Your search

Instructional coaching has improved student outcomes in the United States, and may help to solve Kenya's literacy problems. Coaching is costly, however, and evidence is lacking regarding the most cost-efficient teacher-to-coach ratio. We used student literacy outcome data from more than 8000 students participating in the Kenya Primary Math and Reading Initiative—a randomized controlled trial of instructional interventions in public and nonformal schools—to fill this gap. Coaches in larger...

Technology-based initiatives have transformed the process of teaching and learning activities at formal institutions generally and distance education institutions particularly. Distance education is at the heart of the digital age making maximum use of the emerging technologies. Researchers have favoured computer mediated communications (CMC) for improving the quality of teacher education in developing countries by providing access to more and better educational resources. The researchers...

The activity team works in partnership with the Department of Basic Education to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of interventions focused on improving the performance of grade 1 and 2 learners in the subject English First Additional Language.

Complexity and Considerations in Delivering Adaptive Learning Digital Services [Thinkpiece]

Proctor, J. - 2019 - EdTech Hub

An output of the EdTech Hub, https://edtechhub.org

World Development Report 2018: LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise

Can we nudge children, adolescents and their parents to make better decisions on education? And can we nudge teachers to support and encourage better decision making? Education decisions are taken at young ages and involve immediate costs and potential, future benefits. In such settings behavioural barriers (e.g. lack of self-control, limited attention and social norms) likely influence choices and this may motivate the use of low cost ‘nudges’ to gently push behaviour in the desired...

Most research into the epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of autism is based on studies in high income countries. Moreover, within high income countries, individuals of high socioeconomic status are disproportionately represented among participants in autism research. Corresponding disparities in access to autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment exist globally. One of the barriers perpetuating this imbalance is the high cost of proprietary tools for...

We present results from a large-scale randomized experiment across 350 schools in Tanzania that studied the impact of providing schools with (a) unconditional grants, (b) teacher incentives based on student performance, and (c) both of the above. After two years, we find (a) no impact on student test scores from providing school grants, (b) some evidence of positive effects from teacher incentives, and (c) significant positive effects from providing both programs. Most importantly, we find...

Using an RCT in middle schools in Pakistan, we test the effect of a government- implemented in-class technology and brief teacher training intervention on student achievement in grade level mathematics and science. After only 4 months of exposure, student's combined math and science score increased by 0.3 standard deviations on both project and government tests, 59 percent more than the control group. Students were also more likely to pass the provincial high-stakes exams. Increased...

Currently, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education does not conclusively demonstrate significant effects on learning. However, not all ICT usage models are designed to affect student outcomes. Therefore, to accurately study the impact of ICT, the concept of an educational programme supported by ICT must first be defined. The authors propose the ICT for Education (ICT4E) programme, an evidence-based framework to determine a model's ability to produce...

Suggests that no single universal cause behind the persistent under-financing of textbook provision in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries exists, but some common components include, (1) the pressure on teaching and learning materials (TLM) budgets caused by rapid enrollment growth; (2) the repeated tendency for curriculum designers to make decisions without taking into account the cost implications on the system as a whole; (3) the failure of development partner (DP) support to addressed...

The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project aims to make low-cost computers accessible to the “world’s poorest children,” presuming that the gadgets will support their empowerment via education. The project’s success globally, however, has been mixed at best, with many countries terminating their purchases due to cost, inadequate infrastructure, and negative side effects. In October 2010, Ghana suspended the country’s 3-year participation. This study examines the complex history and failure of...

Several rigorously evaluated programs have recently shown positive effects on early literacy and numeracy outcomes in developing countries. However, these programs have not been designed to evaluate which ingredients of the interventions are most essential to improve literacy outcomes. Policy makers therefore lack evidence as to whether program ingredients such as teacher professional development (PD), instructional coaching, learner materials, teachers’ guides, community support, or...

Education of poor and disadvantaged populations has been a long-standing challenge for education systems in both developed and developing countries. In China, millions of students in rural areas and migrant communities lag far behind their urban counterparts in terms of academic achievement. When they fall behind, they often have no way to catch up. Many of their parents have neither the skills nor the money to provide remedial tutoring; rural teachers often do not have time to give students...

What should be considered when developing a literacy intervention that asks teachers to implement new instructional methods? How can this be achieved with minimal support within existing policy? We argue that two broad sets of considerations must be made in designing such an intervention. First, the intervention must be effective by bridging the gap between current teacher practice and the scientific literature on effective instruction. This broad consideration is detailed with 10 design...

The education of the disadvantaged population has been a long-standing challenge to education systems in both developed and developing countries. Although computer-assisted learning (CAL) has been considered one alternative to improve learning outcomes in a cost-effective way, the empirical evidence of its impacts on improving learning outcomes is mixed. This paper uses a randomized field experiment to explore the effects of CAL on student academic and non-academic outcomes for students in...

What should be considered when developing a literacy intervention that asks teachers to implement new instructional methods? How can this be achieved with minimal support within existing policy? We argue that two broad sets of considerations must be made in designing such an intervention. First, the intervention must be effective by bridging the gap between current teacher practice and the scientific literature on effective instruction. This broad consideration is detailed with 10 design...

ICT has contributed greatly to educational management in schools globally (Zhao and Frank, 2003). However, in Kenya schools hardly use ICTs to manage the quality of output, or to raise teacher productivity, or to reduce costs through analyzing spending. This is attributed to a myriad of challenges facing most schools in Kenya with regard to adoption of ICTs in educational management. This has resulted to a slow rate of adoption of technology despite its promise and potential for use in...

This report is the second in a Series on early child development in low-income and middle-income countries and assesses the effectiveness of early child development interventions, such as parenting support and preschool enrolment. The evidence reviewed suggests that early child development can be improved through these interventions, with effects greater for programmes of higher quality and for the most vulnerable children. Other promising interventions for the promotion of early child...

Oculocutaneous albinism is an inherited condition with significant health and social impact on the lives of those affected throughout sub-Saharan, including in Malawi. Myths and superstitions surrounding the condition lead to stigmatisation, rejection and misconceptions. In a participatory study, consultations with educational professionals, children with albinism and their families documented the barriers to full educational access and revealed low-cost strategies that could be implemented...