The EdTech Hub is launching a call for proposals for at-scale research investigating EdTech’s role in high potential but low evidence areas in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this call is to increase the amount of high-quality research evidence available regarding the impact of technology-based solutions to improve learning and education.

Focus Topics

Projects must involve robust empirical research and should relate to one or more of EdTech Hub’s five focus topics:

• Technology to support personalised learning and teaching at the right level
• In-service teacher professional development, structured pedagogy, and technology
• Technology to promote school participation
• Girls’ education and technology
• Technology to advance data use and decision making in education

Focus Countries

Research proposals should be for studies that concentrate on and are undertaken in one of the six EdTech Hub focus countries:

• Bangladesh
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Pakistan
• Sierra Leone
• Tanzania

Funding Information

• Research studies can apply for up to £750,000 from EdTech Hub under this call.

Eligibility Criteria

• Research proposals must fall within the five focus topics and countries in order to be considered. They must clearly demonstrate the potential for impact — that is, high potential for the research findings to inform decision-making processes.
• Projects must carefully consider how the potential impacts of their research on policy and practice can be maximised and developed, and proposals which challenge existing policy and practice assumptions are welcomed.
• Applicants must clearly describe the gap in the existing body of evidence on EdTech that their research would fill, and present a clear dissemination plan that addresses how the evidence generated through this research could be used by decision-makers.
• The EdTech Hub team will work closely with selected applicants to support and enable dissemination opportunities within and across countries, and globally. The outputs will be reviewed according to EdTech Hub’s peer review and quality assurance process.
• All research funded through this call should align with the following principles:
  • Projects must involve robust empirical research, in line with the Building Evidence in Education (BE2) guidance on education research.
  • Projects must demonstrate a commitment to actively engage with discussion and debate with EdTech Hub and other key stakeholders and share methodological tools and early-stage findings as Global Public Goods.
  • Projects must have the ability and willingness to adapt and iterate methodology as appropriate.
  • Projects must obtain and share relevant and reliable cost-effectiveness data, and conduct cost-effectiveness analysis.
  • Projects must align with national education priorities and be on a topic linked directly with major government reform.

For more information, visit EdTech Hub.