Educational Platforms: Key Aspects for Assessment, Selection, and Effective use in Latin America and the Caribbean
Peer Reviewed
Date issued
September 2026
Subject
Digital Platform;
Educational Resource;
Educational Institution;
Artificial Intelligence;
Digital Technology;
Science and Technology;
Education;
Strategy;
Infrastructure Development;
Technology Access;
Evaluation;
Learning Strategy;
Collaboration
JEL code
I22 - Educational Finance • Financial Aid;
I20 - Education and Research Institutions: General;
I29 - Education and Research Institutions: Other
Category
Technical Notes
Digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean is advancing rapidly, though unevenly. The education sector reflects this uneven progress: while some countries are close to achieving universal internet access in schools, others still have very low levels of connectivity and device availability. In this context, educational platforms can help expand access, improve equity, and strengthen learning outcomes if they are carefully selected and implemented.
This technical note aims to support education systems in the region in two complementary ways. First, it proposes a multidimensional framework for evaluating, comparing, and selecting educational platforms. The framework is organized around four dimensions: alignment with users needs; support for teaching and learning; suitability for the implementation context; and effectiveness demonstrated by prior research. Each dimension is broken down into criteria and guiding questions, scored on a scale from 1 to 4.
Second, the note offers recommendations on the structural conditions and strategies needed for implementation at scale. These include governance of digital transformation policy; digital infrastructure; guidelines for the use of technology in schools; a multidisciplinary selection committee; clear objectives and priorities; the involvement of regional and local stakeholders; procurement models and partnerships; cost and financial feasibility analyses; teacher training and engagement; ongoing pedagogical support; monitoring of platform use; and the sustainability of the strategy across political cycles.
The note also synthesizes international evidence on the contribution of educational platforms to learning, with particularly consistent findings in language, especially literacy, and mathematics. It examines the opportunities and risks of incorporating generative artificial intelligence into platforms used in the classroom. Finally, it presents three implementation cases from different contexts and stages: CARNET (Croatia), Ceibal (Uruguay), and Brazils educational technology policy. These cases illustrate different paths toward effective and sustainable implementation.
This technical note aims to support education systems in the region in two complementary ways. First, it proposes a multidimensional framework for evaluating, comparing, and selecting educational platforms. The framework is organized around four dimensions: alignment with users needs; support for teaching and learning; suitability for the implementation context; and effectiveness demonstrated by prior research. Each dimension is broken down into criteria and guiding questions, scored on a scale from 1 to 4.
Second, the note offers recommendations on the structural conditions and strategies needed for implementation at scale. These include governance of digital transformation policy; digital infrastructure; guidelines for the use of technology in schools; a multidisciplinary selection committee; clear objectives and priorities; the involvement of regional and local stakeholders; procurement models and partnerships; cost and financial feasibility analyses; teacher training and engagement; ongoing pedagogical support; monitoring of platform use; and the sustainability of the strategy across political cycles.
The note also synthesizes international evidence on the contribution of educational platforms to learning, with particularly consistent findings in language, especially literacy, and mathematics. It examines the opportunities and risks of incorporating generative artificial intelligence into platforms used in the classroom. Finally, it presents three implementation cases from different contexts and stages: CARNET (Croatia), Ceibal (Uruguay), and Brazils educational technology policy. These cases illustrate different paths toward effective and sustainable implementation.
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