policies of training the trainers in ICTs?

How might we prioritise online safety and monitoring of online content as we implement more digital
learning activities?

How might we produce a common framework in countries relating to content delivery for teachers?

How might we better prepare learners to thrive in the new digital environments?

How might we make assessment more meaningful and address the balance between formative and
summative assessment?

How might we design content delivery mechanisms that also have the capacity for interactive assessment
of learners?

How might we encourage the teaching community to embrace digital technologies as part of their
continuous professional development?

How might we make learners understand the new shape of education?

2.7 Policy, Planning & Cooperation

In Europe we await with interest the findings of the survey launched in partnership with the European
Commission to see how teachers have used ICTs during the COVID-19 crisis and how solution providers have collaborated to make their technology accessible. The European Schoolnet had previously built a future classroom. The idea was to create a living-room effect – a futuristic learning space. Now, because of COVID-19, everyone is in their living room, but students are going back to a traditional school set up once re-openings occur.

Some are now asking the question, is this what we want? We can now think of a concept redefining the school, with learning not just taking place within the confines of a campus. For policy makers, the big danger is bringing everyone back to school without learning the lessons we have experienced from COVID-19.

We should also think of a school as an organisation on the digital level. This is currently lacking. For example, a digital staffroom to better connect teachers and heads of departments. Schools in the future will need to better invest in connecting with parents, even more so if future school closures put further pressure on parents having to help with learning at home.

Governments must develop strategies for students to continue developing their work-related skills in
the future, while extending the classroom walls to the home. Participants question what direction will pedagogy evolve? Many would like to see more project, problem-based learning as the future
direction of travel, as opposed to the narrower traditional curricula. Can we use technology, such as
artificial intelligence, to empower teachers to deliver better project-based learning?

Regarding the use of technology platforms, content service providers and software of e-learning, there
are so many players in the market that teachers are now asking which ones do they use? Hence,
governments need to provide the bed of support in answering such questions. Governments are now
stepping up their efforts to work in partnership, especially with the telecommunications operators. In
Africa, most countries have established a taskforce to respond to the school closures and identify best
practices.

Organisations such as the Association for the Development of Education in Africa are bringing
together countries on shared challenges in Africa: ICT infrastructure in rural areas, non-formal education,
technical, vocational education & training (TVET) and digital literacy.

2.8 Policy, Planning & Cooperation – “How Might We?”

How might we encourage greater parental participation in determining home learning content
without compromising academic standards?

How might we accelerate existing education transformation programs in a bid to respond to the
problems caused by COVID-19?

How might we ensure open dialogues between countries and a multilateral approach to collaboration
in ICT for education?

How might we convince governments to ring-fence infrastructure expenditures and invest more in ICTs?

How might we shift priorities in the public sector to embed blended learning in teacher service training
and continuous professional development?

How might we use this opportunity to implement new learning outcomes and really develop 21st century
skills?

How might we establish that the short-term out of classroom learning is properly embraced as a longterm strategy in preparedness for future disruptions?

How might we go about closing the equity gap amongst schools in different regions?

How might we give parents access to teaching resources during this and any future emergency
response?

How might we navigate the deluge of information and technical resources from industry, and identify the
good from the bad?

How might we utilise online infrastructures, such as MOOCs for training teachers and providing content to learners?

How might we effectively plan for the reopening of schools?

How might we encourage governments and industry to move quicker and smarter in implementing public private partnerships for improved learning outcomes?

How might we make certain the policy makers distinguish when synchronised teaching and learning
is essential and when asynchronised learning is beneficial?

How might we segue government polices for shortterm continuity into long-term sustainability?

How might we utilise captured data to inform future policy and evidence-based decision making to better
build resilience within educational systems?

How might we ensure that post-COVID we do not easily slip back into “business as usual”?

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