Title:
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY IN THE TIME OF DIGITISATION

Authors:
Mike Douse and Philip Uys

Abstract:
Worldwide educational participation and performance are characterised by rampant inequality. This not only reflects unequal involvement in and benefits from technology (in the past referred to as the “digital divide”) but also embodies age-old imbalances between and within nations, perpetuated by unjust systems and discriminatory practices. Accordingly, the noble aim of ‘digital equity’ cannot be achieved in isolation: the underlying injustices (notably educational imbalances) must first be remedied, thereby providing a clear goal for digital inclusion. The necessary three-fold strategy, therefore, is • Global School participation For All, fully embracing digitisation, leading to • Educational even-handedness which, in turn, promotes • Digital equity. Consequently, the immediate aim is to encourage the world (bilateral, national and charitable donors, private companies, non-government actors and committed individuals)to provide the necessary support – as specified herein – to enable everyone everywhere to become self-directed Global School (GS) learners and/or learner-directed teachers. This paper, taking forward the present authors’ recently published book “The Global School – Education in the Time of Digitisation”, describes the forthcoming and fundamental educational transformation that is engendering the GS and sets out how that may best be promoted, thereby paving the way towards genuine and purposive digital equity.