We’re pleased to present our latest use case on Digital Self-Determination (DSD) in the education sector, now available for download. This use case delves into how DSD principles can help bridge the gap between educational institutions and the edtech companies that handle vast amounts of student data, ensuring that data practices empower students and foster a more equitable educational landscape.

This publication is part of our series examining how DSD can empower individuals and communities across various sectors.

Context

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of education, requiring schools worldwide to adopt online learning tools at an unprecedented rate. This shift highlighted critical issues related to data governance and digital self-determination, particularly in the United States. As edtech companies gained extensive access to student data, questions emerged around data transparency, student agency, and privacy.

The Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University conducted an in-depth study on these issues, focusing on educational systems in the U.S., specifically California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas, and drawing comparisons with the Swiss education system. By examining these diverse contexts, the study explores how different approaches to data governance and technology integration impact student outcomes and digital empowerment.

The Challenge

In the current landscape, there’s a disconnect between educational systems and edtech companies, which often prioritize their business models over the educational needs and rights of students. While these companies have broad access to student data, they are not required to share it with schools, students, or parents, creating a misalignment between data control and its potential for supporting student learning.

Moreover, school districts in the U.S. differ widely in their approaches to managing and utilizing educational technology, resulting in inconsistent access to digital tools and exacerbating educational inequalities. Districts with robust data governance frameworks and resources are better positioned to integrate data into teaching practices, while others lack the capacity, leaving their students at a disadvantage.

Finally, many districts face challenges related to data privacy and security. Teachers, often responsible for managing and interpreting data, struggle to balance these tasks with their primary teaching responsibilities. The pandemic underscored the need for effective data governance and digital self-determination in education to support students’ learning and well-being.

Key Sections of the Use Case

Processes

  • Contextual DSD Application: Moving beyond basic data-sharing practices, encouraging a model where students and their families have meaningful control over how their data is used and managed.

  • Stakeholder Engagement: Involving students, teachers, administrators, edtech providers, and policymakers in collaborative governance discussions to ensure data practices are aligned with educational goals.

  • Addressing Power Imbalances: Ensuring students have a voice in the digital data ecosystem to counterbalance the influence of edtech providers.

Policies

  • Ethical Data Management: Implementing guidelines that prioritize transparency and student control over data.

  • Strengthening Consent Practices: Moving towards more informed consent frameworks where students and parents understand and agree to how their data is used.

  • Equitable Data Governance: Developing policies that ensure all students, regardless of district or resources, benefit from secure and effective data practices.

Tools and Solutions

  • Data Portals for Students and Families: Providing user-friendly platforms where students and families can access, manage, and make informed decisions about their data.

  • Trusted Data Spaces: Creating secure environments for student data to promote transparency, privacy, and accountability across educational institutions.

People and Organizations Involved

This use case brings together diverse stakeholders in the education ecosystem:

  • Students: The primary subjects of this data, emphasizing their right to control personal information as central to DSD.

  • Teachers: Responsible for integrating edtech and managing data, teachers provided valuable insights on the need for support and training.

  • School and District Administrators: Key decision-makers in technology adoption and data policies, highlighting the differences in resources across districts.

  • Edtech Providers: Companies managing student data, whose involvement underscored gaps between technological capabilities and educational needs.

  • Nonprofit Organizations: Advocates for equitable and ethical data governance, offering perspectives on the broader social impact of edtech.

  • Policymakers: Essential to establishing data rights and protections, ensuring DSD is supported within legal frameworks in education.

Download the Use Case

We invite you to download the Digital Self-Determination in Education Use Case to gain a deeper understanding of how DSD principles can be applied to create a more balanced, equitable, and empowering digital landscape for students. We also invite you to read the full report, developed by By Elisabeth Sylvan, Melyssa Eigen, Valerie Gomez, and Sandra Cortesi.

Download the Use Case: Digital Self-Determination in Education (PDF)

Download the Full Use Case: Digital Self-Determination in Education (Full Report PDF)

 

The cover image of this blog was created with Dall-E and adapted to our needs.