Artificial intelligence is entering education at an accelerating pace, while schools, universities, and institutions are facing an ever-growing choice of digital solutions. How to determine which solutions truly create value for learning and teaching.
This is the question addressed by EdTech for Good Framework 2.0 – UNICEF’s new framework for evaluating, developing, and implementing educational technologies. The framework provides a common approach that enables different stakeholders across the education ecosystem to assess EdTech solutions not only by their features and functionalities, but by their actual impact on education.
What is the framework?
EdTech for Good Framework 2.0 is a methodology for evaluating digital and AI-enabled educational solutions. It does not certify products or rank technologies. Instead, it provides a common set of criteria that helps determine whether a solution is suitable for use in educational environments.
The core idea is that a technology should not be evaluated only by what it can do. Equally important is whether it is developed responsibly, whether it is safe for learners, accessible to different groups of users, pedagogically grounded, and supported by evidence of effectiveness.
Three questions at the heart of the evaluation process
The framework is built around three fundamental questions:
Who is behind the product? – What organisation develops it, what are its goals, and how transparent is its approach?
What is the product? – What educational challenge does it address, who is it designed for, and what evidence supports its effectiveness?
Is it appropriate for education? – How does it perform across five key areas related to safety, pedagogical value, accessibility, relevance in different educational contexts, and impact on learning.
Through this approach, the framework shifts the focus from the technology itself to its impact on students, teachers, and education systems.
A stronger focus on AI
One of the key developments in version 2.0 is the integration of artificial intelligence into the overall evaluation of educational technologies.
Rather than treating AI as a separate topic, the framework addresses questions related to transparency, reliability, safety, risk management, and the availability of evidence that AI-enabled solutions genuinely support learning.
This reflects an important shift: the focus is no longer only on the technology itself, but on how it is used within educational practice.
Who is the framework for?
EdTech for Good Framework 2.0 is designed to support all stakeholders across the education ecosystem:
educational technology developers;
schools, universities, and learning organisations;
ministries and education authorities;
organisations that evaluate or implement EdTech solutions;
investors and donors.
The framework can be used both to evaluate existing products and to guide the development of new solutions from an early stage. It can also support public procurement processes, the development of national policies, and the creation of quality assurance mechanisms.
What is new compared to the first version?
The first version of the EdTech for Good Framework established the foundation for evaluating educational technologies. Version 2.0 significantly expands this approach.
The updated framework places greater emphasis on the organisation behind the product, evidence of effectiveness, transparency in development, and responsible use of artificial intelligence. As a result, evaluation becomes more comprehensive, considering not only product characteristics but also the environment in which the technology will be implemented.
Why is the framework important?
One of the greatest benefits of EdTech for Good Framework 2.0 is that it provides a common language for evaluating educational technologies. Instead of every institution, school, or organisation applying different criteria, the framework creates a consistent model that can be used across different countries and education systems.
This supports more informed decision-making when selecting technologies, helps developers create better solutions from the beginning, and provides institutions with a clearer foundation for developing policies, standards, and procurement processes.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, such an approach is becoming essential. The framework does not offer universal answers or define which technologies are “the best”. Instead, it promotes solutions based on transparency, evidence, and real educational value – principles that can help ensure technology is used more responsibly and effectively for the benefit of students and teachers.
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Picture: Pixabay.com.
