The e-learning market is growing very rapidly. But most learning management systems (LMS’s) are walled gardens, and options for organizing effective learning spaces for people with limited access to bandwidth or hardware are still few and far between.

In the US we see a dangerous trend of restricting access to educational materials related to LGBTQ issues, history of colonialism, slavery and genocide, and using engagement data generated by students as a tool for disciplinary punishment. Digital surveillance in e-learning tools is also a major concern, from engagement tracking with Experience API, to “attention tracking" with facial recognition algorithms.

Open source technologies have tremendous potential to empower students and educators drive meaningful social change. The goal of the Ethical EdTech project is to develop, support, and promote tools, lesson plans, curricula, and other materials tailored for educational contexts.

Do you want to help shape the future of education technology? Become an OES member and join the Ethical EdTech working group.