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New Digital Education Policy Landscape webinar

Earlier this year, we organised a webinar on digital education, as part of the JRC LET seminar series. It served as a platform to introduce and discuss the book ‘The New Digital Education Policy Landscape: From Education Systems to Platforms’ (Routledge, 2023), which examines the intersection of information and communication technologies (ICT) with education, providing insights into how these technologies are reshaping education systems and the policy implications of this transformation.

date:  05/06/2024

In this occasion, the webinar featured presentations by: Cristóbal Cobo, Senior Specialist in Education and Technology; Axel Rivas, Associate Professor, Researcher and Dean of the School of Education at Universidad de San Andrés; and Niels Kerssens, assistant professor in the Department of Media and Cultural Studies at Utrecht University.  

Some key insights and conclusions were: 

  • The platformisation of education presents complex challenges and opportunities, requiring a balanced approach that preserves educational sovereignty.  

  • Governance, policymaking, and capacity building are essential to ensure equitable and effective use of digital technologies in education. 

  • Traditional education systems, regulated by the state to guarantee rights and promote national identity, are being transformed by dynamic, interactive, and often commercially driven educational platforms controlled by multinational tech companies. 

  • There is an ongoing debate about whether learners will indeed learn better, faster, or more efficiently using these platforms and what role will AI play in the future of education. 

  • Developing digital skills and AI fluency is essential for educators and policymakers to make informed decisions, protect against bias, misinformation, and privacy breaches, and prepare for future disruptions in education. 

About the LET seminar series 

The Labour, Education, and Technology (LET) seminar series, hosted by the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC), offers a platform for discussing the latest developments and research in these three key areas.  

Running for several years now, the seminars are complemented by a working paper series, contributing to the European academic and policy discussions.