For years, technology has entered classrooms across Latin America and the Caribbean with promises of an educational revolution. Many well-intentioned efforts have produced mixed results. However, evidence accumulated over recent decades has taught us that what truly makes a difference is not the technology itself, but how it is used. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) … [Read more...] about AI and Education: How to Make a True Educational Revolution Possible
Marcelo Pérez Alfaro
Marcelo Pérez Alfaro is a Lead Education Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He joined the Bank in 2003 and worked in the Country Offices of Suriname, Ecuador, Brazil and Uruguay, in addition to developing projects and policy dialogue in Chile, Argentina and the Dominican Republic. He has extensive experience in leadership and management of the strategic and budget planning of large social programs and agencies, such as the National Social Security Administration and the National Institute of Social Services for Retirees and Pensioners of Argentina. Marcelo has a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, a Postgraduate degree in Economics from the Di Tella Institute, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Universidad Católica Argentina.
Social Infrastructure Recovery in Porto Alegre: Mapping for Resilience
By Marcelo Pérez Alfaro, Cecilia Giambruno, Céline Jacquin, Mariana Marín and Fabrizio Scrollini On April 27, 2024, following two weeks of intense rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, the collapse of the 14 de Julio hydroelectric dam exacerbated the already critical situation in Porto Alegre. This disaster impacted over 160,000 people, with … [Read more...] about Social Infrastructure Recovery in Porto Alegre: Mapping for Resilience
Beyond Access: How to Ensure Meaningful Connectivity for All Schools?
By Marcelo Pérez Alfaro, Cecilia Giambruno, and Nicolás Castro Connectivity has never played such a significant role in the economy, labor market, health, culture, entertainment, and social relationships. In this context, education is not, nor should it be, an exception. The integration of technology in classrooms is no longer news. Since the beginning of this century, … [Read more...] about Beyond Access: How to Ensure Meaningful Connectivity for All Schools?
Same storm, different boats
Entry by Ivonne Acevedo, Eleno Castro, Raquel Fernández, Iván Flores, Marcelo Pérez Alfaro, Miguel Székely, and Pablo Zoido. If someone at some point thought that the pandemic was affecting us all in the same way, it soon became clear that we do not face the storm from the same boat. Anyone, regardless of age, profession, socioeconomic status or celebrity, can contract the … [Read more...] about Same storm, different boats
COVID-19 and education: We will come back, but will all of us come back?
Entry by Marcelo Pérez-Alfaro, Pablo Zoido y Gonzalo Muñoz. The exit from the pandemic with its progressive reopening of classrooms will have important effects on educational systems. The current scenario will affect learning achievements and amplify the dropout and unschooling risks. Preliminary calculations indicate a 17% increase in educational exclusion: 1 million … [Read more...] about COVID-19 and education: We will come back, but will all of us come back?