Our World, Connected Classrooms in crisis: the role of education technology in conflict
What are the benefits — and the ethical challenges — of relying on EdTech in crisis environments? Can technology offer true educational equality when access is still uneven?
For many children around the world, the start of the learning day is marked not by the opening of a classroom door, but of a laptop. As education increasingly moves online, technology has become both a bridge and a barrier — especially for young learners living through conflict.
In this episode of Our World, Connected, we explore the transformative role of educational technology in some of the world's most challenging environments. With millions of children living in conflict zones today—almost double the number from just a few decades ago—access to education has taken on new urgency and new forms. Host Christine Wilson speaks with Dr. Koula Charitonos, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University, to unpack the promises, limitations, and ethical complexities of EdTech, particularly for learners facing extraordinary hardships.
We also hear from Olga Pavlenko, a senior teacher and teacher trainer based in Kyiv, Ukraine, who shares her first-hand experiences teaching through a full-scale invasion — and how technology became her students' lifeline to learning. Together, Olga and Koula unpack the realities of digital education in conflict zones and refugee camps, from resilience and connection to the risks of surveillance and digital colonialism.
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Additional Resources & Links:
English and Empowerment
https://www.britishcouncil.org/english-assessment/english-programmes/english-language-empowerment
Supporting schools and teachers teaching refugee children
Understanding Ukrainian young people’s current concerns, needs, and hopes: Looking ahead to a future rebuilding of Ukraine
https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/concerns-needs-hopes-ukraine
Understanding the effectiveness of professional development opportunities for teachers delivered remotely
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/learning/the-open-sanctuary-hub
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