Finding technological solutions to education inequity in the Philippines

Second-year Environmental Studies student Maria Veloso has developed a white paper to solve internet accessibility and education inequity in the Philippines, through the Business Dalyell unit of study Disruption for Sustainable Futures - BUDL3902. Maria shares her abstract of the white paper and her experience of the Business Dalyell unit.

Maria Veloso

Disruption for Sustainable Futures

The Disruption for Sustainable Futures unit of study focuses on crafting sustainability-driven innovations to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and wellbeing of organisations, societies, and the world in the long run. 

In this unit, students explore global grand challenges that require novel and cutting-edge solutions, and in examining the various forces driving major trends and movements in the global landscape, gain key insights into how and why the world is changing.

Abstract of the white paper

The research on equity in education has progressed over the years, from the definitions of equity to the issues that are related to equity. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and its changes to all aspects of life has significantly shifted the discussion on equitable education. 

Almost all schools have transitioned to online delivery to curb the spread of the virus, bringing with it new benefits and consequences. Now, the question of equity in education is tied to technological access. 

Thus, research on how technological access affects educational access and equity is imperative. 

This paper focuses on the Philippines, specifically in higher education, and aims to provide a technological solution within the context of the Philippines. Primary research was conducted in the form of online interviews of university students. 

Key findings from the primary research were that lack of internet access in the Philippines correlates with:

1. Living far from the city, and 
2. the occurrence of strong storms.

Based on these findings, the paper proposes low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet technology as one potential solution to the lack of internet access in the Philippines, focusing on SpaceX’s Starlink as a primary example. 

My Dalyell experience

My experience in BUDL3902 has been a blast! Creating the white paper was great because I had the opportunity to deeply think about the intersections of multiple issues, which is something I love to do and apply that to research, which is something new for me. 

I will particularly remember the experience of conducting my own research through online interviews of Filipino university students, learning from them and seeing what being a student is like where they are. 

In my research of equity and education in the Philippines in light of COVID-19, I noticed a lack of Filipino voices in the research. I may explore doing research in the Philippines in the future. 

Learn more about our Business Dalyell Scholars program.