So, what have we learned about online learning?

Will our recent experiences of online, remote and blended learning change our approaches to edtech and education more broadly?

Pearson’s recent survey (2021) – involving more than 6,800 educators – shows an increase in positive upskilling and receptivity to technology, with digital skills soaring over the course of the pandemic for both teachers (81 per cent) and students (64 per cent).

Similarly, 90 per cent of UK learners in Pearson’s Global Learner Survey (2020) feel that online learning will become a key part of education moving forward.

The pandemic has already highlighted that, for effective digital provision to be fully achieved, the digital divide across access to devices and high-quality internet needs bridging. It has also shown that an inclusive, community-wide approach to edtech is vital: if our students are to thrive around technology, their teachers, parents and carers also need clear guidance on how to use it.