LearnIn
Inclusive, digital learning ecosystems to accelerate learning for every child
More than 28 million children and adolescents in Europe and Central Asia were out-of-school prior to COVID-19. The digital divide in connectivity, access and skills presents significant challenges in equity in distance learning, while the need for quality, differentiated instruction, practice and engagement remains a key barrier to learning outcomes, especially for the most marginalized.
Through LearnIn, UNICEF in Europe and Central Asia is providing digital learning solutions to strengthen the instructional core of school-based learning and accelerate educational outcomes for the most vulnerable children, even when learning takes place at a distance. LearnIn uses Learning Passport as a platform for improving personalized learning, student engagement, teachers’ skills and pedagogy through experiential learning, and relevant, effective content.
Our vision
LearnIn envisions all children achieving their maximum potential through inclusive, quality education.
Our mission
LearnIn aims is to accelerate learning outcomes, especially for vulnerable children, by enabling effective, inclusive, technology-enhanced learning opportunities across the life course.
Governments throughout Europe and Central Asia have made extensive efforts to offer quality education to all children. However, 24.1 million girls and boys across Eastern Europe and Central Asia were out of learning even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Teaching practices need to further support learners’ diverse needs, and education should be more closely aligned with the skills needed for employment. When the pandemic shuttered schools for close to 50 million children in the region, education systems lacked the accessible learning platforms, quality, digital learning content, and inclusive, digital pedagogy needed for learning to continue.
Learning gaps that existed before the pandemic have been worsened by education disruption. These gaps accumulate over the course of children’s lives, with a significant impact on children’s well-being, social and economic opportunity and livelihoods.
UNICEF's response
UNICEF’s LearnIn initiative in Europe and Central Asia is tapping into the potential of digital technology to strengthen education systems and improve their resilience to crises. Through LearnIn, UNICEF is supporting the development of inclusive digital learning ecosystems. We are working with governments and partners to bridge the digital divide and leverage digital learning platforms, quality content, and innovative solutions to make education more accessible, flexible and meaningful, especially for the most marginalized children. LearnIn also facilitates continuous professional development for educators on quality, inclusive, digitally-supported pedagogy.
LearnIn operationalizes Reimagine Education, UNICEF’s global initiative, by providing support across multiple interconnected workstreams:
Connectivity and devices
UNICEF is building partnerships throughout the region to ensure all children have access to devices and the Internet for learning. UNICEF is partnering with other organizations such as ITU to connect even the most off-the-grid schools to the internet.
Platforms and content
UNICEF is supporting countries to develop, roll out, and scale-up digital learning platforms, such as Learning Passport. LearnIn leverages these platforms to ensure all children can access high quality, relevant, personalized learning content.
Teacher upskilling and support
LearnIn is providing teachers and teacher trainers with high quality courses, such as on formative assessment and inclusive, digital pedagogy, in multiple formats. LearnIn also supports Communities of Practice to provide ongoing support to education professionals.
Youth engagement and support
LearnIn is supporting countries to leverage digital platforms and content to provide alternative learning pathways for the most marginalized children and adolescents. UNICEF is focusing especially on reaching adolescent girls with digital skills development opportunities.
Enabling environment and evidence generation
LearnIn aims to strengthen national efforts to create an enabling environment for quality, inclusive digital learning and innovation by supporting and strengthening countries’ own digital learning roadmaps and plans. UNICEF is also generating and sharing evidence on what works in digital learning to reach the farthest behind.
Resources
- Read more about UNICEF’s approach to digital learning in Europe and Central Asia in the LearnIn Implementation Plan and the LearnIn Implementation Plan Summary.
- Get an overview of UNICEF’s work on digital learning in the LearnIn Brief
- Learn more about investment opportunities for the public and private sectors to support digital learning in Europe and Central Asia in the Digital Learning Investment Case
- Explore examples of how children and teachers across the region are benefitting from digital learning:
The Learning Passport for Europe and Central Asia provides open learning for educators, including interactive courses on digital pedagogical skills. It also offers a space for UNICEF and partners to sandbox new ideas for digital learning!