INTED2026 Proceedings

Despite Education Technology (EdTech) becoming increasingly infrastructural in many schools around the world, significant gaps remain in knowledge about the influence of EdTech on children’s learning and rights, including their rights to education, inclusion, expression, privacy, and protection from commercial exploitation. All the while, schools are progressively adopting diverse technologies for a range of learning purposes. This paper, which draws on Vygotskian sociocultural theory, Dewey’s principles of education, and children’s rights theory, addresses this gap by reporting findings from consultations with over 450 children aged 6-17 years from 5 primary and 6 secondary schools across the UK, selected to reflect a broad range of child needs and experiences. These consultations were complemented by semi structured interviews with education professionals and policy analysis. This multimethod research project, funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Rothschild Foundation, was conducted by the Digital Futures for Children (DFC), a joint research centre between LSE and 5Rights Foundation, and co-designed with a Youth Advisory Board. The aim is to stimulate a national conversation that draws on children’s voices and robust evidence, regarding the policies, practices and anticipated benefits of EdTech. EdTech often escapes regulation or, even, critical attention from the affected communities. In the UK, an EdTech Code is planned, so evidence matters. Early findings reveal that EdTech provision, use, and policies vary significantly across schools, with educators concerned about widening divides. While children report that EdTech can motivate them to learn, allow them to develop skills and talents, encourage problem-solving, promote inclusion and self expression, and help them remain organised, they also express frustration over poor software design, harsh and intimidating visuals, unreliable information, commercial exploitation, poor quality AI-driven feedback, and school policies, all of which constrain their learning experiences. Children and educators suggest a range of improvements to EdTech design and deployment that could enhance their learning experience and advance their right to education in the digital age.