The timing and purpose of this paper are crucial; however, I do not expect digitization policies in education to be universally applicable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as distance education shifted to online platforms, we encountered significant educational losses, particularly among first-grade students. A key issue was the role of parents, who, in many cases, were administering exams for their children, leading to a lack of proper oversight in the educational process. 

Our institute also faced challenges with the master’s degrees conferred by universities during this period. This resulted in a cohort of students who, rather than genuinely learning, leveraged technology to navigate their studies and overcome obstacles. As AI tools continue to develop, I believe there is a pressing need for self-regulation and direct oversight. However, this should not overshadow the potential of technology to enhance learning and improve digitization policies.

In case it's useful, my paper on technology in schools: https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20200713

It's good to see such a thorough approach. Regarding the implementation, Phase 2 (Curriculum Integration and Teacher Training), which is planned to be implemented in years 2-4, could occur earlier. It might be relevant to take place earlier. Some actions don't need the technological infrastructure to be concluded, for instance, the curriculum review. Good luck.

E-Transformation in Education Policy is essential for modernizing educational systems. Integrating digital technologies can significantly enhance teaching, learning, and administrative processes. Prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility through e-learning platforms and innovative practices ensures that students are better prepared for the digital economy, while also addressing the digital divide and boosting engagement. This strategic approach is vital for equitable and effective education.
You can read the following summary as it might be useful: Translate to English: 
https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/using-e-learning-platform-for-en...
Using e-Learning Platform for Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Field of Social Work at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
This chapter explores the issue of e-learning as a helpful method in higher education institutes and universities in general, and specifically, in the field of social work education. It is based on a study carried out at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman and presents knowledge and attitudes of students towards reliance on the e-learning platforms, such as Moodle, as a helpful educational tool. It highlights that Moodle as an e-learning platform enhances communication between teachers and students, and among students themselves. The chapter presents the findings about the usefulness of Moodle, as an e-learning platform as well as challenges of social work students face during using e-learning platform in their learning. Finally, it offers recommendations to deal with the challenges and highlights implication of the study beyond social work education.

The digital/virtual delivery of education could indeed facilitate educational outcomes in areas/communities that are cut-off from traditional access to learning and development. As requested, here is feedback about this robust document.

1. The summary you provided above in this request for expert consultation should be included in the front matter of the policy. It sets the tone. 
"E-Transformation in Education Policy refers to the strategic integration of digital technologies into educational systems to enhance teaching, learning, and administrative processes. This policy aims to create inclusive, accessible, and equitable learning environments through the use of e-learning platforms, digital resources, and innovative educational practices. By leveraging technology, the policy seeks to address the digital divide, improve student engagement, and prepare learners for the demands of the digital economy."

2. Operationally define "digital technologies" in the policy document. If people haven't had access to digitally delivered/virtual education, they may not be clear on those technologies are and/or what they should do.

• Consider a diagram or schematic of the landscape of digital technologies can ground the reader in the topic (which technologies)
• also consider a visual representation of what those technologies could accomplish/have accomplished.

3. The M&E goal has 3-4 distinct outputs that are being assessed. Make them separate goals for greater specificity and to help implementers better understand what the markers of success could look like. Specifically,

• monitoring
• evaluation
• continuous improvement
• impact(s) assessment(s)

Each of these have their own methodologies and the program evaluation may benefit from naming them in advance as unique bullet points.

4. The social significance of this project/policy is apparent to me. I wonder if a strong case can be made for the social significance related to:

• digital access now/access to traditional education now
• estimates of access upon implementation of digital technologies 

5. LMS Section: What are the gaps in capabilities of current technologies that implementers of the policy should consider in advance? This could help the efficiency and effectiveness of policy implementation. Do all LMS platforms serve your target market/community/geography? Language limitations? This may require some degree of a scholarly literature review.

6. Consider adding page numbers to the document. I'd recommend a "#/Total number" format for ease of reading. 

Best,
Denise

During COVID-19, the shift to online learning led to educational setbacks, especially for first graders, often due to parental interference in exams. Our institute also observed challenges with master’s degrees awarded during this period, where students sometimes relied on technology rather than genuine learning. As AI advances, self-regulation and oversight are essential, while still recognizing technology’s potential to enhance education.
Also one point that is very important while we frame Education Policy or Framework. For which Geographical and Social Belief area we are targeting. There have to be some sort of Pre-requisite also.

You’ve broken this down nicely.  However, you might go through each of these and focus a bit on potential loophole opportunities as these will help you strengthen the overall framework.  I’ve done some research in this area with school districts and found that the term digital tools varies widely from district to district, school to school and between teachers.  While some teachers may use digital tools to facilitate learning, the student might merely be a recipient of a lesson and not necessarily learning to utilize a digital tool for a purpose.  Without defining digital tools, you leave a loophole where some schools can get by with minimal and/ or passive engagement, while in other schools, teachers actually teach how to use digital tools and require that students learn to use them.  You might consider various applications in this regard and how they tie into careers today.  For example there are writing and word tools, measuring and data tools, communication and collaboration tools, design tools, testing tools, and as you mentioned, coding tools to name a few.

In Curricula Innovation, you mention “revising curricula to include digital literacy and coding as core subjects”.  This is a start, but isolates digital literacy and coding opportunities to those specific classes which can present its own set of problems including wide variations, but also excluding children with special needs who may need to opt out for additional supportive learning.  As you mentioned early in the paper, digital transformation is transforming every facet of our lives, including education but also how we operate in the workforce.  If you look at every subject being taught today that lends itself to careers, digital tools are being used.  Thus, digital tools should be taught, utilized and learned within each of those subject areas to augment learning toward industry practice.  This would ensure not only that learners are better equipped and more digitally savvy but also work towards closing the DEI loopholes that exist.  

My work in this area also found that districts, schools and teachers need ongoing support on tools.  Often teachers want to use tools but are left researching, testing, learning and teaching new tools themselves, which is highly time consuming, thus not all of them want to invest the time needed.  Schools would benefit from a technology support professional that specializes in this area.  Additionally, interoperability also becomes an issue when you combine external tools with an LMS.  I’ve found some districts abandoning entire platform initiatives because of interoperability issues that schools lacked knowledge to solve.  Technology professionals could help to work to eliminate some of the barriers that arise from these issues.  

Finally, one thing you left out here is parents.  Digital transformation initiatives greatly impact parents in numerous ways.  Without training, support and knowledge of their diverse needs and constraints, digital transformations can place excessive strain and create new problems for learners and parents.  These must be considered when planning as parents are critical to the learning ecosystem, but also because often these initiatives require that parents utilize many of these tools as well.  

Many thanks for sharing this. In the UK, too, there is a decisive shift towards embedding AI tools into pedagogy and the delivery of courses, so I am grateful for the insights provided here. Echoing some of the sentiments of the other colleagues, any e-learning strategy needs to ensure that digital access is equitable. Colleagues and I have recently launched a new book series with Manchester University Press addressing similar issues. I would like to invite you and colleagues to consider it as an outlet for your book-length studies:
https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/series/ai-futures/

I am particularly interested in Section 5 of your policy document, i.e. the section on implementation strategy. In that section, under Phase 4 on continuous monitoring and evaluation, I just want to give some inputs on evaluating the impact of the e-transformation initiative laid out in your policy document. I am particularly interested in the causal impact of such an initiative. However, when it comes to policy-makers who are not trained in applied micro-econometrics, they might overlook the importance of having the appropriate data that would allow for causal impact estimations. The simplest case would be to have the foresight to collect the data before a policy or initiative is implemented, and not just the post-policy data. Also, there needs to be data on the group affected by the policy or initiative, and also data for those who are unaffected, i.e. known as the treatment and control group in the treatment evaluation literature. Having data on the outcome of interest, say some measures of how digital technologies in education affect the students, for the pre-post periods and for both the control-treatment group would enable the use of a difference-in-differences model that can isolate the actual impact of digital technology usage.
 

Thank you for this valuable input. Developing a curriculum that equips students to upskill and tackle complex problems is indeed essential. Ensuring students are prepared for future challenges requires a focused approach on curriculum innovation, emphasizing practical application of critical skills. This means not only enhancing our educators’ capabilities but also raising awareness among students about utilizing digital tools to simulate real-world scenarios. This endeavor requires collaborative effort. 
I would add investiments, and building partnerships with technology companies and industry leaders will ensure that our curriculum stay aligned with current digital demands, better preparing students for the evolving career landscape. 

The section for - 

Digital Literacy and Coding: Integrate digital literacy and coding as mandatory subjects across all levels of education, from primary to secondary school - you could add something related to  - Inquiry-Driven Projects, Project-Based Learning (PBL).

With an emphasis on infrastructure, curricular innovation, fairness, sustainability, and monitoring, the "E-Transformation in Education Policy" provides a well-organized strategy for digitizing education. Phased implementation for flexibility and a variety of funding sources are important advantages. The high expense of internet infrastructure, especially in underprivileged areas, the requirement for more extensive training in digital literacy for teachers, and the necessity for extra cybersecurity precautions are possible obstacles, too. The effectiveness and resilience of the policy would be increased by the following recommendations: improving financial planning, expanding capacity-building initiatives, integrating qualitative assessments, fortifying local partnerships for inclusivity, and bolstering data security.
 

Nice to read this: "E-Transformation in Education Policy". Use of Digital Technology in Education in context of AI tools needs guidelines for transformation in the educational processes within the classroom and also out of classroom by virtual collaborations. Thanks to Hazem Salem Aldmour! for pointing out aspects of Self-regulation and oversight. 

E-Transformation in Education Policy involves the integration of digital technologies into educational systems to improve teaching, learning, and administrative functions. The primary goal is to make education more inclusive, accessible, and equitable by utilizing e-learning platforms, digital resources, and innovative teaching methods. This policy aims to bridge the digital divide, increase student engagement, and equip learners with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital economy. By embracing technology, educational institutions can offer personalized learning experiences and improve educational outcomes.

Reference: Patton, M. Q. (2010). Developmental Evaluation: Applying Complexity Concepts to Enhance Innovation and Use. Guilford Press.

UNESCO – Education and Digital Transformation
https://en.unesco.org/themes/ict-education This page explores how UNESCO supports the integration of ICT in education and digital transformation in learning environments.

World Economic Forum – The Role of Digital Transformation in Education
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/education-digital-transformation/ This article discusses the role of digital transformation in reshaping education and enhancing learning experiences globally.
OECD – Digital Education Outlook 2021
https://www.oecd.org/digital-education/digital-education-outlook/ The OECD’s comprehensive report on how digital technologies are transforming education and the key policy actions required to navigate these changes.
European Commission – Digital Education Action Plan
https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/digital-education-action-plan_en This plan outlines the EU’s strategy to support the development of digital education across Europe.
The World Bank – ICT in Education
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech The World Bank provides insights into how Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can enhance educational systems and help achieve broader development goals.