What 779 Voices Tell Us About Digital Education in Small Island Developing States
The ARCHIPELAGO Needs Assessment gathered responses from 102 educators and 677 first-year students in higher education institutions across the Pacific, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. Their answers offer a detailed picture of digital readiness, AI use and cybersecurity awareness on island campuses.
voices from Small Island Developing States
Understanding digital readiness in SIDS
Higher education institutions in Small Island Developing States work under conditions that make digital education both essential and demanding. Geographic distance, small and dispersed populations, limited connectivity and exposure to climate-related disruption all shape how teaching and learning can be delivered.
ARCHIPELAGO focuses on strengthening digital education and digital competencies in these institutions, with work spanning digital literacy, cybersecurity, digital pedagogy and institutional capacity building. To design that work around real needs rather than assumptions, the partnership began with a structured Needs Assessment survey of educators and first-year students.
The results below come directly from the ARCHIPELAGO Needs Assessment survey. They describe where confidence is already strong, where gaps remain, and how knowledge and practice relate to one another.
Educators: confidence, AI and digital teaching
Educators reported a mixed picture. Many use technology regularly in their teaching, yet artificial intelligence remains unfamiliar territory for a large share of staff.
of educators rated their ability to use AI tools as low
of educators feel ready to bring AI into their teaching
The two figures sit close together, suggesting a group of educators who are open to AI but do not yet feel equipped to use it well. This is a readiness gap that targeted, practical training can address.
educators report strong skills in using technology for teaching
Around half of educator respondents.
Around half of educators describe strong digital teaching skills. This provides a valuable base of experienced staff who can support peers as institutions expand their digital practice.
Cloud security remains a challenge
of educators feel confident about cloud security
Cloud platforms now host course materials, assessments and student data. Yet fewer than one in three educators feel confident about keeping those environments secure. As institutions rely more heavily on cloud services, this is one of the clearest priorities for capacity building.
Students: confidence and digital skills
First-year students arrive at university with very different levels of digital experience. Basic confidence cannot be taken for granted.
feel confident using a computer
Just over half of students feel confident using a computer. For the remainder, digital coursework, online platforms and research tools may present an additional hurdle at the very start of their studies.
AI is useful, but evaluating its accuracy is difficult
Students who use AI tools see clear benefits for their learning. At the same time, many find it hard to tell whether what those tools produce is correct.
students say AI tools help them understand course content better
More than 200 of 280 respondents.
students find it difficult to judge whether AI-generated content is accurate
Approximately 140 of 280 respondents.
Together these findings point to a specific need: not whether to use AI, but how to use it critically. Guidance on verifying sources, recognising errors and understanding AI limitations is likely to have direct value for students.
Cybersecurity and recognising online threats
find it difficult to recognise fake emails, messages or websites
Phishing and fraudulent websites are among the most common entry points for cyberattacks on universities. A substantial group of students struggling to spot them represents a risk to both individuals and institutions, and an opportunity for simple, high-impact awareness training.
Knowledge and AI use are closely connected
The survey also examined how knowledge relates to practice. For both groups, people who know more about AI are more likely to use it.
Educators: basic AI knowledge and AI use in teaching
Students: AI knowledge and AI use
Spearman correlation, p < .001
The relationship is especially strong among educators. This suggests that building foundational AI knowledge is likely to translate directly into more confident and more frequent use in teaching, rather than remaining abstract.
From needs assessment to targeted capacity building
These findings are shaping the next phase of ARCHIPELAGO. Training and resources will focus on the areas where the data show the clearest gaps: practical AI skills for educators, cloud security, critical evaluation of AI-generated content, and recognition of online threats.
Because the survey identified experienced digital educators alongside those who are less confident, the partnership can also build on peer learning within institutions, so that capacity grows from inside rather than depending only on external support.
What the findings tell us
Digital education in Small Island Developing States is not starting from zero. Educators and students already use technology and see real value in AI. The challenge is turning that interest into secure, critical and confident practice.
The ARCHIPELAGO Needs Assessment provides an evidence base for doing exactly that, making sure that capacity building responds to what island educators and students actually say they need.
ARCHIPELAGO: Digital Education Capacity Building for HEIs in Small Island Developing States
Funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme.