Latin America: distance learning platforms used by teachers 2020, by education level

Amidst school closures - part of distancing measures implemented in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19 - schools around the world were faced with the task of providing children with distance education material. According to a survey carried out in 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean between May and June 2020, around one third of countries analyzed had teachers in the primary to upper secondary levels using online platforms for distanced education. For pre-primary schools, the share of countries was 29 percent. Mobile phones were the second most used platform.

How digitally prepared were teachers?

The level of preparedness of Latin American and Caribbean teachers for providing pupils with the resources necessary for distance learning in the context of the pandemic varied depending on the school level. While the largest share of prepared teachers was for those working with secondary school students, the lowest share was observed in pre-schools. This is to a degree consistent with the developmental stages of children, as they are introduced to technological tools in further levels, rather than in earlier ones.

The case of universities

As for universities, according to a 2020 survey, only a fourth of professors felt prepared for the inclusion of digital technologies in the classroom, while around 23 percent felt little prepared or unprepared. However, more than half them admitted having access to digital training programs. Furthermore, nearly four out of ten professors were working in universities with below average internet speed or with no access at all.