The advent of affordable technology and the internet has made digital education, defined as the use of digital tools and technologies to support learning processes, the dominant approach in modern pedagogy. This trend was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Artificial Intelligence, either loved or hated by the majority of people, threatens to push education into uncharted territory. Along with its promise, it raises complex questions about privacy and, more profoundly, the future of our brains and cognitive abilities. These are the very issues that universities and research centers are beginning to grapple with today.
According to the OECD definition, by enabling the adoption of digital tools, digital education has the potential to drive innovation and offer transformative opportunities for developing equal approaches and interoperability. Social economy, instead, bases itself on people over profit, investment in activities that the collectivity can benefit from and participatory governance.
At All Digital, we believe the pros are greater than the potential cons. Emerging technologies are part of our daily lives, and our mission is to ensure these are as inclusive as possible, to best serve every type of learner and educator. Some good examples of this combination are the projects SETS, Green at You and EPISODE, where digital innovation is matched with social purpose and it empowered a diverse range of target groups (women, migrants, NEET, people in vulnerable situations, social and digital entrepreneurs from Palestine). Providing instruments for learners and educators to upskill themselves and create innovative solutions that could be implemented on a local level was the ultimate recipe for success.
In the context of SETS, digital education was helpful for social economy organisations, as it enabled them to build their staff skills, support organisational change and improve recognition of competences across Europe.
So, how can we ensure new technologies are linked to sustainable goals?
The first step consists of understanding what your association is trying to achieve and what target groups you want to reach. After this, scalability and the use of technology to improve your engagement and learning process have to be assessed.
If a positive evaluation emerges, integrating new tools into your sustainability plan should be considered.
How can an association or small business thrive and be more sustainable?
To begin with, the best tool (or tools) to achieve your goals has to be considered. The digital world can be a vast pool to pick from, and it might feel overwhelming or disorienting.
Several options are available based on the area you want to develop, like Watershed, Persefoni or Normative, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If the goal is to work on the supply chain level, Circular or Everledger can be good options to ensure that sustainable products and materials follow ethical standards throughout their lifecycles by using blockchain, AI or IoT.
Instead, if a digital supporter for your environmental goals is needed, Satuplatform can help your business integrate powerful sustainability solutions, from carbon tracking to waste optimisation.
However, a more educational approach might be required to ensure collective alignment before proceeding to use concrete instruments. For example, there are quite a few AR/VR platforms that have been created by Google or the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to educate young learners on topics related to sustainability in a more engaging way: WWF Together, Recycle RoundUp or Google Expeditions.
Earth School (UNEP & TED-Ed) is a MOOC that can be helpful in educational settings. It offers comprehensive short videos about different topics, from electric cars to food waste, carbon footprint and green investments. Otherwise, the baSE training courses are also a valid option, exploring the correlation between SocioComp and other European Competence Frameworks and focusing on three transition skills areas (digital, green, fair and inclusive).
Lastly, Microsoft launched Farmbeats, an IoT tool on sustainable agriculture, which can be used by educators and entrepreneurs to take inspiration.
In conclusion, whichever approach you find most useful for advancing your social goals and activities, whether practical or educational, technology can be a strong ally. With AI and other emerging tools becoming increasingly refined, it’s easier than ever to develop well-rounded strategies. Use them to make your business more visible and up-to-date.
Your new beginning starts now!
By All Digital, a member of the SETS consortium.
All Digital (previously known as Telecentre Europe) is a leading pan-European association based in Brussels, representing member organisations across Europe that work with 25,000 digital competence centres.
