Educational Technology and the Future of Learning: A Cross-National Mixed-Methods Inquiry into Innovation, Equity, and Digital Readiness

Abstract

Teaching, learning, and educational access have all changed as a result of the quick global integration of educational technology (EdTech). This study examines how innovation, equity, and digital preparedness interact to influence education in various national contexts. This mixed-methods study assesses how governments, educators, and students adjust to new technological paradigms using both quantitative and qualitative data from a few chosen Asian, European, and African nations. The report highlights enduring issues with digital equity and accessibility while examining trends in EdTech uptake, infrastructure preparedness, and pedagogical innovation. The findings show that socioeconomic inequality and policy gaps continue to impede inclusive educational expansion, even as technological advancement speeds up pedagogical transformation. (Selwyn, 2016, p. 45)

            The study also emphasizes the significance of an all-encompassing strategy for implementing EdTech, one that incorporates teacher preparation, culturally sensitive teaching, and long-term sustainability in addition to hardware and infrastructure. The results provide light on how, depending on societal preparedness and local policy decisions, digital technologies can both close and exacerbate educational gaps. By providing an evidence-based framework for evaluating digital readiness, equity of access, and innovation in educational systems across the globe, this study adds to the global discourse on education. (Warschauer, 2011, p. 28)