Ethical Aspects of Faking Emotions in Chatbots and Social Robots - Indurkhya, Bipin (arXiv, 2023)
Telling lies and faking emotions is quite common in human-human interactions: though there are risks, in many situations such behaviours provide social benefits. In recent years, there have been many social robots and chatbots that fake emotions or behave deceptively with their users. In this paper, I present a few examples of such robots and chatbots, and analyze their ethical aspects. Three scenarios are presented where some kind of lying or deceptive behaviour might be justified. Then five approaches to deceptive behaviours - no deception, blatant deception, tactful deception, nudging, and self deception - are discussed and their implications are analyzed. I conclude by arguing that we need to develop localized and culture-specific solutions to incorporating deception in social robots and chatbots.
Keywords: Computer Science - Robotics; I.2.9

For Bangladeshi kids, 10 minute school seeks to democratise education - Future Education Magazine (2023)
According to the creators of edtech 10 Minute School, there are many disparities in education access in Bangladesh. Since many rural areas lack quality educational facilities, students must go to the capital Dhaka to study for their university entrance exams. However, only households with sufficient funds have access to that alternative.

Launching the 2024 OpenAI Learning Impact Prize - Tools Competition (2023)
Tools Competition is thrilled to partner with OpenAI to drive edtech innovation leveraging AI to change the way we teach and learn.

Evidence of the ISTE Standards for Educators leading to learning gains - Crompton, Helen (Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2023)
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) empirically designed and published educator standards to provide a roadmap for educators on effective technology integration. The purpose of this further study was to determine what empirical evidence demonstrates that the educator practices have a positive impact on student learning. Using a scoping review methodology, a transparent protocol was used for searching, identifying, and selecting articles that map to the practices within the ISTE Standards. The findings of this study reveal that all the practices in ISTE educator standards led to learning gains. This study is important for researchers, practitioners, funders, and policymakers as it provides empirical evidence that the technology practices within the ISTE Standards lead to student learning gains.
Keywords: ISTE standards; teacher education; technology standards

What Explains Vietnam's Exceptional Performance in Education Relative to Other Countries? Analysis of the 2012, 2015, and 2018 PISA Data - Dang, Hai-Anh; Glewwe, Paul; Lee, Jongwook; Vu, Khoa (Economics of Education Review, 2023)
Despite being the poorest or second poorest participant, Vietnam outperformed all other developing countries, and many wealthier countries, on the 2012, 2015, and 2018 PISA assessments. We investigate Vietnam's strong performance, evaluating several possible explanations for this apparent exemplary achievement. After correcting for potentially non-representative PISA samples, including bias from Vietnam's large out-of-school population, Vietnam remains a large positive outlier conditional on its income. Possible higher motivation of, and coaching given to, Vietnamese students can at most only partly explain Vietnam's performance. The child-, household- and school-level variables in the PISA data explain little of Vietnam's strong PISA performance relative to its income level. At most, they explain about 30% of Vietnam's exceptional performance in math and reading. Further research is needed to understand the exceptional performance of Vietnamese students.
Keywords: PISA; Vietnam; education; enrollment; student learning; test scores

The Seewo interactive whiteboard (IWB) for ESL teaching: How useful it is? - Luo, Zhanni; Tan, Xiaoyong; He, Mu; Wu, Xianyou (Heliyon, 2023)
Keywords: Grounded theory; Interactive whiteboard (IWB); Perceived usefulness (PU); Teacher perception; Technology acceptance

Stakeholders’ perspectives of enablers and barriers to successfully implementing an integrated early childhood development program in an informal urban settlement in Kenya - Ssewanyana, Derrick; Martin, Marie-Claude; Angwenyi, Vibian; Kabue, Margaret; Proulx, Kerrie; Zhang, Linlin; Malti, Tina; Njoroge, Eunice; Nasambu, Carophine; Marangu, Joyce; Odhiambo, Rachel; Ombech, Eunice; et al. (SAGE Open, 2023)
Integrated early childhood development (ECD) programs boost child health and developmental outcomes. However, the factors contributing to the successful implementation of such programs in informal urban settlements are not well researched. We conducted 14 focus group discussions and 13 key informant interviews with 125 caregivers of children under the age of 5 years and stakeholders, exploring their views on enablers and barriers to implementing an integrated ECD program in an informal settlement in Kenya. Strategic engagement, capacity building, transparency, fair compensation of ECD workforce, communication skills, and the need to tailor ECD programs to local realities were discussed. An equity-focused implementation approach for integrated ECD programs is timely.

Strengthening digital education systems in Türkiye for the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond - Bathanti, Jacob; Abdul-Hamid, Husein (World Bank Group, 2023)

Cambodia Dataset - International Monetary Fund (2023)

Timor-Leste - International Monetary Fund (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

High-quality education for better sustainability and resiliency - Prazian, Michael V; Prykhodko, Viktoria M (IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2023)
The world meets poly crises in climate, pandemic, energy, food, human rights, and migration; hot and cold wars have come in Europe and other regions. The scope of the tasks becomes unprecedented, and their complexity demands high-level skill sets and teaching culture. Education moves into epicentres of the fight for better sustainability and resilience. The United National Sustainable Development Goals Four (SDG4) supposes allocating and diligently using several trillion US dollars for the next decades. The ambitious goals drive the educational system to be at a decent level regarding outcome and process. Saving gratitude to functions of a fundamental human right, a public good, gender equality, and an absolute right to education for all, the author urges that high-quality education is the priority because it will help society to cope with a new level of challenges and even existential threats the climate-like. The article describes the methodology and the importance of soft-hard skills for teaching and learning. The secondary-based sources research illustrates practical results regarding the educational process. The Triple Bottom Line principle (Planet, Profit, People) encompasses many disciplines engaging the main aspects of sustainability and resiliency and climate change for the university curricula in a coherent way. The article considers future trends in high education and case studies connected with the European Green Deal, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and practical aspects of Green Growth and De-Growth Theory. The Quality of Education reflects the regulator’s requirements and social and personal expectations. Life-long learning becomes a norm. The authors consider university products, processes and platforms through the lens of future trends, threats and opportunities. In times of turbulence, the results obtained through students’ upskilling and reskilling programs should fit the demands of new jobs, technologies, and financial mechanisms.

Supporting STEM Career Transitions for Girls in ASEAN - UNICEF (UNICEF, 2023)

A cultural transformation: Pakistani girls outperforming boys in education - Ullah, Hazir; Ullah, Raza; Shoaib, Muhammad (Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences, 2023)
In this paper, we highlight and present a nuanced picture of girls’ outperformance and boys’ underperformance in education in the urban centres of Pakistan. This is a very interesting and remarkable gender reverse trend in education performance in the dominated socio-cultural context of Pakistan. The paper takes into account the annual results of two examination boards: a) Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Peshawar and b) Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Faisalabad, Pakistan. Employing content analysis techniques, we have examined young boys’ and girls’ educational performance in secondary school certificate (SSC) and higher secondary schools certificate (HSSC) examinations from 2002 to 2016. The paper takes into account the first three positions as an indicator of outperformance. The paper simply highlights the trend of structure transformation and does not inquire about reasons for boys’ underperformance and girls’ outperformance. The study findings suggest that girls are outperforming boys in the urban centres of Pakistan.

Leveraging transformative AI to support curriculum alignment - Alexandre, Jamie (Medium, 2023)
Curriculum alignment is critical but tedious; we’re building open ML and AI tools to automate and streamline the process.

Experiences of inclusive school settings for children and young people on the autism spectrum in the UK: A systematic review - El-Salahi, Shama; Khaki, Zahra; Vohora, Reena (Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2023)
Increasing numbers of Children and Young People on the Autism Spectrum (CYP-AS) are attending inclusive education settings in the UK, yet research about the impact on their psychosocial well-being is scarce. This qualitative review examined the experiences of CYP-AS in British inclusive education settings. Systematic data retrieval on nine electronic databases identified 22 papers reporting 19 studies that were eligible for inclusion. A combination of narrative synthesis and critical review described and synthesised studies’ findings and assessed the risk of bias. The findings reinforce the idea that integration into mainstream schools alone is insufficient to support the psychosocial well-being of CYP-AS. Social connectedness and a sense of belonging may be critical factors that improve school experiences for this population.

International experience of using E-learning during pandemics and military conflicts - Bakhmat, Nataliia; Krasnoshchok, Inna; Voron, Olha (E-Learning Innovations Journal, 2023)
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and certain military conflicts and wars in different regions have become recent critical conditions in the social development of humanity, which has led to the active spread of the electronic knowledge acquisition system. Therefore, the experience of studying the peculiarities of e-learning implementation during a pandemic and military conflicts has become relevant. The purpose of this study is to implement a comprehensive review and analysis of existing scientific works on the use of e-learning in crisis conditions. For this purpose, PubMed, Scopus, WebofScince were chosen as the main scientific and metric databases, and Ebsco and Sherpa Romeo were used as additional ones. The criteria for including the literature are based on relevance, relevance to the research topic, and the availability of a detailed methodology. In addition, the emphasis was placed on the works of less than 5 authors and publications written since 2014. Thus, based on these criteria, 62 items were selected for analysis. The analysis was based on thematic and comparative methods. The results characterize the dynamics of the emergence of scientific papers on e-education. It is determined that high rates of interest are present in 2020 and 2022 (both 27.42% of the total). It has also been found that modern countries use various electronic tools to adapt to the crisis: learning platforms, management systems, electronic communications, and electronic journals. The conclusions show that international experience shows that the global education system is adapting to the challenges. E-education has also proven to be effective during military conflicts, in particular the experience of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Ukraine and other countries, which indicates the widespread use of e-education elements.
Keywords: critical conditions; development; electronic technologies; global educational system; war conditions

Coursera extends free access to courses for Ukrainian higher education institutions - Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (2023)

Disability and caregiver burden: Unique challenges in a developing country - Hewawitharana, Bimba D.R.; Wijesinghe, Champa J.; De Silva, Aruna; Phillips, John P.; Hewawitharana, Gemunu P. (Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 2023)
PURPOSE:This study aimed to identify factors, including degree of disability, that contribute to the caregiver burden of raising children with cerebral palsy in Sri Lanka.METHODS:Participants were caregivers of children with cerebral palsy attending the pediatric neurology clinic of the only tertiary care center in southern Sri Lanka. The locally validated Caregiver Difficulties Scale (CDS) was administered, and demographic information was obtained in a structured interview. Disability data was accessed through the medical record.RESULTS:Of 163 caregivers who participated in this study, 133 (81.2%) demonstrated a moderate to high level of burden, and 91 (55.8%) were at high risk for psychological burden. In the bivariate analysis, caregiver burden significantly correlated with degree of physical disability based on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), the presence of medical co-morbidities, and having two or more children. However, only the GMFCS level and number of children remained significant predictors of caregiver burden after controlling for confounding effects.CONCLUSION:Raising a child with cerebral palsy in Sri Lanka is likely to cause caregiver burden, particularly if they have a high level of disability or one or more siblings. Monitoring caregiver burden as part of routine cerebral palsy management is important, which allows targeting psychosocial support to families most in need.

Nudging parents and teachers to improve learning and reduce child labor in Cote d’Ivoire - Wolf, Sharon; Lichand, Guilherme (npj Science of Learning, 2023)
Whether SMS-based nudge interventions can increase parent engagement and improve child learning outcomes across diverse contexts such as rural West Africa is unknown. We conducted a school-randomized trial to test the impacts of an audio or text-message intervention (two messages per week for one school year) to parents and teachers of second and fourth grade students (N = 100 schools, 2246 students) in Cote d’Ivoire. Schools were randomly assigned to have messages sent to (i) parents only, (ii) teachers only, (iii) parents and teachers together, or (iv) control. There were statistically non-significant impacts of the parents-only treatment on learning, although with typical effect sizes (d = 0.08, p = 0.158), and marginally statistically significant increases in child labor (d = 0.11, p < 0.10). We find no impacts of the other treatment conditions. Subgroup analyses based on pre-registered subgroups show significantly larger improvements in learning for children with below-median baseline learning levels for the parents-only arm and negative impacts on learning for girls for the teachers-only arm, suggesting different conclusions regarding impacts on equity for vulnerable children.
Keywords: Economics; Education

A study of mobile app use for teaching and research in higher education - Hinze, Annika; Vanderschantz, Nicholas; Timpany, Claire; Cunningham, Sally Jo; Saravani, Sarah-Jane; Wilkinson, Clive (Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 2023)
The exponential growth in the use of digital technologies and the availability of mobile software applications (apps) has been well documented over the past decade. Literature on the integration of mobile technology into higher education reveals an increasing focus on how mobile devices are used within the classroom environment, both physical and online, rather than on how mobile applications may be used for either teaching or the research process. Our study surveyed staff and higher degree research students at a New Zealand university using an online questionnaire to gain insight into the use of mobile apps for tertiary teaching and research, seeking information, particularly on which apps were used for which tasks and what obstacles hindered their use. The online survey used 29 questions and ran in 2016/2017. 269 participants completed the survey, nearly 20% of the potential sample. We found that mobile apps were used by academics and students for both teaching and research, primarily in the form of document and data storage and exchange, and communication. Very little app use was recorded for in-class activities (teaching) or in-field activities (research). Apps use resulted from personal motivation rather than institutional planning. Both students and academics reported that institutional support and flexibility would likely provide motivation and lead to increased app use for both research and teaching.

Report of Case Studies on Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Africa’s Educational Systems - Kiru, Elisheba; Ochieng, Vollan; Wawire, Brenda; Habiamana, Oliver; Ngware, Moses (APHRC, 2023)
This report presents case studies from seven African countries (i.e., Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, and Nigeria) that implemented programs and innovations in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education systems. The report provides insights into building resilience within Africa’s education systems for the future. The case studies fill existing knowledge gaps on promising practices and add value to discussions on the contextual drivers that facilitated the implementation of the interventions, including active government involvement in mobilizing and supporting the initiatives. The programs include the PRONAE national school feeding program in Mozambique, the online teacher professional development program in Kenya, teacher training in Niger, back-to-school campaigns in Malawi, basic education training in internally displaced camps in Burkina Faso and Niger, and initiatives addressing sexual and gender-based violence in Mali. The case studies also seek to examine the extent to which the interventions addressed gender, equity, and inclusion. For the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) partner countries, these case studies provide valuable information regarding the operations of education systems and the well-being of learners.

Digital Application Akelius as a Blended Learning Tool - Manapbayeva, Zhannura; Aliyeva, Dinara (2023 IEEE 12th International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications (IDAACS), 2023)
The article deals with modern approaches to the problem of blended learning, which are based on different criteria for organizing the learning environment depending on the expected learning outcomes. The advantages of blended teaching Russian as a foreign language are creating an individual learning trajectory, taking into account the level of language proficiency, the changing social environment (students are children of migrants), and an inclusive environment. The authors demonstrate the possibilities of using the Akelius digital application for teaching Russian as a foreign language, based on the experience of using it in a blended learning format, possible ways of using the Akelius application in the educational process when teaching language literacy in combination with traditional forms of education. The article focuses on the advantages of this application, built on the principle of a communicative-activity approach, which involves situational learning of a foreign language and is in the nature of inclusion of everyday communication in the language environment. The role of the teacher in the organization of the educational process when learning a new language in conditions of blended learning has also been noted. The authors offer modern teaching technologies that contribute to the transformation of the learning environment into a creative process of socialization of migrant children; demonstrate a lesson model with the use of the Akelius digital application.
Keywords: Akelius digital application; Data acquisition; Education; Hybrid learning; Organizations; Task analysis; Training; Trajectory; blended learning; methodology for teaching a foreign language

Ghana’s Education Reforms in Spotlight - Ministry of Education Ghana (2023)

Strengthen Educational Accountability in Ghana (SAGES) - A USAID-funded program - U.S Embassy - Ghana (USAID News & Events, 2023)

Usability Testing of a Mobile-based Learning Management System for Teacher Continuous Professional Development in Tanzania - Kondoro, Aron; Maro, Salome; Mtebe, Joel; Haßler, Björn; Proctor, Jamie; EdTech Hub (The International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 2023)
The last two decades have seen the growing adoption of mobile devices to enhance the quality of teachers' continuous professional development (TCPD) in low-income countries. Using mobile devices, typically not designed for educational use, presents new usability challenges, preventing teachers from effectively accessing learning materials in learning management systems (LMS). Therefore, it is important to test usability to improve the delivery of TCPD via mobile devices. This study evaluated the usability of TCPD-focused mobile-based LMS accessed via a mobile web browser and mobile app. The evaluation used a hybrid think-aloud method involving 63 teachers from 12 schools in Tanzania. Half of the schools were evaluated using a concurrent think-aloud method, and the other half using a retrospective think-aloud method. The study found that teachers encountered many usability problems in using the mobile app compared to those who accessed the LMS via mobile web browsers. The study also found usability flaws in the registration and login process, poor language translation, technical errors, and issues with quiz questions. These findings show the importance of user testing, even for well-developed LMS, such as Moodle. Additionally, this work provides useful guidance for those who want to implement mobile learning via an LMS in low-income countries.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

PISA 2022 ICT Framework - OECD (PISA 2022 Assessment and Analytical Framework, 2023)

International Development Association Project Paper on a Proposed Additional Credit in the Amount of Sdr 521.3 Million (us$700.0 Million Equivalent) to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Project - World Bank (2023)

Digital literacy through Let’s Read app to improve the reading interest of elementary school students - Samsudin, Dea Fariska Ardiana; Rahmawati, Fitri Puji (International Conference on Learning and Advanced Education (ICOLAE 2022), 2023)
This study aimed to determined digital literacy through Let's Read application (app) as an innovation to increase students’ reading interest and to find out the results of using the let's read app in reading activities in elementary schools. The method used in this study was descriptive qualitative with a case study design. The authors collected...

Parents’ attitudes and opinions towards their children's use of technology - Akgun, Fatma (International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 2023)
The aim of the study is to determine the level of parents’ attitudes towards their children's use of information and communication technologies and to obtain parental views on the use of technology. To this end, the study was carried out with parents whose children were studying at primary and secondary school levels. Data were collected from 417 guardians for the quantitative dimension of the study, which was designed with a mixed methodological approach in which qualitative and quantitative models were used together, and interviews were conducted with 10 parents in the same sample group for the qualitative dimension. For the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison tests and descriptive analysis technique was used. The results of the analysis of the data showed that the attitudes of the parents towards their children's use of technology were at a "good" level. In the study, no significant difference was found between the attitudes of parents towards their children's use of technology and the gender variables, while there was a significant difference between the variables of age, educational level, occupation, computer usage skills and computer usage time. The study also addressed which technological device their children use for which purpose, the technology-assisted applications used by their children for educational purposes, and the support given by parents to their children in terms of knowledge, skills, time management and safe use when using technology, and the positive and negative aspects of technology use, and various suggestions were made to parents for the correct and effective use of technology by parents.

The equalizing effect of teacher dashboards on feedback in K–12 classrooms - Knoop-van Campen, Carolien A. N.; Wise, Alyssa; Molenaar, Inge (Interactive Learning Environments, 2023)
Teacher dashboards provide real-time information about students’ performance and progress, which help K-12 teachers to adjust feedback to student’ specific needs during learning. Prior research indicated two problems with respect to how teachers provide feedback: (i) teachers do not always select the most effective feedback to support student’ learning and (ii) feedback is not allocated equally to students with different abilities. Specifically, process feedback is considered most effective yet is relatively scarce. In order to understand how dashboards influence the type and allocation of feedback, we compared characteristics of feedback given after dashboard consultation (dashboard-prompted feedback) to feedback triggered by teachers themselves or in response to students’ questions (human-prompted feedback) in thirty-five K-12 classrooms. Results showed that dashboards led to equal amounts of task and process feedback, while human-prompts led to much more task than process feedback and this difference was especially large for low-ability students. Hence the different types of dashboard-prompted feedback were more equally distributed among students of different ability levels. These results indicate that dashboards can have an important equalizing effect on teacher feedback practices.
Keywords: K-12; Teacher dashboards; ability levels; adaptive learning technology; feedback; learning analytics

Digital Personalised Learning to Improve Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes in Kenyan Classrooms - Daltry, Rebecca; Major, Louis; Sun, Chen; Otieno, Mary; Otieno, Kevin; Otieno, Rebecca Daltry, Louis Major, Chen Sun, Mary Otieno and Kevin (EdTech Hub, 2023)
This blog forms part of a wider research study on digital personalised learning to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes in Kenyan classrooms, and outlines emergent findings from a randomised controlled trial following the first two rounds of assessment (baseline and midline). The preliminary findings will be strengthened after further analyses and endline assessment.

Lessons on technology-enabled teacher professional development from Bangladesh’s national curriculum reform - Ahmed, Shakil; Mazari, Haani; Hassan, Mehdi; Azam, Shafiul; Sidotam, Annie; Clarke-Wilson, Alison; Sarwar, Md Afzal Hossain (EdTech Hub, 2023)
This blog presents Part 1 of our lessons on tech-enabled professional development. We shall be bringing you more insights and evidence in Part 2. Stay tuned!

Public Procurement in the Post-War Reconstruction of Ukraine: Main challenges - OECD (2023)

Emergence of national nutrition policy in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: An analysis of collaborations between governmental and external actors - Sengchaleun, Viengsamay; Kounnavong, Sengchanh; Reinharz, Daniel (Tropical Medicine and Health, 2023)
In most developing countries, addressing malnutrition involves a coalition of stakeholders that includes the government and international development partners. This study explores the evolution of the malnutrition actor coalition landscape before and after the emergence of the National Nutrition Policy in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 2008.
Keywords: Coalition; Lao PDR; Malnutrition; Multisectoral collaborations; Nutrition policy; Stakeholders; ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Drafted National ICT Policy, 2023 - Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology (Government of Tanzania, 2023)

Pentagonal Strategy Phase I - Royal Government of Cambodia (2023)

Experimental education research: rethinking why, how and when to use random assignment - Sims, Sam; Anders, Jake; Inglis, Matthew; Lortie-Forgues, Hugues; Styles, Ben; Weidmann, Ben (UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, 2023)
Over the last twenty years, education researchers have increasingly conducted randomised experiments with the goal of informing the decisions of educators and policymakers. Such experiments have generally employed broad, consequential, standardised outcome measures in the hope that this would allow decisionmakers to compare effectiveness of different approaches. However, a combination of small effect sizes, wide confidence intervals, and treatment effect heterogeneity means that researchers have largely failed to achieve this goal. We argue that quasi-experimental methods and multi-site trials will often be superior for informing educators' decisions on the grounds that they can achieve greater precision and better address heterogeneity. Experimental research remains valuable in applied education research. However, it should primarily be used to test theoretical models, which can in turn inform educators' mental models, rather than attempting to directly inform decision making. Since comparable effect size estimates are not of interest when testing educational theory, researchers can and should improve the power of theory-informing experiments by using more closely aligned (i.e., valid) outcome measures. We argue that this approach would reduce wasteful research spending and make the research that does go ahead more statistically informative, thus improving the return on investment in educational research.
Keywords: education; experiments; policy; randomized controlled trials; research

How are the children of Pakistan’s 2022 floods faring? - Perry, Freya; Barón, Juan D; Dahlin, Lauren (World Bank Blogs, 2023)
In 2022, catastrophic floods hit Pakistan, impacting access to education for more than 3.5 million children. A year on, the disruption to education and the lack of focus on learning recovery will likely have long-term effects on Pakistan’s human capital.

The Use of SMS and Other Mobile Phone-based Messaging to Support Education at Scale: A Synthesis of Recent Evidence - Jordan, Katy; Damani, Kalifa; Myers, Christina; Zhao, Annette (L@S '23: Proceedings of the Tenth ACM Conference on Learning @ Scale, 2023)

Deployment of Offline Learning Management Systems: Comparing the Performance of Selected Micro-servers in Tanzania - Maro, Salome; Kondoro, Aron; Haßler, Björn; Mtebe, Joel; Proctor, Jamie (Journal of Learning for Development, 2023)
Low-powered mobile devices such as Raspberry Pis and tablets can be used as micro-servers to implement offline Learning Management Systems (LMS). Despite their potential, especially for low-income countries, such as Tanzania, no research is available detailing the affordances of these devices for supporting LMS features. This study investigated the suitability of various low-cost micro-servers for deploying LMSs. It compared the performance of the Raspberry Pi, Android tablet, and Chromebook in terms of LMS benchmarking, response time, and resource utilisation. Results showed all devices had sufficient hardware resources to support the LMS, however, software stacks, I/O performance, and platform optimisations affected the micro-servers' performance. The Chromebook had the best performance in terms of response time, followed by the Raspberry Pi and tablets. In terms of cost, the Raspberry PI was the cheapest option.  The installation process for tablets was more cumbersome than the other devices, meaning the devices with better tooling and a more conventional software stack were a better option for deploying offline micro-servers.

List of Jordan Tenders - Government & Business Opportunities - Tender Impulse (Tender Impulse, 2023)
Explore tenders from Jordan published on 18 July 2023. Access verified government and business bids with Tender Impulse - your trusted global tender partner.

Children and Their Families Six Months After Pakistan’s Floods - Dahlin, Lauren; Barón, Juan D (World Bank, 2023)

Rensvandeschoot/software-overview-machine-learning-for-screening-text - van de Schoot, Rens (2023)
The repository aims to create an overview and comparison of software used for systematically screening large amounts of textual data using machine learning.
Keywords: _Added-ailr-2024; active-learning; machine-learning; software-development; systematic-reviews

EdTech Investments in Vietnam in 2023 - Nguyen, Uyen (Vietnam Briefing News, 2023)
In this article, we look at key foreign-invested EdTech projects in Vietnam and why foreign firms have invested where they have.

Benefit Incidence Analysis of the Education Sector in Sierra Leone - Ministry of Finance (Government of Sierra Leone, 2023)
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Using Technology to Improve Education for Marginalised Girls: Lessons in implementation from the Girls’ Education Challenge - Pacitto, Julia; Barnes, Katrina; Mukankusi, Aimée; Zazai, Rozina (EdTech Hub, 2023)
This article presents the ﬁndings of an in-depth study on the implementation of six EdTech-supported projects within the UK Government Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Ofﬁce (FCDO)’s Girls’ Education Challenge portfolio, which aims to improve education for the world’s most marginalised girls. Using primary key informant interviews and secondary data from sampled projects, the study identiﬁes the core components related to the implementation of EdTech within the sampled projects: evidence-informed design and delivery; building and maintaining relationships across and between stakeholders; comprehensive and continuous training and capacity development; and situating EdTech within a broader holistic model that prioritises gender inclusion to optimise implementation for marginalised girls. In doing so, the study provides key lessons for optimising the future implementation of EdTech for marginalised girls.

How the COVID-19 shutdown revealed the effectiveness of a northern Nigerian educational media program - Borzekowski, Dina L.G.; Kauffman, Lauren E.; Jacobs, Lauren; Jahun, Mamun; Babayaro, Hadiza (Journal of Children and Media, 2023)
A team of researchers were investigating the impact of a Nigerian adaptation of Akili and Me when the COVID−19 pandemic struck. Schools shut down, interrupting the study’s quasi-experimental intervention design. Post-school reopening, researchers recon tacted 363 children (mean age = 5.1, SD = 1.1 years) who had pro vided data at baseline and had completed the intervention. The analyses revealed that during the shutdown, participating children watched Akili and Me, beyond the exposure experienced through the study intervention. Across viewing groups and including the control group, researchers found the children knew the program’s characters using a program receptivity score. The researchers found no differences associated with study’s initial group assignments. Those children who could name more Akili and Me characters performed significantly better on the outcomes of literacy, numer acy, shape, socio-emotional development, controlling for sex, age, baseline score, and group assignment. This study offers promising evidence that locally-produced educational media interventions can impact early learning skills, especially during a crisis when children rely on educational media for home learning.

Issues of quality on Teachers Pay Teachers: An exploration of best-selling U.S. history resources - Harris, Lauren McArthur; Archambault, Leanna; Shelton, Catharyn C. (Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 2023)

gpt-researcher - Elovic, Assaf (2023)
GPT based autonomous agent that does online comprehensive research on any given topic

Emotion Detection Research: A Systematic Review Focuses on Data Type, Classifier Algorithm, and Experimental Methods - Destyanto, Twin Yoshua R. (International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, 2023)
There is a lot of research being done on detecting human emotions. Emotion detection models are developed based on physiological data. With the development of low-cost wearable devices that measure human physiological data such as brain activity, heart rate, and skin conductivity, this research can be conducted in developing countries like Southeast Asia. However, as far as the author's research is concerned, a literature review has yet to be found on how this research on emotion detection was carried out in Southeast Asia. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review of emotion detection research in Southeast Asia, focusing on the selection of physiological data, classification methods, and how the experiment was conducted according to the number of participants and duration. Using PRISMA guidelines, 22 SCOPUS-indexed journal articles and proceedings were reviewed. The review found that physiological data were dominated by brain activity data with the Muse Headband, followed by heart rate and skin conductivity collected with various wristbands, from around 5-31 participants, for 8 minutes to 7 weeks. Classification analysis applies machine learning, deep learning, and traditional statistics. The experiments were conducted primarily in sitting and standing positions, conditioned environments (for developing research), and unconditioned environments (applied research). This review concluded that future research opportunities exist regarding other data types, data labeling methods, and broader applications. These reviews will contribute to the enrichment of ideas and the development of emotion recognition research in Southeast Asian countries in the future.

Salama Africa: Bridging the Gap for Out-of-School Children in Dzaleka Refugee Camp - Imagine Worldwide (Imagine Worldwide, 2023)

Assessment of parent’s engagement in implementation of competency-based curriculum in private primary schools in Tharaka South Sub-County of Tharaka-Nithi County, Nithi County, Kenya - Njeru, Atanasia Ikoore; Kirimi, Josephine (European Journal of Education Studies, 2023)
Education is a shared responsibility and all stakeholders need to understand and appreciate what is being done and what is required of them to make meaningful contributions to the process. Because the Competency-Based Curriculum shifted its focus from teaching-centric to collaborative-centered, parents are important stakeholders for its successful implementation. Therefore, empowering and engaging a parent in the learning process is essential to the learner’s growth and development. The study examined parents’ engagement in CBC implementation. This study specifically aimed to determine parents’ engagement in the implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum in private primary schools in Tharaka South Sub-County of Tharaka-Nithi County. To get this, the researcher went to private primary schools in Tharaka South Sub County to observe how parents are embracing CBC and randomly selected some parents for interviews, teachers, and head teachers to fill out questionnaires. The study adopted a descriptive survey design where the targeted population was drawn from the 30 private schools in the sub-county. The study targeted 528 respondents. 66 respondents were sampled: 42 parents, 18 teachers and 6 head teachers. Simple random sampling was then used to select the participant. The study conducted a pretest study in 3 private primary schools for the purpose of validating the research instruments. Data was collected using questionnaires for head teachers and teachers and interview schedules for parents. The validity of the research instruments was determined through expert judgment whereas the reliability of the questionnaires was determined through a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.7982 was obtained. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically whereas quantitative data was summarized using percentages, mean, standard deviation and frequencies were used. This was facilitated by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21. The study established a significant relationship between the parent’s literacy and the implementation of CBC with a significance value of p=0.000<0.05. The study concluded that the implementation of CBC is greatly challenged by a lack of sensitization on the implementation of the CBC and perceived CBC as expensive, demanding and time-consuming. Thus, recommended that the private schools get more time with their parents to sensitize them on the CBC implementation and get to know their role in the academic performance of their children and also try to change their perception of CBC as expensive, demanding and time-consuming.  Article visualizations:
Keywords: competency-based curriculum; curriculum implementation; parent’s engagement

Education in times of restriction: an examination of refugee girls’ and young women’s access to learning during COVID-19 school closures in Pakistan - Barnes, Katrina; Ashlee, Amy; Mukankusi, Aimee; Pacitto, Julia; Rabi, Asma; Thomas, Matt; Ullah, Noor; Zazai, Rozina; Zhao, Annette (Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 2023)
This paper examines the extent to which refugee girls and young women were able to access learning during COVID-19 education closures in Pakistan, and the role that EdTech played in their learning access. It is based on findings from a survey with 403 Afghan refugee students, along with in-depth interviews with six young female refugees. The research shows that, while the majority of female refugee students were able to continue accessing education in some form during school closures, learning access was nevertheless limited, and a sizable minority were not engaged in any learning during this time. Teacher and institutional support was either absent or inadequate for many students, and infrastructure and devices that serve to support remote learning were not always reliable or accessible. Although male respondents were less likely than females to engage in independent study during the closures, refugee girls and young women were significantly less likely than their male counterparts to own the devices they needed for learning. The findings demonstrate how targeted investment in specific types of EdTech and teacher professional development, as well as supporting educational institutions in the establishment of remote learning opportunities, could help sustain learning during future periods of educational restriction.
Keywords: COVID-19; Distance education; Educational technology; Gender; Pakistan; Refugee education

Teacher Retention and Mobility in Sierra Leone: What factors motivate teachers to stay at or leave schools? - Lurvink, Anne-Fleur; Mansaray, Kabiru; Kamara, Josephine; Khanu, Alimamy James; Cameron, Emma; Godwin, Katie; Haßler, Björn (EdTech Hub, 2023)
The current study is the third in a series of research studies, which aim to generate evidence that can support the MBSSE and TSC with their teacher allocation and deployment strategy. Our first study investigated teacher preferences for school choice and uncovered important considerations for teacher deployment. Following this, we investigated mobility patterns for teachers who are on the government payroll, and payroll teacher retention rates. The latter study helped us understand where teachers move to when they change schools, and also helped us identify areas with high (hot spots) and low retention rates (cold spots). The current study is explanatory in nature and aims to understand why teachers stay at or leave their schools. Keyword: teacher allocation; teacher retention; teacher mobility; Sierra Leone An output of the EdTech Hub, https://edtechhub.org
Keywords: _r:AddedByZotZen

Sierra Leone | Technology | Education Profiles - UNESCO (UNESCO, 2023)

Sierra Leone joins Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service - Komminoth, Leo (African Business, 2023)
The country now joins Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Mauritius as African nations connected to Elon Musk's Starlink.

The importance of theoretical positioning and the relevance of using bibliometrics for literature reviews - Rowe, Frantz; Kanita, Nada; Walsh, Isabelle (Journal of Decision Systems, 2023)
The theoretical positioning of a review is of the utmost importance in terms of its contribution to knowledge. This paper clarifies the significance of this design principle for different types of review i.e. for describing, understanding, explaining or testing purposes. Furthermore, new tools now mean that it is both possible and relevant for bibliometrics novices to use bibliometrics to support literature reviews. Applying the BIBGT method and combining two bibliometric techniques – co-citation analysis of references and bibliographic coupling of documents – can enhance the efficiency of the first three types of literature review. This paper provides examples of published works that apply BIBGT to each of these types of review and highlights the bibliometric software used. It concludes with a survey of promising applications for all researchers and makes recommendations for both experienced literature review researchers and literature review novices.
Keywords: _Added-ailr-2024

Parenting in context: Parents’ experiences of caring for a child with autism in Bangladesh - Uddin, Mohammad Jasim; Ashrafun, Laila (International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology, 2023)
Although research on children with autism, their parents, and family-provider relations has substantially increased around the world, there has been a paucity of qualitative studies conducted on autism in developing countries or cross-cultural contexts. This qualitative study aims to explore parents’ experiences of raising a child with autism, as well as how autism is framed in everyday cultural contexts in Bangladesh. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, the study conducted interviews with four fathers and eighteen mothers of children with autism. The findings of this study reveal that parents who care for a child with autism experience emotions of sadness, frustration, and isolation. Despite the immense challenges that come with raising a child with autism, many parents report that their stress and anxiety are compounded by the stigma, avoidance, and disparaging remarks they receive from their own family members and neighbors. The findings of this study may help researchers and healthcare professionals understand better as to how local cultural beliefs, experiences, and understandings influence, how parents and families care for and view the development of their children with autism, and how they look for support and treatment services.
Keywords: Autism; Bangladesh; Isolation; Parenting; Qualitative research; Stigma

Exploring donor-driven skills development as a channel of continued aid dependency - Harris, Jamelia (Third World Quarterly, 2023)
Keywords: NGOs; Sierra Leone; Skills development; aid; dependency

Guidance Notes for Establishing and Sustaining (Virtual) Communities of Practice in Education in Displacement Context - Kasper, Julie (2023)

Applications of Artificial Intelligence models in educational analytics and decision making: Systematic review - Maia, Joyce de Souza Zanirato; Bueno, Ana Paula Arantes; Sato, Joao Ricardo (World, 2023)
Education plays a critical role in society as it promotes economic development through human capital, reduces crime, and improves general well-being. In any country, especially in the developing ones, its presence on the political agenda is necessary. Despite recent educational advances, those developing countries have increased enrollments, but academic performance has fallen far short of expectations. According to international evaluations, Latin American countries have made little progress in recent years, considering the level of investment in education. Thus, Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, which deal with data differently from traditional analysis methods, can be an option to better understand educational dynamics and detect patterns. Through a literature review using the PRISMA methodology, we investigated how AI has been used to evaluate educational performance in basic education (elementary and high school) in several countries. We searched five platforms, resulting in a total of 19,114 works retrieved, and 70 articles included in the review. Among the main findings of this study, we can mention: (i) low adherence to the use of AI methodology in education for practical actions; (ii) restriction of analyzes to specific datasets; (iii) most studies focus on computational methodology and not on the meaning of the results for education; and (iv) a less trend to use AI methods, especially in Latin America. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated educational challenges, highlighting the need for innovative solutions. Given the gap in the use of AI in education, we propose its methods for global academic evaluation as a means of supporting public policy-making and resource allocation. We estimate that these methods may yield better results more quickly, enabling us to better address the urgent needs of students and educators worldwide.
Keywords: artificial intelligence; assessment; data science; educational indicators; educational system; machine learning

Towards Improving the Accessibility and Usability of a Mobile-based Learning Management System for Blind Primary School Teachers - Kondoro, Aron; Maro, Salome; Mtebe, Joel; Proctor, Jamie; Komba, Aneth; Haßler, Björn (2023 IST-Africa Conference (IST-Africa), 2023)

International Development Association: Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Credit in the Amount of SDR 371.2 million to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for a Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project - World Bank (2023)

How can messaging apps, WhatsApp and SMS be used to support learning? A scoping review - Jordan, Katy (Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 2023)
In response to disruption to education during the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile phone-based messaging has emerged in some instances as an accessible, low-connectivity way of promoting interactivity. However, no recent reviews have been undertaken in relation to how social media and messaging apps can be used to effectively support education in low- and middle-income countries. In this scoping review, 43 documents were identified for inclusion, and three main thematic areas emerged: supporting student learning (including interacting with peers and other students, peer tutoring and collaborative learning; and interacting with teachers, through content delivery, teaching and assessment); teacher professional development (including structured support and prompts, and informal communities of practice); and supporting refugee education. The discussion and findings are both of practical use, to inform responses to the current pandemic and designing initiatives in the future, and will also be useful for advancing research in this expanding field.

Investing in imagined digital futures: The techno-financial ‘futuring’ of edtech investors in higher education - Williamson, Ben; Komljenovic, Janja (Critical Studies in Education, 2023)
Educational technology is the focus of increasing financial investment. In this article, we examine how edtech investors imagine and invest in the future of higher education through an empirical case study of a UK investing company. Utilising concepts and methods from economic sociology, we analyse how investment companies engage in techno-financial ‘futuring’ practices. We identify two kinds of futuring practices. First, investors’ imaginary practices produce qualitative ‘fictional expectations’ about the future of education, supported by quantitative financial valuation practices that predict the monetary returns on investment available from funding edtech. Second, we analyse the specific investment-supporting operations of edtech investors, highlighting how imagined futures of education are funded into existence (or not) as investors select and support edtech products or services. In these ways, imaginaries of the future may be materialised in educational institutions through financial investments in specific edtech products. We particularly trace how investment imaginaries and operations shift from edtech markets as selling commodities to edtech industry controlling digital products and resources as assets. Therefore, the two identified complementary futuring practices function as processes of ‘assetisation’, aimed at turning educational services and resources into digital assets with calculable future value for edtech investors.

Building the Next Generation of Girls (and Boys) in Technology in Sierra Leone - Abakah, Julian; Mason, Harriet (UNICEF Sierra Leone, 2023)
Building the next generation of Girls (and boys) in Technology in Sierra Leone

Primary school learning in sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19: A scoping review of responses and recovery initiatives induced during school closures - Wawire, Brenda; Barnes-Story, Adrienne; Kiru, Elisheba; Kim, Sungkyum (Current Issues in Comparative Education, 2023)
Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions in education. School closures quickly followed the onset of the pandemic to contain the spread of the virus, forcing millions of students out of their regular academic calendars. Countries put in place interventions aimed to reduce the deleterious effects of school closures and disruptions in learning. For instance, many countries used various mediums to provide students with distance learning. This scoping review examines the interventions that education systems in low- and middle-income Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries (LMIC) implemented to mitigate learning loss in reading and writing skills among early grade learners (i.e., children attending primary schools) and discusses the reach of those programs. This review highlights the proportion of students reached by the targeted mitigation measures, revealing that LMIC countries in SSA provided students with remote learning opportunities through radio and television programming, provided teachers with professional development on the use of novel tools, and provided parents and families with support to help learners at home. However, these disruptions affected the traditional assessment methods. Various assessment methods were implemented to measure student progress, but there is a need for appropriate progress monitoring tools and accurate data to measure the effectiveness of the interventions. Many LMIC implemented Return-to-School policy frameworks, processes, and principles that ensured safe learning continuity.
Keywords: COVID-19; early grades; interventions; learning loss; literacy; responses

Analysis of emergency remote teaching in formal education: Crosschecking three contemporary techno-pedagogical frameworks - Kasperski, Ronen; Porat, Erez; Blau, Ina (Research in Learning Technology, 2023)
During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak many countries around the world were forced to turn to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and upscale the use of digital technologies for learning, teaching and assessment. The current study analysed field reports from 89 elementary and secondary Hebrew-speaking and Arabic-speaking information and communication technology schools in Israel, representing the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity of the education system. The qualitative analysis of the collected data was based on three well established contemporary models of technology integration and Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu): the International Society for Technology in Education, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and DigCompEdu. The analysis (n = 872 statements) yielded aspects in the teachers’ reports that correspond with the theoretical models, alongside aspects that extend these models to ERT and aspects that were missing from the reports. Finally, based on our findings and previous work we suggested a comprehensive framework for ERT that can be used to design teachers’ professional development necessary for effective remote teaching in both emergency and routine times.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; digital pedagogy; e-learning; emergency remote teaching; information and communication technology; online learning

Bridge or Barrier – Does generative AI contribute to more culturally inclusive higher education and research? - Atanasova, Dimitrinka (2023)
Whilst the ability of generative AI to produce text in English has been widely covered, the implications of its ability to translate and act as a cultural broker into English have received less att…

Learning Curve: Progress in the Replication Crisis - Angrist, Noam; Cullen, Claire; Ainomugisha, Micheal; Bathena, Sai Pramod; Bergman, Peter; Crossley, Colin; Letsomo, Thato; Matsheng, Moitshepi; Panti, Rene Marlon; Sabarwal, Shwetlena; Sullivan, Tim (AEA Papers and Proceedings, 2023)
We present detailed monitoring data across a five-country randomized trial of phone-based targeted tutoring–one of the largest multicountry replication efforts in education to date. We study an approach shown to work in Botswana and replicated in India, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, and Uganda. While the existing literature often finds diminishing effects as proof-of-concept studies are replicated and scaled, we find the opposite: implementation fidelity (the degree of targeted educational instruction) improves across replications and over time. This demonstrates that replication is not intractable; rather, equipped with mechanisms to learn from experience, organizational “learning curves” can enable effective replication and scale-up.

Developing dialogic classroom practices through supporting professional agency: Teachers’ experiences of using the T-SEDA practitioner-led inquiry approach - Calcagni, Elisa; Ahmed, Farah; Trigo-Clapés, Ana Laura; Kershner, Ruth; Hennessy, Sara (Teaching and Teacher Education, 2023)
Classroom dialogue is considered productive for learning but rarely observed, and practitioner professional development is needed. This study investigated how 67 teachers across educational phases in six countries contextualised the T-SEDA inquiry toolkit to conduct classroom inquiries and develop new practices. Surveys and inquiry reports yielded insights into how practitioner agency was further developed, with implications for sustainability. Change was evident in self-reported enhanced awareness and understanding of dialogue and use of dialogic strategies. Increases in students’ dialogic participation and plans for dissemination to colleagues were reported.
Keywords: Classroom dialogue; Dialogic teaching; Professional development; Professional learning; Reflective inquiry; Teacher agency

Investing in disaster preparedness and effective recovery of school physical infrastructure - Opabola, Eyitayo A.; Galasso, Carmine; Rossetto, Tiziana; Meilianda, Ella; Idris, Yunita; Nurdin, Sukiman (International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 2023)
The importance of functioning education infrastructure for the post-disaster recovery of communities is well-acknowledged. Yet, recent natural-hazard events worldwide have highlighted that school facilities still face many post-disaster recovery-impeding challenges. A significant investment in resilience enhancement through appropriate disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery management is needed to tackle such global challenges. This paper summarises a series of stakeholder engagements (through interviews and focus group discussions) aimed at providing evidence-based recommendations to foster a more rapid and effective post-disaster recovery of school physical infrastructure in disaster-prone marginalised communities. The case-study community is in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia – a region still recovering from the 2018 Central Sulawesi earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction, which caused damage to over 1200 schools. The considered stakeholders have significant experience in post-disaster recovery management in Central Sulawesi. This paper identifies early-response funding mechanisms, genuine collaborations between stakeholders, and improved capacity for self-organisation as critical elements for an inclusive, sustainable, safer, and more resilient school physical infrastructure. Although the discussion in this paper focuses on Central Sulawesi, the project's outcomes are scalable to other regions in Indonesia, South-East Asia, and other disaster-prone developing nations.
Keywords: Disaster risk reduction; Preparedness; Resilient recovery; School physical infrastructure; Stakeholder engagement

Education and Climate Change: How to develop skills for climate action at school age? - Bos, Maria Soledad; Schwartz, Liora (Inter-American Development Bank, 2023)

Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning Directors' Report 2022 - 2023 - T-TEL (Transforming Teacher Education and Learning, 2023)
T-TEL's 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) Report

Girls’ Digital Literacy in the East Asia and Pacific Region - UNICEF EAPRO (UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 2023)
Spotlight on Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam

Viet Nam is among few countries demonstrating gender parity in digital skills and the use of internet - UNICEF Viet Nam (UNICEF Viet Nam, 2023)
On International Day of Girls in ICT, new analysis warns that girls* are being left behind in many countries in an increasingly connected world

5 strategies for cultivating champions to scale education initiatives - Mukoyi, Tendekai; Qargha, Ghulam Omar (Youth Impact, 2023)

Approval of Multiplier Grant to Ukraine as Accelerated Funding - Global Partnership for Education (2023)

The global prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Salari, Nader; Ghasemi, Hooman; Abdoli, Nasrin; Rahmani, Adibeh; Shiri, Mohammad Hossain; Hashemian, Amir Hossein; Akbari, Hakimeh; Mohammadi, Masoud (Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 2023)
Abstract Background Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder is a developmental neurological disorder that has three basic characteristics: Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents. Methods This investigation was carried out using the meta-analysis method under PRISMA guidelines. Until October 2020, the articles were gathered by scanning PubMed, Scopus, WOS, and Science Direct databases. The second version of Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used to run analyses after extracting data from chosen papers. At a significance level of 0.05, the I 2 test was used to analyze study heterogeneity, and the Egger test was used to assess publication bias. Results This analysis includes 61 cross-sectional research, with 53 research used to determine the prevalence of ADHD in children, 7.6% of 96,907 children aged 3 to 12 years had ADHD (95% confidence interval: 6.1–9.4%), and 5.6% of teenagers aged 12 to 18 years have ADHD (95% confidence interval: 4.8-7%). The prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents according to the DSM-V criterion is also higher than previous diagnostic criteria, according to studies. Conclusion The findings of this study based on meta-analysis show the high prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of management and policy in the treatment and control of ADHD in children and adolescents.
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

7 Facts About Education in Laos - Philipp, Jennifer (The Borgen Project, 2023)
Education in Laos has improved in recent times due to domestic changes and international help. These interventions have focused on...
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

PISA 2022 Results (Volume I and II) - Country Notes: Ukrainian regions (18 of 27) - OECD (2023)
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading and science. The tests explore how well students can solve complex problems, think critically and communicate effectively. This gives insights into how well education systems are preparing students for real life challenges and future success. Ukraine participated for the first time in PISA in 2018; in 2022, survey operations could not be completed successfully in the regions most affected by war, and results refer only to 18 out of 27 regions. The designation “Ukrainian regions (18 of 27)” refers to the 18 PISA-participating jurisdictions of Ukraine: Cherkasy Oblast, Kirovohrad Oblast, Poltava Oblast, Vinnytsia Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, Kyiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast, the City of Kyiv, Zhytomyr Oblast, Odesa Oblast, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Lviv Oblast, Rivne Oblast, Ternopil Oblast, Volyn Oblast and Zakarpattia Oblast. By comparing results internationally, policy makers and educators in Ukraine can learn from other countries’ policies and practices.

Adaptive pedagogical strategies responding to emergency remote teaching – immediate responses of Hungarian primary school teachers - Horváth, László (Research in Learning Technology, 2023)
Digital disruption is not a new phenomenon in education; however, it has become more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures and the related emergency remote teaching (ERT) period. Our study aims to explore the different pedagogical strategies that primary school teachers adopted during this period and determine how successful these strategies were in involving and engaging students. Altogether, 4028 teachers from 343 primary schools answered our online survey from all the regions of Hungary. The sample adequately represents the Hungarian primary school teacher population in terms of gender and age. We used cluster analysis and identified four clusters of pedagogical strategies; then, we used analysis of variance to explore how teachers’ digital competence and their ability to involve students in online learning varied across different clusters. Our analysis grasps the complexity of the issue, as it shows that two rather distinct strategies were both successful in involving students, and thus, there is no single solution best suited to digital learning. Overall, digitally competent teachers loosened the originally strict structure of education and provided more feedback, which proved to be an important element in successfully involving students in digital learning during ERT. The framework validated in our research can be used by policymakers and school administrators in different national and educational contexts, enabling them to understand the complexity of online teaching and learning. Furthermore, our results can offer some practical pointers for school teachers on how to combine different pedagogical strategies.
Keywords: COVID-19; ICT integration in education; cluster analysis; teachers’ digital competence

Teachmint pivots to focus solely on digitizing schools - Vardhan, Gyan; Upadhyay, Harsh (ENTRACKR, 2023)
Edtech startup Teachmint is now eyeing a bigger chunk of the education pie by offering their software to help digitize schools

Educational and psychosocial support for conflict-affected youths: The effectiveness of a school-based intervention targeting academic underachievement - Forsberg, June T.; Schultz, Jon-Håkon (International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 2023)
This study investigated the effect of a school-based and teacher-led psychosocial intervention that targeted academic underachievement among conflict-affected youths. We hypothesized that participants in the intervention would experience improved school functioning and reduced levels of stress-related symptoms after the intervention, in comparison to a control group. The study was carried out in Gaza, employed a randomized control trial design, and included 300 students between 9 and16 years of age. Students that completed the intervention reported improvement in all the domains measured after participation: better school functioning, a reduced level of stress-related symptoms, as well as long-term effects in the ability to self-regulate negative emotions, self-efficacy, better study skills, and a higher academic performance. The long-term effects were observed five months after the intervention was carried out. The implications for the implementation of psychosocial support for conflict-affected youth are discussed.
Keywords: Academic underachievement; education in emergency; psychosocial support; school functioning; traumatic stress

Efficacy of an Adaptive Game-Based Math Learning App to Support Personalized Learning and Improve Early Elementary School Students’ Learning - Bang, Hee Jin; Li, Linlin; Flynn, Kylie (Early Childhood Education Journal, 2023)
This study investigates whether using My Math Academy, which provides personalized content and adaptive embedded assessments to support existing curricula, can improve learning outcomes and engagement for kindergarten and first grade students (N = 505 treatment, 481 control). Findings indicate that students using My Math Academy made significant learning gains in math relative to children who did not. More skills mastered in My Math Academy was associated with greater learning gains on the external assessment, with the greatest impacts among students with lower levels of math knowledge, where there was more room for growth and on the most difficult skills. Teachers surveyed found My Math Academy easy to use in their classrooms and recognized it as a valuable learning resource that supplemented their existing curricula to improve students’ engagement, motivation, and confidence in learning math.
Keywords: Adaptive instructional systems; Early childhood education; Game-based learning; Math learning; Personalized learning

Unpacking K-12 teachers’ technology-supported, equitable practices: A mixed-methods systematic review - Cheah, Yin Hong; Oliveri, Anna R.; Hughes, Joan E. (Teaching and Teacher Education, 2023)
We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review of research literature from 2009 to 2019 to unpack researchers' conceptualizations about, approaches toward, and environmental supports in place that framed K-12 teachers' technology-supported, equitable practices. Findings revealed that equitable learning with technology was conceptualized as: (1) lifting students up through a neoliberal perspective; (2) attending to individual needs; (3) empowering students’ agency and civic participation; and (4) providing equal learning opportunities. Technology approaches and environmental supports in tandem with these four conceptualizations are articulated. Finally, we discuss the need for teachers to be reflective practitioners and critical enquirers when leveraging technology to promote equitable learning.
Keywords: Digital equity; Equitable learning; K-12 teachers; Marginalized students; Systematic review; Technology use

Teachers for All: Improving primary school teacher deployment in Zambia - Kabir, Mabruk (2023)

2022 Annual School Census Report - Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (Government of Sierra Leone, 2023)

Interview with the Center for National Distance Learning and Open School on data governance practices within the Ghana Ministry of Education. - CENDLOS (2023)

Interview with the National Teaching Council on data governance practices within the Ghana Ministry of Education. - Daniel, Asai Boso (2023)

Interview with the Ghana Library Authority on data governance practices within the Ghana Ministry of Education. - Dennis, Mawuli Dakudzie (2023)

Teaching away from school: Do school digital support influence teachers’ well-being during Covid-19 emergency? - Diaz Lema, Melisa L.; Rossi, Lidia; Soncin, Mara (Large-scale Assessments in Education, 2023)
The Covid-19 pandemic coerced the closure of most schools around the world and forced teachers and students to change teaching and learning methods. Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) generated consequences to teachers and students in terms of learning outcomes and personal well-being. This study focuses on teachers’ individual and working environment well-being in ERT conditions and intends to explore which factors related to the provision of digital equipment and the implementation of digital strategies by schools explain the school effect on both typologies of well-being during the Covid-19 emergency. To do so, data collected in the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS) across three countries were used, and a two-step analysis was conducted. A first step involves the use of linear mixed effect models to assess the school effect on teachers individual and working environment well-being. In the second step Regression Trees (RT) are used to investigate which factors and policies related to digital tools explained the identified school effects. The results show that schools and countries played a role in determining teachers perceived well-being during the Covid-19 disruption, in particular the school level explains more than 7% of the work environment well-being and 8% of individual one. In the second step of the analysis results show that a high positive effect on school environment well-being is observed when the school’s activity is not influenced by policies limiting the use of online tools and when teacher’s readiness for remote teaching, like the development of technical skills and the provision of internet access and digital devices, is met. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates the impact of digital tactics and instruments provided by schools on teachers’ well-being on a large scale.
Keywords: Covid-19; Digital Education and Educational Technology; REDS data; School digital support; School effect; Teachers’ well-being

Interview with the Ghana Education Service on data governance practices within the Ghana Ministry of Education. - Fred, Binkorang (2023)

Interview with the Statistics, Research & Information Management Directorate on data governance practices within the Ghana Ministry of Education. - Sackey, Robert (2023)

8 stages of Data lifecycle management - Deshpande, Rucha (scilife.io, 2023)

Ukraine Education Cluster: Basic standards for Digital Learning Centers - Education Cluster; Save the Children; UNICEF (2023)
Manual and Guideline in English on Ukraine about Education and Health; published on 22 Mar 2023 by Education Cluster, Save the Children and 2count other organizations

Where do teachers go, and where do they stay? - Lurvink, Anne-Fleur; Espinoza-Revollo, Patricia; Ali, Yusuf; Garrod, Oliver; Atherton, Paul; Mackintosh, Alasdair; Ramirez, Ana; Beoku-Betts, Iman; Haßler, Björn; Godwin, Katie; Godwin, Anne-Fleur Lurvink, Patricia Espinoza-Revollo, Yusuf Ali, Oliver Garrod, Paul Atherton, Alasdair Mackintosh, Ana Ramirez, Iman Beoku-Betts, Björn Haßler and Katie (EdTech Hub, 2023)
In Sierra Leone, a government payroll position is tied to the teacher, not the school, meaning teachers can change schools once they go on the payroll. This leads to certain schools being chronically understaffed. It also suggests that deploying teachers to rural and understaffed schools (or putting teachers already there on payroll) might not tackle high pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratios in the longer term. Investigating the school-to-school movement of payroll teachers can help us understand where teachers go after they go on the payroll and how long they stay in a given school. We also looked at overall movement nationally to identify areas of the country that are outliers in terms of high and low retention of teachers.

Access to and use of technology by primary school teachers: A survey in the 23 regions of Madagascar - Rasolohery, Hasiniavo; Koomar, Saalim; Mitchell, Joel (EdTech Hub, 2023)
The Madagascar Ministry of National Education, through the National Institute for Pedagogical Training, plans to use new technology in teacher training for early-stage reading and writing in Malagasy. This initiative is undertaken within the framework of the Madagascar Basic Education Support Project. The main objective is to train 5,000 teachers of the T2 class remotely, drawing inspiration from systems such as the Distance Education for Primary Teachers (FADEP).

Access to and use of technology by primary school teachers: A survey in the 23 regions of Madagascar - Rasolohery, Hasiniavo; Koomar, Saalim; Mitchell, Joel; Mitchell, Hasiniavo Rasolohery, Saalim Koomar and Joel (EdTech Hub, 2023)
The Madagascar Ministry of National Education, through the National Institute for Pedagogical Training, plans to use new technology in teacher training for early-stage reading and writing in Malagasy. This initiative is undertaken within the framework of the Madagascar Basic Education Support Project. The main objective is to train 5,000 teachers of the T2 class remotely, drawing inspiration from systems such as the Distance Education for Primary Teachers (FADEP).

Radio Learning Brings Hope and Education to Displaced Children like Awana in North-East Nigeria | UNICEF Nigeria - Adebayo, Folashade (UNICEF Nigeria, 2023)
Through funding from donors, UNICEF is supporting radio learning classes and radio clubs as alternative learning pathways in north-east Nigeria.

Taking Stock: Vietnam Economic Update, March 2023 - World Bank (2023)
Vietnam’s economic growth is projected to ease to 6.3 percent in 2023 from a robust 8 percent last year, as services growth moderates and higher prices and interest rates weigh on households and investors, according to the World Bank’s latest Taking Stock report.

Situational Analysis Report on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Viet Nam - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2023)
This Situational Analysis Report on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Viet Nam reveals that the country is poised to harness its increased resources

Pakistan Education Sector Working Group flood response performance monitoring dashboard (as of 28 February 2023) - Pakistan | ReliefWeb - Education Sector Working Group (2023)
Infographic in English on Pakistan about Contributions, Coordination, Flash Flood, Flood and more; published on 9 Mar 2023 by Education Cluster, Save the Children and 2count other organizations

First Lessons from Our Study: Optimising Messaging for Returns to School - Kably, Nathan; Mitchell, Joel; Zhao, Annette; D'Rozario, Jonny (EdTech Hub, 2023)
This blog examines the valuable insights gained from EdTech Hub's initial research on the use of messaging (primarily text messaging) to assist caregivers in promoting their children's school attendance. In this blog, we delve into the workings of messaging mechanisms and share our study findings. Additionally, we outline critical considerations for those interested in developing a comparable intervention. Read on to learn more...

MEWAKA in Tanzania: Emerging findings on tech-supported teacher professional development - Koomar, Saalim; Massam, Winston; Anthony, Gervace; Mrope, Winifrida; Adam, Taskeen; Hennessy, Sara; Mtenzi, Fredrick; Proctor, Jamie; Komba, Aneth; Mwakabungu, Fika; Barretto, Johnpaul; Barretto, Saalim Koomar, Winston Massam, Gervace Anthony, Winifrida Mrope, Taskeen Adam, Sara Hennessy, Fredrick Mtenzi, Jamie Proctor, Aneth Komba, Fika Mwakabungu and Johnpaul (EdTech Hub, 2023)
MEWAKA (Mafunzo Endelevu kwa Walimu Kazini, or Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD)) is a landmark teacher professional development programme being implemented by the Government of Tanzania. The programme is decentralised, with teacher learning based in schools and focused on semi-structured Communities of Learning (CoLs). CoLs are spaces where teachers can gather weekly to discuss and reflect on issues most relevant to their schools as well as learn and improve their pedagogical skills. Peer facilitators help teachers to collaboratively solve problems, learn new approaches to improve their practice, and generally create a culture of reflection and school improvement.

Feasibility randomised controlled trial of the Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions psychological intervention with young adolescents in Lebanon - Brown, Felicity L.; Taha, Karine; Steen, Frederik; Kane, Jeremy; Gillman, Aviva; Aoun, May; Malik, Aiysha; Bryant, Richard; Sijbrandij, Marit; El Chammay, Rabih; Servili, Chiara; van Ommeren, Mark; et al. (BMC Psychiatry, 2023)
Globally, there is a vast mental health treatment gap, whereby the majority of adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries requiring mental health services, do not have access to adequate care. To improve access, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a range of interventions, designed to be low-cost and delivered by non-specialists. We conducted a two-arm, individually randomised group treatment feasibility trial of a new WHO group intervention for young adolescents with emotional distress (‘Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions’; EASE) in Lebanon.
Keywords: Feasibility trial; Psychological intervention; Refugee mental health; Young adolescents

The Charm or Chasm of Digital Personalized Learning in Education: Teachers’ Reported Use, Perceptions and Expectations - Van Schoors, Rani; Elen, Jan; Raes, Annelies; Vanbecelaere, Stefanie; Depaepe, Fien (TechTrends, 2023)
Although digital personalized learning (DPL) is assumed to be beneficial for the student as well as the teacher, the implementation process of DPL tools can be challenging. Therefore, the aim of our study is to scrutinize teachers’ perceptions towards the implementation of DPL in the classroom. A total of 370 teachers from primary and secondary education (students aged 6–18 years old) were questioned through an online survey. An overview of descriptive results is presented regarding (1) teachers’ reported technology use, (2) their perceptions towards adaptivity and dashboards in DPL tools and (3) their expectations of support in view of implementing DPL. Based on a cluster analysis, three teacher clusters are distinguished. Results reveal all three clusters had positive perceptions towards DPL. Nevertheless, there is great variety in reported use of DPL tools.
Keywords: Adaptive technology; Cluster analysis; Digital personalized learning; Educational technology; Teachers

The charm or chasm of digital personalized learning in education: Teachers’ reported use, perceptions and expectations - Van Schoors, Rani; Elen, Jan; Raes, Annelies; Vanbecelaere, Stefanie; Depaepe, Fien (TechTrends, 2023)
Although digital personalized learning (DPL) is assumed to be beneficial for the student as well as the teacher, the implementation process of DPL tools can be challenging. Therefore, the aim of our study is to scrutinize teachers’ perceptions towards the implementation of DPL in the classroom. A total of 370 teachers from primary and secondary education (students aged 6–18 years old) were questioned through an online survey. An overview of descriptive results is presented regarding (1) teachers’ reported technology use, (2) their perceptions towards adaptivity and dashboards in DPL tools and (3) their expectations of support in view of implementing DPL. Based on a cluster analysis, three teacher clusters are distinguished. Results reveal all three clusters had positive perceptions towards DPL. Nevertheless, there is great variety in reported use of DPL tools.
Keywords: Adaptive technology; Cluster analysis; Digital Education and Educational Technology; Digital personalized learning; Educational technology; Teachers

Sierra Leone Case Study: Review of Technology-Based Interventions to Address Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation - Data-Pop Alliance; United Nations Population Fund; UNICEF (2023)

Role of AI in education - Harry, Alexandra (INJURITY: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2023)
PDF | Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way we learn and teach, making it more personalized, engaging, and efficient.... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational management - Igbokwe, Innocent Chiawa (International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2023)
PDF | Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming various industries, including education. AI is being used in educational management to... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Cambodia Digital Education Landscape Scan - World Education (2023)
The Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) is committed to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and learning across classrooms, school libraries, teacher training centers, and other educational institutions by leveraging digital tools and resources. In August 2022, MoEYS shared a draft National Statement of Commitment To Transform Education System in Cambodia in which advancing digital education is one of eight top priorities.1 In line with MoEYS’s national priorities, World Education, (WE) has been contracted by UNICEF under CDPF III to support the design and development of an improved digital educational environment for educators and learners that will enhance outcomes by encouraging active learning, enabling greater differentiation and personalization in instruction, improving cooperation among learners, educators, students, and increasing positive attitudes towards learning. From October 2022 to January 2023, WE conducted a Cambodia Digital Education landscape scan to map existing efforts and assess their quality, effectiveness and impact, accessibility and adoption, and efficiency and sustainability. The goal of this national landscape scan was to gain a deeper understanding of the existing or emerging digital learning interventions for teachers and students, including platforms and centers, that were or are in use and for whom and in what contexts they are effective or not. WE employed a mixed-methods approach that featured key informant interviews, online surveys, desk research, focus group discussions with teacher educators and general education teachers. In total, research was conducted with over 500 stakeholders in diverse education settings across 20 provinces. It is important to note that there were two limitations of our study: the first that there was a high proportion of teacher educators (approximately 62%) from our sample in comparison to general education teachers (30%), which skewed results and made it difficult to generalize; the team sought to mitigate this by disaggregating responses by teacher role where possible. The second limitation is that the online surveys were distributed digitally so teachers in rural areas where internet access is limited would not have been able to access the online survey. The landscape scan culminated in a co-design workshop in February 2023 bringing together 25 participants from technical departments of MoEYS, other relevant government agencies, and development partners to triangulate findings and co-develop recommendations.

Ensuring Equality in Education Access: The Dynamics and Challenges for Vietnamese Ethnic Minority Girls - Yen, Nguyen Thi Hong; Hoi, Nguyen Van (Journal of Contemporary Sociological Issues, 2023)
Education access is one of the critical human rights that has been decided for the development of everyone and has been codified in the international and national legal systems. Despite important achievements in ensuring and promoting fundamental human rights in general, with the characteristics of being one of the most vulnerable in society, ethnic minority girls experienced discrimination and double inequality in benefiting their rights, including access to education. Regarding the education right of girls in the ethnic minority in Vietnam today, the following article focuses on the following matters: (i) Analysing the Vietnamese legal framework in ensuring the education right of ethnic minority girls; (ii) Presenting the difficulties and challenges in ensuring this right for ethnic minority girls in Vietnam; (iii) Proposing necessary recommendations for the Government to improve the enjoyment of the right for Vietnamese ethnic minority girls in the upcoming time. Keywords: Education Access, Equality, Ethnic Minority Girls, Vietnam, Women's rights

KEY FIGURES: 5th Rwanda Population and Housing Census (PHC) - National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. (National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda., 2023)
The fifth Population and Housing Census in Rwanda, was conducted in August 2022. The Census operation was coordinated by the National Census Commission. Various census technical and administrative structures have been put in place to ensure a successful census operation.

The State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine presented EvaluEd system - The State Service of Education Quality of Ukraine (2023)
"A year ago, we set a goal to implement the EvaluEd information and analytical system by 2025. Today, this system has been tested during teachers`

Digital 2023: Sierra Leone - Kemp, Simon (DataReportal – Global Digital Insights, 2023)
All the data, insights, and trends you need to help you make sense of the “state of digital” in Sierra Leone in 2023, including detailed statistics for internet use, social media use, and mobile use, as well as user numbers for all the top social platforms.

The RISE Education Systems Diagnostic: A Tool for Identifying Strategic Priorities for Education System Reform - RISE (RISE Programme, 2023)

Forced Displacement and Education: Building the Evidence for What Works - Burde, Dana; Coombes, Andrea; De Hoop, Thomas; Guven, Ozen; Okhidoi, Otgonjargal; Ring, Hannah; Rothbard, Victoria; Holla, Chinmaya (2023)

Continuous Teacher Training Goes Nationwide in Tanzania - World Bank (World Bank, 2023)
A World Bank-funded program is piloting continuous professional development for primary school teachers in Tanzania.

Annual Report 2021 - Solve Education! (2023)

Exploring the benefits and challenges of AI-language learning tools - Rebolledo Font de la Vall, Roxana; Gonzalez Araya, Fabian (International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention, 2023)
AI language learning tools are computer programs or software applications that use artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to help users learn and improve their skills in a foreign language. These technologies have a lot of benefits, such as the ability to save time and speed up learning, to give students personalized learning experiences, and to help them learn about other cultures. In this study, the scientific literature was looked at to find out the pros, cons, opportunities, and challenges of using AI language learning tools, such as the need for more human interaction, the complexities of language in context, and the fact that training needs a lot of data. In the future, these AI tools could be used to make changes, like combining VR and AR, developing better algorithms for processing natural language, and using more advanced algorithms for adaptive learning. By addressing these problems and limitations, AI learning systems could become even more powerful and valuable tools for learning languages. Their integration is critical to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of learning user experience solutions.

Nigerian schools: Flogged for speaking my mother tongue - Cecilia Macaulay (BBC News, 2023)
Nigeria wants local languages to replace English in primary education, but some say it's not practical.

Towards Systemic EdTech Testbeds: A Global Perspective - Vanbecelaere, Stefanie; Adam, Taskeen; Sieber, Carmen; Clark-Wilson, Alison; Boody Adorno, Katie; Haßler, Björn; Open Development & Education (GETN, 2023)

Educational loss at times of crisis: the role of games in students’ learning in Palestine and Iraq - Ali, Kareema; Burgos, Daniel; Affouneh, Saida (Sustainability, 2023)
This study examines the role of educational games in compensating for educational loss and their impact on students’ motivation towards learning during crises in Palestine and Iraq. Additionally, the study considers the challenges facing the employment of this strategy and ways to overcome these challenges. By performing separate open semi-structured interviews with a group of 10 educators from university professors, teachers, and educational supervisors, the study used the qualitative descriptive approach which designs multiple case studies. The results showed the prominent role that educational games play in increasing students’ motivation towards learning and compensating for educational loss through what they add to the fun and suspense in the learning process and how they shorten time and effort and help students to engage and cooperate in acquiring knowledge, skills, and values. The results also reveal common challenges that face the employment of educational games. These challenges are social, economic, technological, challenges related to school environment, and psychological challenges. The study shows the possibility of overcoming these challenges by providing funding sources, preparing plans to employ educational games, and developing teachers’ capabilities to implement them in their teaching practices.
Keywords: crises; educational games; educational loss; motivation

Ed-Tech landscape and challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa - Adediran, Adedeji; Adedeji, Abdulfatai; Nwosu, Emmanuel; Nwugo, Emmanuel; Nnamani, Great (2023)

Ed-Tech landscape and challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa - Adeniran, Adedeji; Adedeji, Abdulfatai; Nwosu, Emmanuel; Nwugo, Emmanuel; Nnamani, Great (Southern Voice, 2023)
This study examines the adoption of education technology (ed-tech) in primary and secondary education in 10 sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Benin, Malawi, and Senegal. The study assesses the development and implementation of ed-tech policies and programmes in the region, exploring how far ed-tech has advanced learning outcomes, improved access, and reduced education inequalities within and between countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Autism in Africa: Prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and the impact of social and cultural factors on families and caregivers. A review - Aderinto, Nicholas; Olatunji, Deji; Idowu, Oluwatobi (Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 2023)
This paper presents a narrative review of current knowledge on autism in Africa, including prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and the impact of social and cultural factors on families and caregivers. The prevalence of autism in Africa is estimated to be similar to that in other regions. However, diagnosis and treatment access remain limited due to various challenges, such as a shortage of specialised healthcare professionals and resources, a lack of awareness and understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among healthcare providers, and cultural stigma surrounding mental health and developmental disorders. Alternative therapies are commonly used with other therapies, but their effectiveness is often unproven. The impact of ASD on families and caregivers in Africa is significant, with many facing challenges in accessing support services and coping with stigma. Efforts are being made to increase awareness and reduce the stigma around ASD in African communities, but more research is needed on effective interventions and culturally appropriate treatments. Policy recommendations include increasing resources and training for healthcare professionals, improving access to evidence-based interventions and promoting community awareness and support. With improved understanding and investment, the quality of life of individuals with ASD in Africa can be significantly improved.
Keywords: Africa; autism; neurology

AKU, Gilgit-Baltistan govt partner to boost teacher capacity | The Aga Khan University News - Aga Khan University (2023)

Women’s empowerment through social media: A comparative study of Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia - Ahmad, Nehaluddin; Hj Abdul Aziz, Hjh Hanan; Zulkiffle, Norulaziemah (Journal of Southeast Asian Research, 2023)
In today’s world, social media are one of the most effective tools that can be used to further women’s empowerment efforts, which is a significant indicator of a country’s overall level of development. Before social media, women suffered a lot, especially when they lacked knowledge. However, through social media, women’s empowerment is rapidly growing as social media are easy to access, and they are learning more about their rights and powers. This article discusses the definition of women’s empowerment as well as the definition of social media in an effort to achieve its purpose. First and foremost, the purpose of this research is to provide an overview of how far social media have contributed to women’s empowerment. Further, this article will analyse women’s empowerment in Brunei and Malaysia using a comparative approach. In the end, it can be concluded that despite the fact that there is no doubt that women in today’s society have access to numerous social media platforms that support them in their day-to-day lives and assist them in empowering themselves, there are obstacles, such as cybercrime, that prevent women from upholding their empowerment. It is recommended that each country must provide and improve its national policies and laws to protect women, particularly regarding their use of social media.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found; ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

2023 Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning: What does recent evidence tell us are "Smart Buys" for improving learning in low- and middle-income countries? - Akeyampong, K; Andrabi, T; Banerjee, A; Banerji, R; Dynarski, S; Glennerster, R; Grantham-McGregor, S; Muralidharan, K; Piper, B; Ruto, S; Saavedra, J; Schmelkes, S; et al. (World Bank, 2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Guidance note on using implementation research in education - Allison, C (Building Evidence in Education (BE2), 2023)

The Latest Tanzanian National Panel Survey Shows Progress in Education - Amankwah, Akuffo; Palacius-Lopez, Amparo; Gul, Maryam (2023)
The state of education in a country has cascading impacts across multiple facets of development. In line with SDG 4, providing equitable quality education remains a key mission for countries, especially those with low literacy rates. Zooming in on Tanzania...

The “MATHEMA” application as a mathematics learning media for children with Down syndrome - Amatullah, Fadilah Halfa; Annisi, Mughi Puspa (Journal of ICSAR, 2023)
This research aims to create application-based learning media to help ease children with Down syndrome in learning mathematics. The research method used is a qualitative method, with research subjects of teachers, parents, and children with Down syndrome grade three SDLB. In accordance with the results of the analysis of objective conditions of the ability, inability, and needs of the subject, as well as theoretical analysis of learning mathematics, a 'Mathema' application was developed, namely an interactive learning media in which there are features to learn about the concept of numbers, number sequences, number symbols, and addition and subtraction operations, which based on conceptual validation is feasible to use and based on empirical validation has proven effective for improving the ability to learn mathematics in the subject so that the findings of the 'Mathema' media are expected a solution for teachers in helping ease learning mathematics in children with Down syndrome
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Narrowing the gender digital divide in Pakistan: Mobile phone ownership and female labor force participation - Amber, Hina; Chichaibelu, Bezawit Beyene (Review of Development Economics, 2023)
Abstract The unprecedented growth in access to mobile phones and smartphones has opened up new possibilities in the way people live and work. However, women in developing countries are unable to take advantage of this growth due to certain factors and socio‐cultural norms that give rise to the gender digital divide. In this study, using the nationally representative Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (2019–2020), we investigate the gender and rural–urban (female) digital divide in a country with one of the most considerable digital divides. Furthermore, we employ an instrumental variable approach to study the effect of mobile or smartphone ownership on female labor force participation. The results indicate that institutional and sociocultural norms explain most of the ownership gap of mobile or smartphones between men and women. The instrumental variable approach demonstrates that mobile or smartphone ownership increases the participation of women in the labor force. We also find that the differences between observable characteristics, especially literacy and education, explain the rural–urban digital divide among females. Considering the importance of mobile or smartphone ownership in facilitating women's labor supply decisions, providing women with digital tools and upskilling them has wider implications for their economic well‐being.

Building Resilient Education Systems: Evidence from Large-Scale Randomized Trials in Five Countries - Angrist, Noam; Ainomugisha, Micheal; Bathena, Sai Pramod; Bergman, Peter; Crossley, Colin; Cullen, Claire; Letsomo, Thato; Matsheng, Moitshepi; Panti, Rene Marlon; Sabarwal, Shwetlena; Sullivan, Tim (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2023)

Ensuring equity in mental health and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond - Armijos, Andrea; Bonz, Annie G; Brown, Felicity L; Charlet, Danielle; Cohen, Flora; Greene, M Claire; Hermosilla, Sabrina; James, Leah E; Le Roch, Karine; Collaborative, MHPSS Implementation Science Learning (Conflict and Health, 2023)

Accelerating Digital Inclusion for Women and Girls in Asia and the Pacific - Asian Development Bank (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found; ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Reimagine Tech-Inclusive Education: Evidence, practices, and road map - Asian Development Bank (Asian Development Bank, 2023)

Second Strengthening Higher Education Project - Asian Development Bank (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Ambassador of Timor-Leste to ASEAN presents credentials to Secretary-General of ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretariat (2023)

Inclusive educational transitions for refugees with disabilities: Intersectionality and the right to inclusive Education - Bacakova, Marketa (Perspectives on Transitions in Refugee Education, 2023)
The right to education belongs to the fundamental human rights. Its realisation builds the cornerstone for the exercise of other human rights, such as the right to vote, the right to free speech, or the right to work. Nonetheless, more than 260 million children and young people worldwide still lack access to education and 750 million adults remain illiterate (UNESCO 2018, 122). Despite global investments and initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the inequalities prevail not only in the area of access to education. Diverse factors contribute to the failed goal of education for all, such as gender
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

2023 Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning - What does recent evidence tell us are “Smart Buys” for improving learning in low- and middle-income countries? - Banerjee, A; Banerji, R; Andrabi, T; Dynarski, S; Glennerster, R; Grantham-McGregor, S; Muralidharan, K; Piper, B; Saavedra, J; Yoshikawa, H; Ruto, S; Schmelkes, S (World Bank Group, 2023)

Digital Africa: Technological Transformation for Jobs - Begazo, Tania; Blimpo, Moussa P.; Dutz, Mark (World Bank Group, 2023)
Digital Africa, Technological Transformation for Jobs examines pathways to produce and promote the expanded use of affordable and attractive digital technologies (DTs) that are appropriate for Sub-Saharan Africa’s growing workforce and facilitate continued learning through use. DTs are defined broadly to include digital and data infrastructure, broadband internet, smart phones, tablets, and computers. They also include specialized management upgrading, worker training, and training in procurement, marketing, logistics, financing, and insurance.
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Facing the Challenges of Girls’ Education in Pakistan - Bend, May; Baron, Juan (World Bank Blogs, 2023)
Girls’ education is smart economics, and Pakistan has committed to guaranteeing the right of both girls and boys to access quality education (SDG 4).

Refugee education: Financing what matters - Benveniste, Luis; Silva, Karishma; Hoogeveen, Johannes (World Bank Blogs, 2023)
At the Global Refugee Forum this week, education stakeholders will pledge to include all refugee children in national education systems. Three major questions arise: what does inclusion mean, why does it matter and how do we get there?

Emergency curriculum: An alternative curricular and pedagogical practice for school education - Bharti, Uma; Musthafa, M.N. Mohamedunni Alis (Shodhak : A Journal of Historical Research, 2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Study on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement - Boston Consulting Group (2023)

Cambodia Introduction and Quick Facts - Britannica (2023)

Barriers and Supports for Technology Integration: Views from teachers - Burns, M (Background paper prepared for the 2023 Global education monitoring report: Technology in education, 2023)

Can technology improve the classroom experience in primary education? An African experiment on a worldwide program - Cardim, Joana; Molina-Millán, Teresa; Vicente, Pedro C. (Journal of Development Economics, 2023)
Primary school coverage has been increasing in most developing countries. Yet, it has not been accompanied by signiﬁcant improvements in learning indicators. We implemented a randomized experiment in Angola around the introduction of ProFuturo, a worldwide educational program. The program includes a Computer-assisted Learning (CAL) software directed at improving the regular classroom experience. One year after the program started, we ﬁnd higher familiarity with technology. Teachers miss fewer days of classes and implement better teaching practices. Students become more interested in learning and pro-social. Finally, the program improves students’ test scores in the most popular subject in the CAL platform.

Edtech and marginalization: Scaling for learning equity - Castillo, N. M.; Wagner, D; Alrawashde, G; Moog, C (UNESCO GEM Background paper, 2023)

Save Schools in Ukraine - Centre for Information Resilience (2023)

Wi De Ya, One Tablet Per School, Sierra Leone - CGA Technologies (2023)

V-Dem Dataset v13 - Coppedge, M. et al. (Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project, 2023)

Live tutoring calls did not improve learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra Leone - Crawfurd, Lee; Evans, David K.; Hares, Susannah; Sandefur, Justin (Journal of Development Economics, 2023)

Ed-tech in the Global South: Research gaps and opportunities (Occasional Paper No. 91) - Cueto, Santiago; Balarin, Maria; Saavedra, Mauricio; Sugimaru, Claudia (Southern Voice, 2023)

Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Prime Minister’s Decree on Lifelong Learning, issued in 2020 | Institute for Lifelong Learning - Dalbéra, Jean-Pierre (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

How technology shapes advice: Professional–parent interaction in a digital pediatric treatment - Dalmaijer, Evi; Pas, Berber; Spooren, Wilbert; Stommel, Wyke (Frontiers in Communication, 2023)
Introduction Technology-enabled treatments (TET) have emerged in pediatric care as an effective solution for early and intensive intervention. There is a lack of research in the field of digitalized health care on the interaction between professionals and parents on which these treatments are based, and at the same time too little is known about the impact of remoteness and technology on interaction in the field of health communication. Method We use a conversation analytical approach to examine the interaction between occupational therapists and parents in one such treatment on a micro level, with a focus on advice-giving and the role of professional and parental authorities in this. Results Our analyses show that professionals in TET work together with the parents of children in treatment to achieve children's rehabilitation goals. In advice-giving in TET, the professionals interactionally downgrade their epistemic and deontic authority, orienting toward the imposition on parents inherent to advice and orienting toward parental authority. Discussion By describing three different patterns of the interactional unfolding of advice-giving, we provide insights into how professionals carefully initiate and return to advice and show how this activity is shaped by the technology used for the interaction. Our study offers a better understanding of how paramedical professionals practice their profession given remoteness and technology and what TET entails interactionally in terms of advice-giving.

Critically examining social emotional learning with refugees in East Africa: Tensions, challenges, and complex dynamics. - Dalrymple, Kelsey A (Current Issues in Comparative Education, 2023)

Access to employment: A comparison of autistic, neurodivergent and neurotypical adults’ experiences of hiring processes in the United Kingdom - Davies, Jade; Heasman, Brett; Livesey, Adam; Walker, Amy; Pellicano, Elizabeth; Remington, Anna (Autism, 2023)
Autistic people face high unemployment rates. One reason for this may be that hiring processes are inaccessible. This study aimed to establish autistic people’s unique experiences of hiring processes in the United Kingdom, by comparing them to the experiences of non-autistic neurodivergent people and neurotypical people. Using qualitative and quantitative data from 225 autistic, 64 non-autistic neurodivergent and 88 neurotypical adults, we identified a series of (dis)similarities in participants’ views and experiences of recruitment for employment. Similarities across the three groups included (1) frustration with the focus on social skills; (2) a perceived need for more flexible hiring processes; (3) a desire for more clarity and (4) the importance of the environment. Participants also acknowledged the important role employers play in one’s decision to disclose a diagnosis or access need. Yet, autistic people faced a set of unique barriers to successful recruitment, over and above those that non-autistic people faced. For example, the perceived pressure to mask autistic traits to succeed and concerns about stigma and discrimination. Participants’ recommendations for improvements included the use of more practical recruitment strategies (e.g. work trials), more clarity about what to expect, and improvements in recruiters’ understanding of the challenges autistic and neurodivergent candidates may face.Lay abstract Autistic people are less likely to have a job than non-autistic people. One reason for this may be that hiring processes (e.g. job applications, interviews) can be challenging for autistic people. To better understand the experiences of hiring processes in the United Kingdom, we asked 225 autistic, 64 neurodivergent (but not autistic) and 64 adults with no reported area of neurodivergence questions about their experiences using an online survey. We found a range of similarities and differences in responses. For example, participants in all three groups were frustrated with the focus on social skills in recruitment and said they wanted more practical methods (e.g. work trials) that help them show their skills and abilities. Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent participants discussed the importance of the environment (e.g. the interview/assessment room) in improving experiences. Participants also discussed how employers can impact whether somebody decides to disclose their diagnosis or needs – or not. Autistic people experienced some barriers to successful recruitment that non-autistic people did not. For example, autistic people felt they had to hide their autistic traits to gain employment and many autistic people were worried about being discriminated against if they disclosed that they were autistic during the hiring process. To make experiences better, our participants said that employers should offer candidates different recruitment methods and give them more information about the hiring process. They also said employers should improve their understanding of autism and other hidden disabilities so they know the challenges that people might face during recruitment.

Gilgit-Baltistan sees threefold rise in funds for education sector: Chief secretary - DAWN News (DAWN.COM, 2023)
"If we make our government schools modern and technology-oriented, people will switch from private to public schools," says CS.

Technology in Education: A case study on Thailand – UNESCO Digital Library - Dipendra, K.C. (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Flagship Projects - Directorate of Science, Technology & Innovation (Directorate of Science, Technology & Innovation, Government of Sierra Leone, 2023)

Designing learning technology collaboratively: Analysis of a chatbot co-design - Durall Gazulla, Eva; Martins, Ludmila; Fernández-Ferrer, Maite (Education and Information Technologies, 2023)
Abstract Collaborative design approaches have been increasingly adopted in the design of learning technologies since they contribute to develop pedagogically inclusive and appropriate learning designs. Despite the positive reception of collaborative design strategies in technology-enhanced learning, little attention has been dedicated to analyzing the challenges faced in design processes using a collaborative approach. In this paper, we disclose the collaborative design of a chatbot for self-regulated learning in higher education using an action research approach. We analyze the design process of EDUguia chatbot, which includes diverse evidence from questionnaires and workshops with students and lecturers, as well as intermediary design objects. Based on the qualitative analysis, we identify several challenges that are transversal to the co-design work, as well as specific to the design phases. We critically reflect on the strategies deployed to overcome these challenges and how they relate to decision-making processes, highlighting the need to make stakeholders’ tacit knowledge explicit, cultivate trust-building and support democratic decision-making in technology design processes. We believe that the recommendations we present in this paper contribute to developing best practices in the collaborative design of chatbots for the self-regulation of learning, as well as learning technology in general.

Results – Rapid Scans – The EdTech Hub - EdTech Hub (2023)

Teachers’ Digital Skills & Digital Competency Frameworks for Teaching and Learning - EdTech team (World Bank Group, 2023)
Teachers’ Digital Skills & Digital Competency Frameworks for Teaching and Learning (English)

What we do – EducAid - EducAid (2023)

Leveraging Education in Emergencies for Climate Action - EiE Hub (Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies, 2023)

Technology in Education: A Case Study on the Philippines - Espinosa, Allen A; Gomez, C Arsenia; Praksis, Miranda A; Adonis, David P; Edna Luz, Abuljon R; Hermosisima, Victoria C; Quinosa Jr, Edwin A; Soliman, Abegail A; De Vera, Jayson L; Claros, Ian Harvey; Cruz, Hardie Gieben; Gonzales, Nepthalie SJ (UNESCO, 2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Torino Process System Monitoring Report: Ukraine 2023 - European Training Foundation (2023)

AI for Education AI Assessments Event Summary - Fab Inc. (2023)

National Artificial Intelligence Strategy - Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (2023)

Climate Change and Education in Kenya - Fitzpatrick, Rachael; Amenya, Donvan (Education Development Trust, 2023)
What impact does climate change have on education, especially in areas which are vulnerable to climate disasters and extreme weather events? In this report, we explore the impact of climate change on schools and learning in six counties in Kenya (Nairobi, Mombasa, Turkana, Tana River, Kwale and Kilifi).

New UK funding to boost education opportunities for women and girls in Southeast Asia - Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK, 2023)
At the 2023 Education World Forum the International Development Minister launched a Girls’ Education and Skills Programme following the UK-ASEAN Plan of Action.
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Can A/B Testing at Scale Accelerate Learning Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Environments? - Friedberg, Aidan (Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023)
On current trends the world will fail to reach the objectives set in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for Education by 2030 or even within the 21st century. Changing this trend will require a significant acceleration in learning outcomes. Digital personalised learning (DPL) tools are a potentially cost-effective intervention that can contribute to this acceleration. In particular, the continuous experimentation afforded by these tools through software A/B testing, has considerable potential to create compounding improvements in learning outcomes. This paper provides an overview of EIDU, an educational platform combining student focused DPL content with digital structured pedagogy programmes in public pre-primary schools in Kenya. Collection of student’s longitudinal unsupervised assessment data at scale creates the possibility of learning outcome focused A/B testing. This is a novel contribution to the development and research field as up until now this type of capability has largely been confined to students in high-income environments.

Sierra Leone – Giga - GIGA; UNICEF (2023)

2022 Achievements: Ukraine - Global Education Cluster (2023)
2022 Achievements | Strengthening coordination for a robust Education in Emergencies response in Ukraine Since the war broke out on 24th of February 2022 nearly two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been displaced either in-country or to bordering countries, including an estimated 5.7 million school-aged children (ages 3-18), including approx. 570,000 children with disabilities, Ukraine had very close to total enrollment before the war. Education facilities have been attacked from the very beginning of the war and continued to be targeted throughout 2022, creating an unpredictable and unsafe learning environment leading to increased learning loss. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in the first four months of the war, 1,849 educational facilities were damaged amid ongoing hostilities and 212 were destroyed. The situation has further impacted mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of students and teachers. 75% of parents reported that their children have symptoms of psychological trauma, 90% of teachers (83% women) self-reported their psychological state of mind as worsening. More than 15 million people (out of a population of approx. 41 million) need humanitarian assistance; 34% of those (5.2 million including teachers) have education needs. In 2022, Ukraine Education Cluster partners reached a total of 1,336,746 school-aged children with the provision of Education in Emergencies services. The Global Education Cluster immediately deployed its Rapid Response Team members (a Senior Coordinator and Information Management Officer) to remotely reinforce the Ukraine Education Cluster. Immediate support provided by the RRT include development of the education component of the OCHA Flash Appeal. The RRTs also supported development of the Education Cannot Wait First Emergency Response (FER) for Ukraine. The deployment lasted eight weeks, until interim Cluster Coordinators from each Cluster Lead Agency took over. This was a first for GEC in fastness and possible due to having a Ukraine focal point and a heightened awareness of the situation. The Rapid deployments ensured that Education was represented and visible from the moment the war began; both in terms of focal point for the many national and international actors, and as engaged party to the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group. With support from the CLA, the Ukraine Education Cluster also strengthened monitoring attacks on education, and supported authorities in designing a rapid Needs Assessment and analyzing data, which were reviewed by the GEC and REACH, to inform the current and future Education in Emergencies response. The GEC maintained its support all through 2022 and will continue its assistance to the Ukraine Cluster in 2023.

Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning - Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (2023)

Accelerated Funding Grant Progress Report - Global Partnership for Education (2023)

Decision on Multiplier Grant to Ukraine: April 2023 - Global Partnership for Education (2023)
The Board of Directors approved a $25.55 million grant from the GPE Multiplier to Ukraine as accelerated financing.

Education in Ukraine: Over $51 million in grants and in-kind support announced from GPE, Google and Microsoft - Global Partnership for Education (2023)
As the war continues in Ukraine, severely disrupting education, GPE, Google, Microsoft Corporation and UNESCO will provide over US$51 million for distance learning and psychosocial support for children in conflict-affected areas. The program will be rolled out by UNESCO and UNICEF in Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

GPE 2025 Results Framework for Lao PDR - Global Partnership for Education (2023)
Keywords: ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

Guidelines for Accelerated Funding - Global Partnership for Education (2023)
These guidelines describe the criteria for eligibility, amount, eligible activities and duration of accelerated funding from GPE.

Lessons and Impacts of a Phone-Based Parenting Program for Syrian and Jordanian Families with Young Children - Global TIES for Children (2023)
In this brief, Global TIES researchers evaluate a phone-delivered version of a parenting program in the Middle East and the first randomized-controlled evaluation of an audio-only parenting program. Though extremely relevant for humanitarian and crisis situations, when in-person programs are difficult, very little is known about the impacts of audio-only remote caregiver programs. When the International Rescue Committee (IRC) adapted an in-person home-visiting parenting program in 2020 to be delivered remotely, via audio-only phone calls, it created a unique opportunity to evaluate an audio-only remote caregiver program. The original in-person program, Reach Up and Learn (RUL), had been delivered by the IRC from 2016 to early 2020 in parts of Jordan, targeting both Jordanian and Syrian caregivers. The remote adaptation was made in response to the pandemic and as part of the Ahlan Simsim initiative, in partnership with Sesame Workshop. For more information about the Ahlan Simsim project and Global TIES for Children, as well as access to the other research briefs in this series, visit: https://globaltiesforchildren.nyu.edu/as-findings

Lessons and Impacts of a Remote Early Childhood Education Program in Hard-To-Access Settings in Lebanon: A Randomized Controlled Trial - Global TIES for Children (2023)
In this brief, Global TIES researchers explore outcomes from the first evaluation of a remote early childhood education (ECE) program for families affected by conflict and crisis and the second of the effect of short-term (shorter than 3 months) ECE programming. It evaluates the impact of an 11-week remote early learning program (RELP) delivered alone and in combination with Ahlan Simsim Families (ASF), a parenting support program. Key takeaways include RELP and RELP+ASF had significant positive impacts on emergent literacy and numeracy and overall child development as well as on child play. RELP had significant, positive impacts on social-emotional and motor skills. Also, The size of the impacts found on child development is in the range of those seen in evaluations of in-person preschool from around the world, suggesting that RELP is a viable alternative to support children in places where in-person preschool is not feasible. For more information about the Ahlan Simsim project and Global TIES for Children, as well as access to the other research briefs in this series, visit: https://globaltiesforchildren.nyu.edu/as-findings

Lessons and Impacts of Ahlan Simsim TV Program in Pre-Primary Classrooms in Jordan on Children’s Emotional Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial - Global TIES for Children (2023)
In this brief, Global TIES researchers evaluate the effects of Ahlan Simsim, a television show co-produced by Sesame Workshop and Jordan Pioneers that has been viewed by more than 23 million children across the MENA region, including 57% of displaced Syrians across Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.

Education Sector Budget Proposal Report 2023/24 - Government of Kenya (Government of Kenya, 2023)

Report of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform: ​​Transforming education, training and research for sustainable development in Kenya - Government of Kenya (2023)

Building Educational Foundations through Innovation & Technology (BEFIT): Malawi Scale-Up Program Overview - Government of Malawi (2023)

Basic and Senior Secondary Education Act, 2023 - Government of Sierra Leone (2023)

Voluntary National Review 2023 on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals - Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2023)

National Strategic Plan for Digital Development and Information and Communication Technology (Timor 2032) - Government of Timor-Leste (2023)

Fiscal Transfers: View Consolidated formulae - Government of Uganda (OTIMS, 2023)

Nigeria Has More Than 500 Languages, 300 Ethnic Groups... And Critically Important Elections. | Wilson Center - Green, Mark (2023)

Assistive Technologies for Children with Disabilities in Inclusive and Special Schools in Indonesia - Hata, Anna; Wang, Han; Yuwono, Joko; Nomura, Shinsaku (The World Bank, 2023)
Keywords: Enhancing the quality of education for children with disabilities, including through the use of assistive technology; accepted; study addresses this knowledge gap, focusing on the Indonesian context; world bank; ⛔ No INSPIRE recid found

The effects of war, displacement, and trauma on child development - Hazer, Livia; Gredebäck, Gustaf (Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2023)
PDF | In this paper, we review how refugee children’s psychological development is impacted by experiencing war, displacement, and trauma. As the Syrian... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Technology use in teacher preparation and professional development in low-and middle-income countries - UNESCO Digital Library - Hennessy, Sara; D'Angelo, Sophia; Koomar, Saalim; Kreimeia, Adam; Adam, Taskeen; Cao, Lydia; Haßler, Björn (Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Background paper, 2023)

18 Months Later: A mental health and psychosocial needs assesment across Ukraine - HIAS (2023)

Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 6.4 - Higgins, J.P.T; Chandler, J; Cumpston, M; Li, T; Page, M.J; Welch, V. A (Cochrane, 2023)

Big data-driven public policy decisions: Transformation toward smart governance - Hossin, Md Altab; Du, Jie; Mu, Lei; Asante, Isaac Owusu (SAGE Open, 2023)
Big data analytics (BDA) enhances knowledge and decision-making. Despite its importance, the connection between technical progress and political change is neglected in the administrative process. Most studies focus on e-government, e-governance, and how technology can improve existing operations of the bureaucracy. However, this article aims to explore the potential of BDA for public policy systems and provide a linkage for the transformation toward digital and smart governance using preferred reported items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) approach to reveal the relevant documents and narrative review approach to interpret the application of BDA at each step of the public policy system. In addition, this study identifies several common public policy-related big data sources and techniques that could be used at the various stages of the public policy process. This study argues that BDA has the potential to be used for policy formulation in the four main phases—planning, design, service delivery, and evaluation. Most studies confirm its potential in the policy process for taxation, health, education, transportation, law, economy, and social system. This study reveals that it is also suitable for public policy execution stages, such as public supervision, public regulation, service delivery, and policy feedback. Previous studies have indicated that the application of BDA can transform traditional or manual governance systems into digital and smart governance. We contend that the policy cycle should be seen as a dynamic and iterative process characterized by continuous evolution. Though each step of transformation has its unique challenges in handling BDA and maintaining the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, it can ensure an accurate, prompt, and context-oriented public policy system. These insights provide a novel outlook on effectively managing the interplay between innovation and traditional approaches in the realm of public policy development.Plain Language SummaryImportance: Big data analytics (BDA) enhances knowledge and decision-making. Despite its importance, the connection between technical progress and political change is neglected in the administrative process. Most studies focus on e-government, e-governance, and how technology can improve existing operations of the bureaucracy. Aims: However, this article aims to explore the potential of BDA for public policy systems and provide a linkage for the transformation toward digital and smart governance using preferred reported items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) approach to reveal the relevant documents and narrative review approach to interpret the application of BDA at each step of the public policy system. In addition, this study identifies several common public policy-related big data sources and techniques that could be used at the various stages of the public policy process. Findings: This study argues that BDA has the potential to be used for policy formulation in the four main phases—planning, design, service delivery, and evaluation. Most studies confirm its potential in the policy process for taxation, health, education, transportation, law, economy, and social system. This study reveals that it is also suitable for public policy execution stages, such as public supervision, public regulation, service delivery, and policy feedback. Implications: Previous studies have indicated that the application of BDA can transform traditional or manual governance systems into digital and smart governance. Though each step of transformation has its unique challenges in handling BDA and maintaining the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, it can ensure an accurate, prompt, and context-oriented public policy system.