EdTech Efficacy in Low-Resource Settings: What Scales and What Fails

Sarah Sachar

Humanities Education Kampala International University Uganda

Email sarah.achar@studmc.kiu.ac.ug

                                                                                          ABSTRACT
Educational technology (EdTech) is widely promoted as a transformative tool for improving learning outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings where traditional education systems face structural constraints. This paper examines the efficacy of EdTech interventions in such contexts, focusing on what enables successful scaling and what contributes to failure. Drawing on empirical evidence and case studies, it finds that while EdTech can generate modest short-term learning gains, sustained impact depends on contextual adaptation, pedagogical alignment, and strong teacher support. Interventions that integrate localized content, align with curricula, and provide continuous professional development for educators are more likely to succeed at scale. Conversely, failures often arise from implementation dilution, weak infrastructure, lack of cultural relevance, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. The study also highlights the persistent digital divide, where disparities in access, engagement, and institutional support shape outcomes. While some large-scale initiatives demonstrate costeffective and sustainable models, others reveal that technology alone cannot improve education without systemic alignment. The paper concludes that EdTech is not a universal solution but a conditional tool whose effectiveness depends on context-sensitive design, robust implementation, and supportive policy environments.

Keywords: Educational technology (EdTech), Low-resource settings, Learning outcomes, Scaling and implementation, and Digital divide

CITE AS: Sarah Sachar (2026). EdTech Efficacy in Low-Resource Settings: What Scales and What Fails. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION, 6(1): 19-25.
https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJRE/2026/611925