Ei-iE

Future of work in education

The future of education depends on strengthening the teaching profession, enhancing its status, and improving conditions to ensure that every student has a qualified teacher. The expertise of teachers must be recognised. Teachers must be the ones leading the development and future of education.

Technology and artificial intelligence are currently changing education as we know it. COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of change, forcing classrooms to move online for extended periods of time. While technology has the potential to support teaching and learning, it also poses major challenges, such as the critical digital divide and increased inequity, the commercialisation of education, issues of data privacy and cyberbullying, to name just a few.

Simply introducing education technology does not lead to enhanced learning. The teaching profession has a critical role to play in evaluating and deciding on the appropriate technology for teaching and learning.

As proven by the COVID-19 crisis, relationships between teachers and students and school communities are critical to student development and cannot be replaced by screens. We advocate for a human and student-centred approach to the use of technology and artificial intelligence in education.

Our work in this area

  1. News 1 June 2021

    International Labour Organization: COVID-19 recovery requires investment in education and in training and decent work for educators

    Delegates at the International Labour Organization (ILO) technical meeting on the future of work in the education sector have agreed that education workers need more support if they are to provide the additional learning needed to build a more resilient and sustainable recovery from the pandemic.

    International Labour Organization: COVID-19 recovery requires investment in education and in training and decent work for educators
  2. Worlds of Education 21 May 2021

    "Virtual education: some things matter"

    Esteban Magnani

    Big tech companies have found data to be an invaluable source of profit. What is data used for? Should schools become a conduit for companies to become even wealthier? How can it be avoided? As part of the series of conferences “Digital culture and education” organized by Education International Latin...

    "Virtual education: some things matter"
  3. News 28 April 2021

    EI and OECD launch Principles for Effective and Equitable Educational Recovery

    How will we ensure effective and equitable educational recovery from COVID19? Education International and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) developed ten key principles which every country can use.

    EI and OECD launch Principles for Effective and Equitable Educational Recovery
  4. News 23 March 2021

    DRC: online union training full of promise

    The Fédération nationale des enseignants du Congo/Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Congo (FENECO/UNTC) has closed the end of its online Trade Union Academy on the fundamentals of trade unionism.

    DRC: online union training full of promise
  5. Research

    Pandemic Privatisation in Higher Education: Edtech & University Reform

    Ben Williamson, Anna Hogan
    15 February 2021

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, a state of emergency engulfed higher education. The crisis of mass campus closures and a rapid ‘pivot’ to online learning became the context for attempts by private actors and commercial organisations to reconfigure the sector.

    Pandemic Privatisation in Higher Education: Edtech & University Reform
    1. Report
    2. Summary
  6. News 9 December 2020

    Iraq: Modern teaching methods focus of education union’s teacher training

    The use of modern teaching methods was at the heart of professional development training organised by the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU), with the support of Education International (EI), in the Raparin, Koya and Akra regions.

    Iraq: Modern teaching methods focus of education union’s teacher training
  8. News 2 November 2020

    Education International research and advocacy strategy grows in context of COVID-19

    Education International brough over 170 scholars, experts, unionists, and activists together to explore how research can underpin advocacy for quality education. The global group met at the 15th Research Network (ResNet) online meeting on 28-29 October.

    Education International research and advocacy strategy grows in context of COVID-19
  9. Research

    Teaching with Tech: The role of education unions in shaping the future

    Christina J. Colclough
    27 October 2020

    The Future of Work is not just making the headlines - it has become an issue of increasing importance for students, teachers and the whole of society. While there is always an element of anticipatory anxiety when facing the future there has also been real concern about the arrival of...

    Teaching with Tech: The role of education unions in shaping the future
    1. Report
    2. Summary
  10. News 20 October 2020

    Global survey assesses status of teachers in era of COVID-19 pandemic

    Education International is relaunching its global survey on the Status of Teachers. The organisation’s largest survey of its 400 affiliated unions aims to better understand the status of teachers around the globe and build a strong basis for advocacy.

    Global survey assesses status of teachers in era of COVID-19 pandemic
  11. News 15 October 2020

    Iraq: Education union demands improvements in the education sector

    On the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, 5 October, the Kurdistan Teachers’ Union (KTU) called on the government to improve educators’ working and living conditions and the quality of education at all levels.

    Iraq: Education union demands improvements in the education sector
  15. News 23 July 2020

    Protecting the human rights of teachers and students and education in the digital age

    In an interview with EI, Christina Colclough, future of work expert, discussed teacher adaptation to digitalisation, life-long learning, the digital divide, the relationship between virtual and physical learning, data, and related issues. She stressed that the use and abuse of data was a danger to worker and human rights.

    Protecting the human rights of teachers and students and education in the digital age
  16. Worlds of Education 10 July 2020

    "The edtech pandemic shock", by Ben Williamson & Anna Hogan.

    Ben Williamson

    The Covid-19 pandemic was the context for two major disruptions in education. The first was the disruption to schooling for millions of students worldwide, and a rapid shift to remote learning online. The second, closely related disruption was the entry of the commercial education technology sector into public education at...

    "The edtech pandemic shock", by Ben Williamson & Anna Hogan.
  17. News 10 July 2020

    Edtech Pandemic Shock: New EI research launched on COVID-19 education commercialisation

    Education International has launched groundbreaking new research which maps the extent of private actors’ influence in education since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research has been commissioned as part of Education International's Global Response to the Commercialisation and Privatisation of Education.

    Edtech Pandemic Shock: New EI research launched on COVID-19 education commercialisation
  18. Publications

    A Review of Technology in Teaching and Learning

    Alison Egan
    30 June 2020

    The objective of this review is to outline current thinking on the role of technology in education. This paper was written before the global Covid -19 pandemic that forced an “online pivot” in educational settings. The “wicked problem” of technology integration in education is now a significant concern for many...

    A Review of Technology in Teaching and Learning
    1. Download