Public Disclosure Authorized ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Public Disclosure Authorized Approaches in the MENA Region World Bank Education, Technology & Innovation: SABER-ICT Technical Paper Series (#17) Public Disclosure Authorized Kent Lewis with Simon Thacker Public Disclosure Authorized 2016 saber.worldbank.org To cite this publication: Lewis, K. & Thacker, S. 2016. ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region. World Bank Education, Technology & Innovation: SABER-ICT Technical Paper Series (#17). Washington, DC: The World Bank. Available at: http://saber.worldbank.org Rights and Permissions This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo. 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Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. saber.worldbank.org ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region Table of Contents 1. Education and the refugee crisis in MENA .……………………………………………….......................... 1 2. The potential and promise of ICT for refugee education ............................................................……… 4 3. A closer look at specific needs .............................................................................................................. 6 4. Evidence of effectiveness and guidelines for ICT for refugee education .............................................. 12 5. Conclusion ……………………………..................................................................................................... 14 Annex A: Projects under development or underway .................................................................................. 15 Annex B: Design principles for education technology ................................................................................ 34 References ................................................................................................................................................. 36 saber.worldbank.org ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region Acknowledgements The World Bank Education, Technology & Innovation: SABER-ICT Technical Paper Series explores a variety of topics and issues related to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the education sector. The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative seeks to improve the global knowledge base related to education systems analyses, assessments, diagnoses, and opportunities for dialogue. SABER-ICT aims to improve the availability of policy-related data, information, and knowledge on what matters most in using ICTs to improve the quality of education. ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region was commissioned by the World Bank Education Global Practice to support work across the MENA region; the related initiative was task managed by Simon Thacker. This publication series is made possible through generous support from the Government of Korea, most notably through the Korea - World Bank Partnership Facility. saber.worldbank.org ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region Acronyms and abbreviations DFID U.K. Department for International Development EMIS education management information systems ICT Information and communications technology INEE Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies LMS Learning management systems MENA Middle East and North Africa MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology MOOC Massive open online courses NGO Nongovernmental organization OER Open educational resources UN United Nations UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRWA USAID U.S. Agency for International Development saber.worldbank.org ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region saber.worldbank.org ICT and the Education of Refugees: A Stocktaking of Innovative Approaches in the MENA Region Executive summary More than 10 million school-age children have been forced out of school in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) due to armed conflict in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and other countries. Most are displaced internally but others have fled across borders to seek refuge. The numbers are staggering: an estimated 2 million Syrian children are out of school in Syria and 700,000 are out of school in host countries; 3 million Iraqi children are out of school, 2 million Libyan and 2.9 million Yemeni children remain out of school. Displacement may have become a constant, perhaps permanent feature of the 21st century; if so, it is important to be prepared and develop a lasting capacity to deal with displacement wherever it occurs and enact policies that support and enable new ways to learn. As governments and international agencies struggle to ensure these children a safe learning environment and a good quality education, many look to information and communications technology (ICT) to provide at least part of the solution. The use of smartphones and other mobile devices, ubiquitous even among impoverished refugees, can provide a platform that educators can leverage to reach marginalized children and youth. The purpose of this note is to provide a clear and concise snapshot of the role ICT has played, the promise it holds, the projects that are currently under preparation, and what more might be done. This is in no way a comprehensive assessment but rather an attempt to promote dialogue and inform programs. Among the main points are the following: • The situation of refugees in MENA is highly diverse and ICT-supported interventions can be and must be correspondingly diverse. Indeed, each intervention should be tailored to particular needs of particular groups and be integrated with an appropriate pedagogy. • Technology can also aid parents and relief organizations, not only students and teachers. • While UN agencies strive to integrate refugees into local school systems, the potential of small-scale private schooling, assisted by technology, should be explored. • ICT can replace teachers and organized learning only in rare instances; but it can provide effective support to education, especially when supplemented with teacher training. Many seek evidence that technology-assisted approaches are effective, but little has been gathered with respect to ICT in education generally, let alone in emergency situations. The current situation provides numerous opportunities to build the evidence base, even carry out randomized control trials, and thereby improve ICT interventions and bring them to