Lessons Learned, Lessons Shared

From 2001 through 2007, 25 projects and 18 pilot programs have improved education systems in 30 countries around the world. Known collectively as “dot-EDU,” this EDC-led global initiative focused on applying digital and broadcast technologies in ways that improved quality, expanded access, and enhanced equity.

EDC captured lessons from dot-EDU in a new multimedia CD that features stories from Kenya, Haiti, India, Somalia, Uganda, Colombia, Honduras, and Laos, among others. The CD, “Transforming Learning: Experiences with Education and Technology Around the World,” showcases educational innovations that are as diverse as the countries themselves, ranging from interactive radio instruction for teachers and students in Southern Sudan to online student-centered teacher training in Peru.

“With every dot-EDU project, we asked ourselves, ‘How can we address this education challenge?’ and ‘What’s an appropriate role for technology to help meet this challenge?’” says EDC’s Roy Zimmermann.

Examining common themes across projects, the CD also highlights specific technology applications and their impacts. The “bonus tracks” section includes downloadable project profiles and a selection of educational songs and audio lessons.

With more than $100 million of support from USAID, EDC led dot-EDU with other partners, including the Academy for Educational Development, IBM, and Microsoft.