A support programme for caregivers of children with disabilities in Ghana: Understanding the impact on the wellbeing of caregivers - Zuurmond, Maria; Nyante, Gifty; Baltussen, Marjolein; Seeley, Janet; Abanga, Jedidia; Shakespeare, Tom; Collumbien, Martine; Bernays, Sarah (Child: Care, Health and Development, 2019)

Raising domestic resources for equitable education - Zubairi, Asma; Rose, Pauline (Education Commission, 2016)

Towards Localization of Automated Tutors for Developing Countries - Zualkernan, Imran; Arroyo, Ivon; Woolf, Beverly P. (AIED Workshops, 2013)
Abstract. This paper describes localization issues in relation to AIED systems in the developing world, and analyzes the particular case of the successful immersion of learning technologies to schools in Pakistan. The paper analyzes the needs for personalized learning in the developing world in comparison to countries such as the United States. A model and a survey based on various types of localization dimensions like teacher, student, and cultural alignment was developed and deployed to conduct an evaluation of an AI tutor called the Wayang Outpost in Pakistan. The results are that teachers are likely to use such a system if available, and that their intention to use such a tutor in the future is strongly dependent on how well the tutor is aligned with their teaching practices, students ’ learning habits, and whether the language in the tutor is understood by students. On average these teachers were also willing to allocate about two hours per week for such automated tutors.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Community outreach projects as a sustainable way of introducing information technology in developing countries - Zlotnikova, Irina; van der Weide, Theo (International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 2015)
The paper describes an approach to the sustainable introduction of IT in developing countries based on international collaboration between students taking the form of a knowledge bridge. The authors consider the challenges for introducing information technologies in developing countries; one of these is lack of reading materials ultimately leading to lack of reading skills in pupils and poor overall performance. A theoretical framework for the sustainable introduction of IT is proposed. It comprises the following components: (1) the model of a knowledge bridge, (2) the managerial model of the interactions between key stakeholders, and (3) the model of impact of a Community Outreach Project (COP) on target schools. The proposed models have been mapped to the widely adopted DPSIR framework used in sustainable development studies. As a case study, the authors discuss the E-readers Project run in two primary schools in Northern Tanzania. The paper also demonstrates how interaction and collaboration between Tanzanian and Dutch students was organized during preparatory stage and project implementation. The paper concludes with general recommendations on how to run a sustainable IT-based COP. These recommendations have been drawn from the analysis of the COP experience in the developing country, namely Tanzania.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Comparing students’ self-discipline and self-regulation measures and their prediction of academic achievement - Zimmerman, Barry J.; Kitsantas, Anastasia (Contemporary Educational Psychology, 2014)
Using a multi-source, multi-measure research design involving 507 high school students and their teachers, we compared prediction of these students’ academic achievement by a composite of students’ and teachers’ measures of students’ self-regulation (SR) with a composite of students’ and teachers’ measures of students’ self-discipline (SD). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the SR composite was more predictive of students’ grade point average and performance on a state-wide achievement test than the SD composite. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that, although SD and SR latent factors correlated significantly, a two-factor solution provided an acceptable fit for the results. Structural Equation Modeling analyses indicated that the SR latent factor predicted both measures of students’ achievement significantly, but the SD factor did not predict either achievement measure significantly. No significant gender differences were found with students’ SD, SR, or achievement measures. These results suggest a path for integrating two relatively separate streams in self-regulation research on the basis of a well-established distinction between learning and performance processes.
Keywords: Academic achievement; Self-discipline; Self-regulation

Self-regulated learning: theories, measures, and outcomes - Zimmerman, Barry J. (International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2015)
Self-regulated learning refers to how students become masters of their own learning processes. Neither a mental ability nor a performance skill, self-regulation is instead the self-directive process through which learners transform their mental abilities into task-related skills in diverse areas of functioning, such as academia, sports, music, and health. This article will deﬁne self-regulated learning and describe the intellectual context in which the construct emerged, changes in researchers’ emphasis over time as well as current emphases, methodological issues related to the construct, and directions for future research.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Census - Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (2017)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Exploring the gender gap in Tanzanian secondary school mathematics classrooms. - Zilimu, J.A (University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, Ill., 2014)

A Map of Threats to Validity of Systematic Literature Reviews in Software Engineering - Zhou, Xin; Jin, Yuqin; Zhang, He; Li, Shanshan; Huang, Xin (2016 23rd Asia-Pacific Software Engineering Conference (APSEC), 2016)
Context: The assessment of Threats to Validity (TTVs) is critical to secure the quality of empirical studies in Software Engineering (SE). In the recent decade, Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was becoming an increasingly important empirical research method in SE. One of the mechanisms of insuring the level of scientific value in the findings of an SLR is to rigorously assess its validity. Hence, it is necessary to realize the status quo and issues of TTVs of SLRs in SE. Objective: This study aims to investigate the-state-of-the-practice of TTVs of the SLRs published in SE, and further support SE researchers to improve the assessment and strategies against TTVs in order to increase the quality of SLRs in SE. Method: We conducted a tertiary study by reviewing the SLRs in SE that report the assessment of TTVs. Results: We identified 316 SLRs published from 2004 to the first half of 2015, in which TTVs are discussed. The issues associated to TTVs were also summarized and categorized. Conclusion: The common TTVs related to SLR research, such as internal validity and reliability, were thoroughly discussed in most SLRs. The threats to construct validity and external validity drew less attention. Moreover, there are few strategies and tactics being reported to cope with the various TTVs.
Keywords: Bibliographies; Data mining; Evidence-Based Software Engineering; Manuals; Search problems; Software; Software engineering; Systematic (Literature) Review; Systematics; Threats to Validity

Development assessment of leisure agriculture in Henan province of China based on SWOT-AHP method - Zhang, Yichuan; Feng, Lei (Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 2013)

Argentina Has More Women in Science—But It Hasn't Fixed Sexism - Zhang, Sarah (Wired, 2015)
The numbers of women in astronomy are dismal, but Argentina is an exception. Does the country have something to teach about equality in academia?
Keywords: argentina; astronomy; gender

The impact of teacher training on teacher and student outcomes: evidence from a randomised experiment in Beijing migrant schools - Zhang, Linxiu; Lai, Fang; Pang, Xiaopeng; Yi, Hongmei; Rozelle, Scott (Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2013)

The teaching of polar coordinates with dynamic mathematics software - Zengin, Yilmaz; Tatar, Enver (International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2015)
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of dynamic mathematics software on the achievement of pre-service mathematics teachers in the topic of polar coordinates and to solicit their opinions about computer-assisted instruction. The study was conducted for 11 weeks with 33 pre-service teachers in the Department of Mathematics Education Program of a state university in Turkey. Data collection tools comprised a knowledge test of polar coordinates and administration of a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers who conducted the study using an embedded design as part of a mixed-method research. The results of data analysis showed that the computer-assisted instruction method in which dynamic mathematics software was used positively contributed to the success of pre-service teachers in understanding the subject of polar coordinates. Furthermore, it was found that pre-service teachers supported the use of this method in lessons as it provides visualization, increases retention, concretization of abstract mathematical structures, better understanding and learning, and creates an interesting and interactive learning environment.
Keywords: ADULTS; COMPUTER assisted instruction; Computer Assisted Instruction; Computer Software; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Educational Technology; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Knowledge Level; MATHEMATICS education (Secondary); MATHEMATICS education -- Aids & devices; MATHEMATICS software; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematics; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Skills; Mixed Methods Research; POLAR coordinates (Mathematics); Postsecondary Education; Preservice Teachers; Pretests Posttests; SECONDARY education; STUDENT teachers; Scores; Semi Structured Interviews; Software; Student Teacher Attitudes; Student teachers; TEACHING methods -- Evaluation; TEENAGERS; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Turkey; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2099919; __finaldtb; computer-assisted instruction method; dynamic mathematics software; polar coordinates; pre-service teachers

Incorporating the dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra into a history of mathematics course - Zengin, Yilmaz (International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2018)
The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service teachers' views about the history of mathematics course in which GeoGebra was used. The qualitative research design was used in this study. The participants of the study consisted of 23 pre-service mathematics teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. An open-ended questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Qualitative data obtained from the pre-service teachers were analyzed by means of content analysis. As a result, it was determined that GeoGebra software was an effective tool in the learning and teaching of the history of mathematics.
Keywords: Colleges & universities; Computer Software; Content analysis; Data acquisition; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Foreign Countries; GeoGebra; Geometry; Higher Education; History; History of mathematics; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematical Logic; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Teachers; Preservice Teachers; Qualitative analysis; Qualitative research; Software; Student Attitudes; Teachers; Turkey; Validity; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2098800; __finaldtb; dynamic mathematics software; pre-service teachers' views

Incorporating the dynamic mathematics software GeoGebra into a history of mathematics course - Zengin, Yilmaz (International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 2018)
The purpose of this study was to investigate pre-service teachers' views about the history of mathematics course in which GeoGebra was used. The qualitative research design was used in this study. The participants of the study consisted of 23 pre-service mathematics teachers studying at a state university in Turkey. An open-ended questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Qualitative data obtained from the pre-service teachers were analyzed by means of content analysis. As a result, it was determined that GeoGebra software was an effective tool in the learning and teaching of the history of mathematics.
Keywords: Colleges & universities; Computer Software; Content analysis; Data acquisition; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Foreign Countries; GeoGebra; Geometry; Higher Education; History; History of mathematics; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematical Logic; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Mathematics Instruction; Mathematics Teachers; Preservice Teachers; Qualitative analysis; Qualitative research; Software; Student Attitudes; Teachers; Turkey; Validity; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2098800; __finaldtb; dynamic mathematics software; pre-service teachers' views

She called, she Googled, she knew: girls' secondary education, interrupted school attendance, and educational use of mobile phones in Nairobi - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Gender & Development, 2014)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

She called, she Googled, she knew: girls' secondary education, interrupted school attendance, and educational use of mobile phones in Nairobi - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Gender & Development, 2014)
Girls in Kenya commonly face multiple barriers to school attendance. At the same time, mobile phone use is growing throughout the country, and particularly in urban centres including Nairobi. As this technology spreads, the possibility increases of people using mobile phones for their own development purposes, including for education and learning. This article examines mobile phone use by girls at one secondary school in Nairobi, and in particular their attempts to mediate interrupted school attendance using this technology.
Keywords: ICT4D; Kenya; ___working_potential_duplicate; gender; girls' education; international education and development; mobile learning; school attendance

She called, she Googled, she knew: girls' secondary education, interrupted school attendance, and educational use of mobile phones in Nairobi - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Gender & Development, 2014)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

The potential impact of mobile-assisted language learning on women and girls in Africa: A literature review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: Equity through Access; ___working_potential_duplicate

The Potential Impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning on Women and Girls in Africa: A Literature Review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

The potential impact of mobile-assisted language learning on women and girls in Africa: A literature review - Zelezny-Green, Ronda (Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate

The impact of cognitive and non-cognitive feedback on students' achievement in a distance learning environment - Zeichner, Orit (Journal of Educational Technology, 2018)
This paper deals with the field of "feedback intervention" in a distance learning environment. The study examines the influences of two types of feedback: cognitive content-oriented feedback designed to meet the student's cognitive needs relating to the curriculum, and non-cognitive feedback that refers to motivational-affective aspects of the learning process, in the form of axioms relating to the student's ability, on one hand, and the effort that the student puts into the learning process, on the other. The purpose of this study was to examine the differential effect of different types of feedback on the student's coping variables (cognitive assessment), i.e. the sense of threat and challenge, self-efficacy, and achievement. The rationale for choosing feedback axioms for motivation is based on recent theoretical models which focus on students' perceptions and beliefs as elements that affect their learning motivation. The study was conducted on 171 subjects divided into three study groups. Each group received a different type of feedback: content feedback, effort feedback, or ability feedback. The findings indicate that groups which received feedback relating to more than content show improved motivation, an increased sense of challenge and improved achievement in comparison to the group which received content feedback only. Small differences were found between the ability feedback and effort feedback groups.
Keywords: Academic Achievement; Cognitive Processes; Comparative Analysis; Distance Education; Educational Technology; Feedback (Response); High School Students; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Mixed Methods Research; Questionnaires; Self Efficacy; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation

Dropout at primary and secondary level: a challenge to ensure rights to education for the Government of Bangladesh - Zaman, Md. Mostafa (Institute of Governance Studies (IGS), BRAC University, 2014)

How solar mini-grids can bring cheap, green electricity to rural Africa - Zajicek, Charlie (odi.org, 2019)
Well-suited to small, remote communities, renewable energy mini-grids can be the most cost-effective option for rural electrification in Africa.

Mode of tele-communication and software used by children with hearing impairment - Zahra, Arjamand; Khan, Sikander Ghayas; Butt, Ayesha Kamal; Noreen, Hafsa; Saeed, Muhammad Imtiaz; Iftikhar, Nayab (Biomedical Research, 2018)
Objective: The study is being conducted to find out mode of tele-communication and software used by children with hearing impairment. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was done at special education centers and schools in Lahore and Sheikhupura. Data was collected from children with hearing impairment by using a questionnaire of 11 items about the modes of tele-communication and software used by children with hearing impairment. Sample size was 362 which was calculated by using online sample size calculator. The population includes male and female children with mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing impairment studying in special education schools of Lahore and Sheikhupura. All these children use hearing aid and have congenital bilateral hearing loss. Results: This study shows that almost 80% population of children with hearing impairment know about computer and mobile. They also have awareness about the use of computer, Facebook, e-mail etc. In addition, 40 to 50% children with hearing impairment use Skype, Facebook and e-mail as a communication tool. Conclusion: The conclusion from this study is that most of the children use computer and mobile on daily basis in schools and homes for communication. Mild to moderate hearing loss children benefit from these devices between the ages of 10 to 20 y.

A multivariate approach to predicting student outcomes in web-enabled blended learning courses - Zacharis, Nick. Z. (Internet and Higher Education, 2015)

Effectiveness of a youth-led early childhood care and education programme in rural Pakistan: A cluster-randomised controlled trial - Yousafzai, Aisha K.; Rasheed, Muneera A.; Rizvi, Arjumand; Shaheen, Fariha; Ponguta, Liliana A.; Reyes, Chin R. (PLOS ONE, 2018)
Background The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals encompass lifelong learning from birth to youth to adulthood (Goal 4) and economic opportunities for young people (Goal 8). The targets include improving access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) as well as learning and training opportunities for adolescents and youth. Cross-generational models for young children and youth may offer opportunities to address the interconnections between goals and targets for the next generation. We investigated whether an ECCE programme for young children (3.5–6.5 years) delivered by female youth (18–24 years) in rural Pakistan would be effective on children’s school readiness. Methods In partnership with the National Commission for Human Development in Pakistan, we implemented the ‘Youth Leaders for Early Childhood Assuring Children are Prepared for School’ (LEAPS) programme to train female youth to deliver ECCE. The effectiveness of the LEAPS programme on children’s school readiness was evaluated in a cluster-randomised controlled trial. We randomly allocated five clusters (villages) to receive the intervention (n = 170 children) and five clusters to control (n = 170 children). Children’s school readiness was assessed after nine months of intervention exposure using the International Development and Early Learning Assessment tool. Analyses was by intention-to-treat. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02645162. Findings At endline, the intervention group had significantly higher school readiness scores (n = 166, mean percentage score 59.4, 95% CI 52.7 to 66.2) compared with the control group (n = 168, mean percentage score 45.5, 95% CI 38.8 to 52.3). The effect size (Cohen’s d) was 0.3. Conclusion Trained female youth delivered an ECCE programme that was effective in benefitting young children’s school readiness. The cross-generational model is a promising approach to support early child development; however, further evaluation of the model is needed to assess the specific benefits to youth including their skills and economic development.
Keywords: Caregivers; Child development; Children; Human learning; Pakistan; Schools; Supervisors; Teachers

ROMA: a guide to policy engagement and influence - Young, John; Shaxson, Louise; Jones, Harry; Hearn, Simon; Datta, Ajoy; Cassidy, Caroline (Overseas Development Institute, 2014)
Excerpt "It is worth noting that ROMA draws heavily on the concepts underpinning Outcome Mapping (OM). Developed in the early 2000s, OM is an approach to fostering change that centres on understanding how different actors behave and how changing the behaviour of one actor fosters change in another (see Box 1). The context within which policy change happens is a complex one, happening with a range of different actors at different levels, as Chapter 1 outlines.

Channeling Fisher: Randomization Tests and the Statistical Insignificance of Seemingly Significant Experimental Results* - Young, Alwyn (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2019)
I follow R. A. Fisher'sThe Design of Experiments (1935), using randomization statistical inference to test the null hypothesis of no treatment effects in a comprehensive sample of 53 experimental papers drawn from the journals of the American Economic Association. In the average paper, randomization tests of the significance of individual treatment effects find 13% to 22% fewer significant results than are found using authors’ methods. In joint tests of multiple treatment effects appearing together in tables, randomization tests yield 33% to 49% fewer statistically significant results than conventional tests. Bootstrap and jackknife methods support and confirm the randomization results.

Experimental Impacts of a Teacher Professional Development Program in Chile on Preschool Classroom Quality and Child Outcomes - Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Snow, Catherine; Barata, Clara; Gomez, Celia; Leyva, Diana; Treviño, Ernesto; Weiland, Christina; Moreno, Lorenzo (Developmental Psychology, 2015)
We assessed impacts on classroom quality and on 5 child language and behavioral outcomes of a 2-year teacher professional-development program for publicly funded prekindergarten and kindergarten in Chile. This cluster-randomized trial included 64 schools (child N 1,876). The program incorporated workshops and in-classroom coaching. We found moderate to large positive impacts on observed emotional and instructional support as well as classroom organization in prekindergarten classrooms after 1 year of the program. After 2 years of the program, moderate positive impacts were observed on emotional support and classroom organization. No significant program impacts on child outcomes were detected at posttest (1 marginal effect, an increase in a composite of self-regulation and low problem behaviors, was observed). Professional development for preschool teachers in Chile can improve classroom quality. More intensive curricular approaches are needed for these improvements to translate into effects on children.

One step at a time: the effects of an early literacy text-messaging program for parents of preschoolers - York, Benjamin N.; Loeb, Susanna; Doss, Christopher (Journal of Human Resources, 2019)
Large systematic differences in young children’s home learning experiences have long-term economic consequences. Many parenting programs place significant demands on parents’ time and inundate parents with information. This study evaluates the effects of READY4K!, an eight-month-long text-messaging intervention for parents of preschoolers that targets the behavioral barriers to engaged parenting. We find that READY4K! increased parental involvement at home and school by 0.15 to 0.29 standard deviations, leading to child gains in early literacy of about 0.11 standard deviations. The results point to the salience of behavioral barriers to parenting and the potential for low-cost interventions to reduce these barriers.
Keywords: C93; D91; I21

Understanding the Potential of Digital Interventions to Support English Language Learners in Rwanda - Yoon, Semee; Kim, Hyunju; Connor, Jacqueline (Global Engagement and Empowerment (IGEE) at Yonsei University; Enuma, Inc., 2018)

Towards equitable access to information and opportunity for all: mapping schools with high-resolution Satellite Imagery and Machine Learning - Yi, Zhuangfang; Zurutuza, Naroa; Bollinger, Drew; Garcia-Herranz, Manuel; Kim, Dohyung (Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops, 2019)

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Patronage of Educational Broadcasts and its Effects on Academic Growth of Students of Winneba and Apam Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. - Yelkpieri, Daniel; Kweku, Wilson Esia-Donkoh; Kwesi (Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2011)
Keywords: ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Gender bias in attitude towards girls in the use of computers in selected schools in central Africa - Yeba, Judith Sama Mouokuio Meno (Journal of Continuing, Open and Distance Education, 2012)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Securing learning for children in conflict and crisis - Yarrow, Noah; Capek, Maja (World Bank, 2019)

Computers and the academic performance of elementary school-aged girls in China's poor communities - Yang, Yihua; Zhang, Linxiu; Zeng, Junxia; Pang, Xiaopeng; Lai, Fang; Rozelle, Scott (Computers & Education, 2013)
Experts agree that computers and computing play an important role in education. Since the 1980s there has been a debate about gender as it relates to computers and education. However, results regarding gender differences concerning computer use in education are not consistent. In particular there is little work done in China on this issue. Therefore, the overall goal of this paper is to demonstrate whether girls and boys can gain equally from computer-based education in China's elementary schools. To do so we analyze results from three randomized field experiments of a Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) program and One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program. The field experiments are carried out in three kinds of schools: Shannxi rural public schools; Qinghai minority public schools; and Beijing migrant schools. Although CAL and OLPC have been considered cost effective means to improve learning outcomes, it is not known whether the programs impact girls differently than boys. Our analysis shows that, in fact, there were no differences between female and male students in either the improvement in standardized math test scores or Chinese test scores with either the CAL or OLPC programs. Our study suggests that among disadvantaged students in China's rural areas and migrant communities, there is reason to believe that computer based learning can benefit both girls and boys equally. This finding has possible implications for China's ongoing efforts to integrate computers and computing technologies into the nation's underserved schools.
Keywords: Country-specific developments; Elementary education; Evaluation of CAL systems; Gender studies; Teaching/learning strategies

Challenges and strategies of working with learners with low vision: Implications for teacher training - Yalo, J. A.; Indoshi, F. C.; Agak, J. O. (Educational Research and Reviews, 2012)
Learners with low vision can be trained to increase their visual functioning through a planned programme of visual experiences. Such a low vision training programme was introduced in Kenya in 1994. However, despite its implementation over the last 15 years, challenges still persist among teachers who work with such learners. The purpose of this study was to document challenges that learners with low vision have on teachers’ performance when teaching learners with low vision in special primary schools for the visually impaired in Kenya. The study was carried out in 6 schools for the visually impaired respondents in the study including 78 teachers survey through questionnaire and observation. The study established challenges faced by teachers as lack of appropriate devices for learners, lack of adequate training of teachers and lack of regular teacher auditing. Strategies suggested to address the challenges were supply of low vision devices, low vision teams based at each school reconstituted to provide co-ordinated learning support and regular case conferencing be mounted to provide teacher support.

Soft Systems Methodology in an Educational Context—Enhancing Students Perception and Understanding - Yadin, Aharon (International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 2013)
This study was performed within a graduate course in the Organizational Development and Consulting graduate program. The course draws a comparison between the systems analysis processes used in computing systems (hard systems) and the organizational analysis methodologies applied in soft systems, such as Checklands' Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). Since most students' previous academic experience is in social sciences, abstract concepts related to computing systems were difficult to comprehend. The SSM that is mainly used for unstructured and poorly defined problems was exercised for identifying the students' difficulties. Using SSM for analyzing the students' perceived learning system revealed their specific difficulties, while providing a real life example on using the methodology. After understanding the students' difficulties, the course structure was changed for better addressing these difficulties. This paper describes the course, the methodology and the results obtained after implementing the proposed changes to the course.

Global learning XPRIZE: Executive summary - XPRIZE (XPRIZE, 2019)

XPRIZE and UNESCO - XPRIZE (XPRIZE, 2018)
Four years ago, when we first decided to conduct the field test for the Global learning XPRIZE in Tanzania, we were looking for a partner willing to take a chance on something audacious.

Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review - Xiao, Yu; Watson, Maria (Journal of Planning Education and Research, 2017)
Literature reviews establish the foundation of academic inquires. However, in the planning field, we lack rigorous systematic reviews. In this article, through a systematic search on the methodology of literature review, we categorize a typology of literature reviews, discuss steps in conducting a systematic literature review, and provide suggestions on how to enhance rigor in literature reviews in planning education and research.
Keywords: CitedIn:BIBBTVET

Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review - Xiao, Yu; Watson, Maria (Journal of Planning Education and Research, 2017)
Literature reviews establish the foundation of academic inquires. However, in the planning field, we lack rigorous systematic reviews. In this article, through a systematic search on the methodology of literature review, we categorize a typology of literature reviews, discuss steps in conducting a systematic literature review, and provide suggestions on how to enhance rigor in literature reviews in planning education and research.
Keywords: CitedIn:BIBBTVET

On the margins or at the center? Distance learning in higher education - Xiao, J (Distance Education, 2018)

Qaabdhismeedka Manhajka Waxbarashada Qaranka Soomaaliyeed - Xafiiska Horumarinta Manaahijta (Wasaaradda Waxbarashada, Hiddaha iyo Tacliinta Sare, 2017)

A Comprehensive Situation Analysis of Teachers and the Teaching Profession in Sierra Leone: Final report presented to the Teaching Service Commission - Wright, Dr. Cream (Global Partnership for Education; World Bank, 2018)

Teachers and the Teaching Profession in Sierra Leone: A Comprehensive Situation Analysis - Wright, Cream (TSC, 2017)

Audio-described educational materials: Ugandan teachers' experiences - Wormnaes, Siri; Sellaeg, Nina (British Journal of Visual Impairment, 2013)
This article describes and discusses a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study of how 12 visually impaired teachers in Uganda experienced audio-described educational video material for teachers and student teachers. The study is based upon interviews with these teachers and observations while they were using the material either individually, in pairs, or in small groups along with sighted teachers. The findings demonstrate that audio-described material was highly appreciated by the teachers, contributing to their involvement and emotional engagement with the situation for learners with disabilities. The teachers also benefited from the opportunity of participating in the discussion sessions that followed the viewing. In this article, questions regarding what and how to audio describe are discussed in the light of educational objectives and cultural relevance. The overall aim of the study is to make a contribution to knowledge about how audio-described educational videos may assist inclusive and reflective learning processes among blind teachers and student teachers in an East African context. (Contains 1 note.)
Keywords: Access to Education; Audio description; Cultural Relevance; Culturally Relevant Education; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Educational Objectives; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Inclusion; Instructional Materials; Interviews; Learning Processes; Postsecondary Education; Qualitative Research; Reflection; Student Teachers; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Education; Teachers; Uganda; Video Technology; Visual Impairments; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2098573; __finaldtb; blind universal design; educational material accessible media; teacher training

Anasoma Mid-Term Report - Worldreader; R4D (Worldreader, 2017)
This report shows the initial findings of the first sprint of the Anasoma Research aimed at identifying barriers of and drivers to female mobile readership in Kenya.

Worldreader - Reports and Research About Mobile Reading - Worldreader (Worldreader, 2017)
We conduct research on our mobile reading programs and publish the results. Download our reports and research about mobile reading in the developing world.

Sierra Leone population 2020 - WorldPop (2018)
RF-based gridded population distribution datasets produced in the framework of the Global Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076)
Keywords: Population distribution, Population, Dasymetric disaggregation

Universal Service and Access Funds: An Untapped Resource to Close the Gender Digital Divide - World Wide Web Foundation (2018)

Real-Time Evaluation of World Vision's Response to the Syrian Crisis - World Vision (2014)
Keywords: _C:Australia AUS; _C:Austria AUT; _C:Belgium BEL; _C:Canada CAN; _C:Finland FIN; _C:Germany DEU; _C:Iraq IRQ; _C:Japan JPN; _C:Jordan JOR; _C:Korea XKOR; _C:Lebanon LBN; _C:Malaysia MYS; _C:Norway NOR; _C:Singapore SGP; _C:Switzerland CHE; _C:Syrian Arab Republic SYR; _C:Turkey TUR; _C:United Kingdom GBR; __C:scheme:1

United Republic of Tanzania - World Inequality Database on Education (WIDE); GEM report; WIDE (World Inequality Database on Education (WIDE), 2017)

Ebola data and statistics - World Health Organization (WHO, 2016)

Total expenditure on health: As a percentage of gross domestic product - World Health Organization (OECD Publishing, 2017)
This table includes data on total expenditure on health, as a percentage of gross domestic product. The table is part of the key tables collection on health.

World report on disability - World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2011)

Capturing Cost Data - World Bank; International Rescue Committee (World Bank, 2019)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Bangladesh - Additional Financing to the Second Reaching Out-of-School Children Project : Learning Opportunities for Displaced Rohingya Children - World Bank Group (2019)

Bangladesh Engaging the Private Sector in Education: SABER Country Report 2016 - World Bank Group (World Bank, 2016)

Bangladesh - Third Primary Education Development Program (English) - World Bank Group (2018)

Allô École! Using mobile technologies to connect government, teachers, and parents - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)
A World Bank pilot is promoting a mobile social accountability platform « Allô École! » to increase accountability in the primary education sector of the DRC.
Keywords: C: Democratic Republic of Congo

Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) - Sierra Leone - World Bank (2012)

Balochistan : Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Performance Assessment Report - World Bank (2018)
Balochistan : Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Performance Assessment Report (English)

Bangladesh: ensuring education for all Bangladeshis - World Bank (World Bank, 2016)
Bangladesh has made remarkable gains over the past two decades by ensuring access to education, especially at the primary level and for girls. The country’s net enrollment rate at the primary school level increased from 80 percent in 2000 to 98 percent in 2015.
Keywords: Asia; South Asia

Bangladesh - Quality Learning for All Program for Results : Environmental and social system assessment (English) - World Bank (2018)
Bangladesh - Quality Learning for All Program for Results : Environmental and social system assessment (English)

Boosting Prosperity, Improving Equity in North and North Eastern Kenya - World Bank (2018)

Cambodia Learning Poverty Brief - World Bank (2019)

Cambodia's Cross-Cutting Reforms: Public Financial Management, Decentralization, and Public Administration Reforms - Achievements, Coordination, Challenges, and Next Steps - World Bank (2018)
This note analyzes the progress of three public sector reforms (Public Financial Management, Public Administration, and Decentralization and Deconcentration) in Cambodia and describes how their design, implementation, and institutional arrangements can be better sequenced and coordinated. It focuses on the overall public sector reform agenda rather than drill into the specifics of individual reforms. Options are identified to strengthen coordination of the civil service, improve general policy sequencing, and manage challenges within the three reform areas. Recommendations to deepen individual reforms are also provided, in particular, to strengthen cross-cutting public administration improvements.

Country Diagnostic of Senegal - World Bank (2019)

Country Partnership Strategy (FY2013–2017) for the Republic of Senegal - World Bank (2013)

El Salvador | Data - World Bank (2019)

Ending Learning Poverty: What will it take? - World Bank (2019)

eTransform Ghana Project Appraisal Document - World Bank (2013)

Fiscal Consolidation to Accelerate Growth and Support Inclusive Development: Ghana Public Expenditure Review - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)
Ghana has experienced an extended period of robust growth since the early 2000s, supported by a favorable external environment and large investment inflows, particularly in the extractive industries. In 2011, as the start of oil production drove a surge in per capita income, Ghana graduated from low-income to lower-middle-income status. Despite the key role of the extractive industries, recent growth has been relatively inclusive, and Ghana achieved its Millennium Development Goal of halving the poverty rate by 2015. However, macroeconomic conditions have deteriorated since 2012, giving rise to substantial domestic and external imbalances. Although external shocks have underscored Ghana's vulnerability to global commodity and financial markets, the recurring nature of its imbalances reflects deeper structural deficiencies in its macroeconomic policies and public financial management (PFM) framework. A heavy focus on commodity exports has accelerated Ghana's recent growth, but the country's economic outlook increasingly hinges on a narrow range of volatile commodity prices.
Keywords: Agricultural Productivity; Fiscal Policy; Health; Macroeconomic Policy; Pay Reform; Public Education; Public Expenditure; Public Financial Management; Public Wages; Revenue Management; Taxation

From Growth to Development: Priorities for Sustainably Reducing Poverty and Achieving Middle-Income Status by 2030 - World Bank (2018)

Gender Equality and Development - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2012)

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) - South Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka | Data - World Bank (2018)

Grant Funding Proposal (FY11- Round 33) - World Bank (Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF), 2011)

IDA Project Paper on a Proposed Additional Credit to the Republic of Senegal for a Quality Improvement and Equity of Basic Education Project - World Bank (2018)

Implementation Completion and Results Report for a Project to Improve Education Quality in Malawi - World Bank (2015)

Implementation Completion and Results Report (TF-14253, TF-14358) - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2017)

Incidence of malaria (per 1,000 population at risk) - Sierra Leone, Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) | Data - World Bank (2018)

Inclusion Matters : The Foundation for Shared Prosperity - World Bank (World Bank, 2013)
Today, the world is at a conjuncture where issues of exclusion and inclusion are assuming new significance for both developed and developing countries. The imperative for social inclusion has blurred the distinction between these two stylized poles of development. Countries that used to be referred to as developed are grappling with issues of exclusion and inclusion perhaps more intensely today than they did a decade ago. And countries previously called developing are grappling with both old issues and new forms of exclusion thrown up by growth. Nonlinear demographic transitions, global economic volatility, shifts in the international balance of power, and local political movements have had a large part to play in these shifting sands. These changes make social inclusion more urgent than it was even a decade ago. This report tries to put boundaries around the abstraction that is "social inclusion." Placing the discussion of social inclusion within such global transitions and transformations, the report argues that social inclusion is an evolving agenda. It offers two easy-to-use definitions and a framework to assist practitioners in asking, outlining, and developing some of the right questions that can help advance the agenda of inclusion in different contexts. This report builds on previous analytical work, especially by the World Bank, on themes that touch upon social inclusion, including multidimensional poverty, inequality, equity, social cohesion, and empowerment. There are seven main messages in this report: (1) excluded groups exist in all countries; (2) excluded groups are consistently denied opportunities; (3) intense global transitions are leading to social transformations that create new opportunities for inclusion as well as exacerbating existing forms of exclusion; (4) people take part in society through markets, services, and spaces; (5) social and economic transformations affect the attitudes and perceptions of people. As people act on the basis of how they feel, it is important to pay attention to their attitudes and perceptions; (6) exclusion is not immutable. Abundant evidence demonstrates that social inclusion can be planned and achieved; and (7) moving ahead will require a broader and deeper knowledge of exclusion and its impacts as well as taking concerted action. The report is divided into three parts. Part one is framing the issues. Part two focuses on transitions, transformations, and perceptions. Part three is change is possible.

Individuals using the Internet (% of population) - World Bank (2017)

Information and Communications Infrastructure Development Project - World Bank (World Bank, 2015)
Information and Communications Infrastructure Development Project

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Accountability in the Primary Education Sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Interim Results, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward - World Bank (World Bank, 2016)

Is education ready to work in data-intensive environments? - World Bank (Medium, 2019)
The availability of good data can help lead to making good decisions. This is true in education, as it is in other sectors.

ISR-Mongolia: Improving Primary Education Outcomes for the most vulnerable children in rural Mongolia (P130760) - World Bank (The World Bank, 2017)

Joint IDA-IFC-MIGA Country Partnership Strategy for the Republic of Senegal - World Bank (2013)

Kenya Overview - World Bank (2019)
The World Bank’s work in Kenya supports the government’s Vision 2030 development strategy, which aims to accelerate sustainable growth, reduce inequality, and manage resource scarcity.

Learning poverty - World Bank (2019)

Learning poverty - World Bank (2019)
This indicator brings together schooling and learning indicators.

Learning Poverty Brief - World Bank (2019)

Liberia Education Sector Analysis - World Bank (2016)

Liberia - Improving Results in Secondary Education Project - World Bank (2019)

Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) - World Bank (2018)

Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) - Sub-Saharan Africa - World Bank (2018)

Mongolia: Systematic Country Diagnostic - World Bank (World Bank, 2018)

Mozambique - Service delivery indicators: Mozambique service delivery indicators (English) - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2015)
Mozambique service delivery indicators brief;education

Nigeria: Human Capital Index Summary - World Bank (2018)

Nigeria | Population - World Bank (2019)

Open Data Readiness Assessment: Sierra Leone - World Bank (2015)

Pakistan@100: Shaping the Future - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2018)
Pakistan@100: Shaping the Future articulates the reforms that are necessary for Pakistan to accelerate and sustain growth, and become an upper middle-income country by 2047, when it turns 100 years old.

Pakistan - Learning Poverty Brief - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

Population growth (annual %) - Pakistan - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

Population, total - Pakistan | Data - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

Poverty and shared prosperity 2018: piecing together the poverty puzzle - World Bank (World Bank, 2018)

Pre-Primary Education in Mongolia: Access, Quality of Service Delivery, & Child Development Outcomes - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)

Pre-primary education in Mongolia : access, quality of service delivery, & child development outcomes - March 2017 - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)
Pre-primary education in Mongolia : access, quality of service delivery, & child development outcomes - March 2017 (English)

Project Appraisal document on a Global Partnership for Education Fund grant in the amount of US$88.4 million to the Republic of Kenya for a primary education development project - World Bank (2015)

Project Appraisal document on a grant from the Global Partnership for Education to the Republic of Madagascar - World Bank (2018)

Project Information Document (PID) Concept Stage: Mongolia Education Quality Reform Project - World Bank (The World Bank, 2013)

Project Information Document (PID): Sierra Leone Free Education Project (P167897) - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

Project Information Document: Sierra Leone Free Education Project - World Bank (2019)

Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary - Tanzania | Data - World Bank (2018)

Republic of Sierra Leone Higher and Tertiary Education Sector Policy Note - World Bank (2013)

Revitalizing Education Development in Sierra Leone (REDISL) Project - World Bank (2014)

SABER Country Report –Senegal: Engaging the Private Sector in Education - World Bank (2016)

SABER EMIS Questionnaire - World Bank (World Bank, 2014)

Secondary Education Quality Improvemen Project (SEQUIP) - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

Secondary Education Quality Improvement Program for Results (SEQUIP): Draft Environment and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA) - World Bank (United Republic of Tanzania, 2017)

Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP) - World Bank (2019)

Service delivery with more districts in Uganda : fiscal challenges and opportunities for reforms: Public expenditure review - World Bank (World Bank, 2013)
Service delivery with more districts in Uganda : fiscal challenges and opportunities for reforms - public expenditure review (English)

Sierra Leone - Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2017 - World Bank (2017)

Sindh Public Expenditure Review - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)
Sindh has the potential to become a high middle-income province in Pakistan, but it lags far behind in terms of economic, social and development indicators. Sindh is also the most industrialized province, resource-rich and endowed with the country’s largest natural gas and coal reserves. In sum, it has the potential to become a high-growth and high-income region. Nonetheless, Sindh has yet to translate this potential into commensurate economic and social development. The province faces major developmental challenges. Sindh’s weak social indicators are partly the result of the inadequate reach and low quality of public service delivery. This Public Expenditure Review focuses on provincial finances and their utilization with the objective of identifying possible reforms to expand the resource envelope and ensure better value for money by improving the management and efficiency of public spending. It includes two important components: (i) a detailed analysis of the major revenue challenges and the various expenditures, including development spending and; (ii) and in-depth assessment of how some of the key government priorities are undertaken, such as education, health, and social protection. The hope is that by better understanding the constraints, reforms can be designed and implemented to maximize Sindh’s potential and promote a more equitable and productive path.
Keywords: Education; Finance; Fiscal Trends; Health; Inequality; Labor Force Participation; Policy; Poverty; Public Expenditure; Public Sector; Social Protection; Vulnerability

Smart Solutions to Improve Pakistan’s Education - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2017)
The Sindh School Monitoring System spreads across 15 districts and to the remotest parts of the province. Plans are underway to expand it to the entire province.

Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) - World Bank (World Bank, 2016)
The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) was launched by the World Bank in 2011 to produce comparative data and knowledge on education policies and institutions, with the aim of helping countries systematically strengthen their education systems and the ultimate goal of promoting Learning for All. It allows countries to conduct a thorough inventory of their education policies and institutions based on global best practices, as well as provides decisionmakers and stakeholders at all levels with tools for structured and effective policy dialogue.

The Education System in Malawi. Africa education country status report - World Bank (2010)

The Future of Work in Africa: The Roles of Skills, Informality, and Social Protection in Unleashing the Promise of Digital Technologies for All - World Bank (World Bank, 2019)
A new World Bank report says Sub-Saharan African countries could benefit from well-harnessed technological adoption.

The Third Punjab Education Sector Project (PESP III) - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

The What, Why, and How of the Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) - World Bank (2013)
Keywords: Systems Framework

The World Bank In Zimbabwe - World Bank (2019)
The World Bank's lending program in Zimbabwe is inactive due to arrears, and the role is now limited to technical assistance and analytical work.

To take learning seriously, start by measuring it - World Bank (World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education's Promise, 2017)

Urban population - Pakistan | Data - World Bank (World Bank Group, 2019)

World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends - World Bank (2016)
Information related to the World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends

World Development Report 2016: Digital dividends - World Bank (World Bank, 2016)
Keywords: AWP2; AWP2-actual

World Development Report 2017: Governance and the Law - World Bank (World Bank, 2017)
World Development Report 2017: Governance and the Law

World Development Report 2018: Learning to realize education’s promise - World Bank (World Development Report, 2018)
World Development Report 2018: LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise
Keywords: C:Low- and middle-income countries

Leveraging data in African countries: Curating government microdata for research - Woolfrey, Lynn (DataFirst Technical Papers, 2013)
Governments mandate their National Statistics Offices to collect empirical data through censuses and surveys to determine appropriate national policies. Further investigation of this data by academics can help evaluate the effectiveness of government action. In many countries governments have created policies and institutions to share official data with researchers to allow independent evaluation of both the data and the policies informed by the data. In 2009 a survey was undertaken to assess ease of access to government survey microdata in African countries. This investigation revealed that the sharing of African government microdata is constrained by several obstacles. African National Statistics Offices, the main African data producers, have limited resources to curate microdata and ensure its long-term availability. Consequently many African data producers do not follow international best practice with regard to survey data management or make the microdata from official surveys available for research purposes. A further obstacle in Africa is inadequate producer-user communication channels. Concerns around the confidentiality of respondent information also present a barrier to data usage for research, as does the bureaucratic nature of government institutions involved in data production. A follow-up survey undertaken in 2012 examined improvements in data access and other dimensions of data quality in the intervening years, focusing on Statistics Offices participating in a donor project to advance data curation in resource poor countries. The survey showed that the provision of appropriate data curation tools can improve data sharing for policy feedback. However, this is more effective in countries with sound data usage policies driven by African decision-makers who appreciate the role of data utilisation in national development.

A roadmap for education technology - Woolf, Beverly Park (2010)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

English in Action: a new approach to continuing professional development through the use of mediated video, peer support and low-cost mobilephones in Bangladesh - Woodward, Clare; Griffiths, Malcolm; Solly, Mike (Innovations In The Continuing Professional Development Of English Language Teachers, 2014)
Keywords: C:Bangladesh

Liberia launches “getting to best in education” program - Woods Baysah, David (Global Partnership for Education, 2018)

Architects and contractors: political economy analysis of policy research in Pakistan - Wood, Geof (University of Bath, 2013)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Protecting the Space for Policy Research: Comparing Think Tanks and Universities in South Asia - Wood, Geof (Think Tank Initiative, 2014)

MOOC adaptation and translation to improve equity in participation - Wolfenden, Freda; Cross, Simon; Henry, Fiona (Journal of Learning for Development, 2017)
There is an urgent need to improve elementary and secondary school classroom practices across India and the scale of this challenge is argued to demand new approaches to teacher professional learning. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) represent one such approach and one that, in the context of this study, is considered to provide a means by which to transcend traditional training processes and disrupt conventional pedagogic practices. This paper offers a critical review of a large-scale MOOC deployed in English, and then in Hindi, to support targeted sustainable capacity building within an education development initiative (TESS-India) across seven states in India. The study draws on multiple sources of participant data to identify and examine features, which stimulated a buzz around the MOOCs, leading to over 40,000 registrations and a completion rate of approximately 50% for each of the two MOOCs.
Keywords: Access to Computers; Access to Education; Attitude Measures; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Educational Technology; Equal Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; India; International Programs; Large Group Instruction; Online Courses; Partnerships in Education; Postsecondary Education; Pretests Posttests; Program Implementation; Questionnaires; Surveys; Teacher Education Programs; Teacher Educators; Technology Uses in Education; United Kingdom; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2096064; ___working_potential_duplicate; __finaldtb; ⛔ No DOI found

OER Adaptation and Reuse across cultural contexts in Sub Saharan Africa: Lessons from TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub Saharan Africa) - Wolfenden, Freda; Buckler, Alison Sarah Hemmings; Keraro, Fred (Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2012)

Teacher educators and OER in East Africa: Interrogating pedagogic change - Wolfenden, Freda; Auckloo, Pritee; Buckler, Alison; Cullen, Jane (Adoption and Impact of OER in the Global South, 2017)
This study examines the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in six teacher education institutions in three contrasting East African settings – Mauritius, Tanzania and Uganda – all of which had previous engagement with OER initiatives. Drawing primarily on interviews with teacher educators, the study examines how and when teacher educators engage with OER, the factors that support and constrain sustained OER engagement, and the influence of such engagement on their teaching practice. It seeks to answer the following three research questions: What kinds of OER are teacher educators aware of and how do they access them? How and for what purpose are they using the OER? What intended and enacted pedagogic practices are associated with OER use? The study takes a sociocultural approach, paying attention to the practices of teacher educators and the context and culture of the teacher education institutions within which they work, as well as the national policies relevant to these institutions. Surveys were sent to academic staff at each of the participating institutions who were, or had been, involved in curriculum development work involving OER. Male and female educators from different disciplinary backgrounds and with varying roles and periods of service within the institutions were targeted. From the respondents, selected individuals were asked to participate in semi-structured interviews concerning OER and their pedagogical practices. A total of 58 surveys were completed by teacher educators along with 36 in-depth teacher educator interviews and six institutional stakeholder interviews. The results of the study indicate that teacher educators’ understanding and use of OER is highly fragmented, with little traction at department or institutional level. At all the study sites there was dissonance between the ways in which individual educators are using OER and the dominant institutional values and discourse. There were also numerous structural and cultural factors acting to limit agency with regards to OER use. The demands of curriculum and assessment, professional identity, digital skills, provision of equipment and connectivity, values and weak cultures of collaboration all exerted an influence and enabled or constrained teacher educators’ efforts to achieve agency with OER. For a small number of teacher educators (OER “champions”), OER provides a tool for extending their agency to move towards more participatory practices. In their interviews, several of these educators spoke of the formative role of academic training and many were linked to external OER networks. These elements of historic identity formation influence how they respond to OER, and enhance their confidence to take risks in moving beyond conventional practice. Enabling educators to act in an agentive way with OER is not easy. Moving forward, attention should be given to issues of access so that educators are able to locate and view OER relatively easily and experiment with their use. This study recommends that time be made available for educators to enhance their skills in working digitally and to become familiar with principles of learning design such that these become integral dimensions of their professional identity. It is also argued that extending and deepening engagement with OER requires opportunities for professional dialogue and collaboration to support the development of productive educator identities with OER and transformation of the community’s field of practice.
Keywords: East Africa; Global South; Mauritius; OEP; OER; Open Education; Open Educational Resources; ROER4D; Tanzania; Uganda; _not_EdTechHub; _zenodoOTHER; agency; pedagogy; teacher education

Moving towards more participatory practice with Open Educational Resources (OER): TESS-India Academic Review - Wolfenden, Freda; Adinolfi, Lina; Cross, Simon; Lee, Clare; Paranjpe, Sandhya; Safford, Kimberly (The Open University, 2017)
The purpose of this academic review of TESS-India activity in three states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha) was to seek evidence for change brought about by TESS-India in teacher education in each of these states. The findings offer informed guidance on future trajectories for TESS-India activity and support discussions with key stakeholders in each of these states. The overarching goal of TESS-India is to support delivery of quality pedagogic change in teacher education and school classrooms. TESS-India activity is designed to meet identified professional development needs of teachers and teacher educators in each state. Thus it takes a slightly different form in each state, appropriate to local priorities and conditions. The Review focus was similarly differentiated in each state to align to TESS-India activity in that state. The review field work was carried out by academics from the Open University UK and the Head Academic, TESS-India Country Office, between 30 January and 4 February 2017. It adopted an essentially qualitative approach to understand educators’ (trainee teachers, teachers, local teacher educators and DIET faculty) experiences with the TESS-India resources and the influence of this engagement on their pedagogic practice. Data was generated from multiple sources including analysis of key documentation, semi-structured interviews with teachers, teacher educators and policy makers, and classroom observation. Teachers, teacher educators and SRG members were sampled at different locations within each state. The focus of TESS-India activity to date has been to strengthen the existing government (state) educational system at the elementary stage - SCERT, SSA, DIETS, DEO, DPC (SSA), BEO, BRP, BRC, CRCC, HT, Teacher, Child – in alignment with national policies, frameworks and the RTE Act. The project aims at supplementing and complementing GoI and State specific efforts and activities. Although TESS-India has produced original Open Educational Resources (OER) to support educators working in the secondary stage, as yet there is very little evidence of sustained TESS-India activity with this phase of schooling or with the TESS-India School Leader OER. The review findings are therefore focussed on activity at the elementary stage and are reported at different levels of the system in line with the TESS-India theory of change. The report found that use of TESS-India OER is contributing to quality change in classrooms with students and trainee teachers. • SRG members met by the review team were using the TESS-India OER and described how this use was prompting them to experiment with more interactive and participatory practices. • Teachers observed and / or interviewed by the review team were drawing on TESS-India OER to inform their lesson planning and subsequent teaching. Evidence seen by the review team (learning journals and learning plans) indicates that the practices being developed by these teachers are shared by other teachers in the cohort of teachers participating in TESS-India focus district activity. However the innovation in practice and transformation in pedagogy promised by TESS-India OER is still in the early stages and the evidence is highly emergent. But, critically, through engagement with the MOOC and other TESS-India learning resources, policy makers and lead teacher educators (for example SCERT Directors) are changing their thinking about teacher professional development, moving away from cascade models to a focus on continuous professional development and learning of teachers in their classrooms with support from teacher educators/ experts, either virtually or face-to face.
Keywords: C: India; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2457359; __finaldtb

An exploration of agency in the localisation of open educational resources for teacher development - Wolfenden, Freda; Adinolfi, Lina (Learning, Media and Technology, 2019)
This study examines the practice of adaptation and translation (localisation) of Open Educational Resources (OER). It employs a sociocultural perspective to focus on the experiences of practitioners (localisers) who undertook the localisation of a suite of 125 OER created as part of a teacher professional development programme in India. This localisation process generated eight unique versions of the OER in five languages. Drawing on project reports, practitioner interviews and analysis of the adapted OER, the study explores how localisers created meaning for the task, the situational and linguistic factors that influenced and mediated their decisions to adapt the materials – or not – and the skills and experiences that emerged through the process. Although the findings revealed that changes to the materials were limited, suggesting that enacting localisation is more difficult than perhaps suggested by OER proponents, the analysis indicated forms of localisers’ emerging professional agency through this endeavour.
Keywords: India; Open educational resources (OER); __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2457357; __finaldtb; localisation; professional agency

TESS-India OER: Collaborative practices to improve teacher education - Wolfenden, Freda (Indian Journal of Teacher Education, 2015)
As the numbers of children attending school in India rises rapidly ensuring a productive learning experience for every student is a huge challenge. Quality is central to the Government of India’s education policy; major education goals recognise that changes in teachers’ classroom practice are critical to improving students’ learning in elementary and secondary schools across India. This paper describes the rationale and pedagogy of an innovative response to these challenges harnessing contemporary ideas on ‘open’, learning and the increasing availability of network technology in the form of a multilingual Open Educational Resources (OER) teacher education toolkit. The main section of the paper then describes the processes for multi-stakeholder participation in the development of the elements of the OER toolkit and the paper concludes with a discussion of the ‘open’ dimension of the project and how this enables ‘local’ authentication and mediation of use of the OER in each of the project states.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Cumulative Risk and Teacher Well-Being in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Wolf, Sharon; Torrente, Catalina; McCoy, Marissa; Rasheed, Damira; Aber, J. Lawrence (Comparative Education Review, 2015)
Keywords: C:DRC

Preliminary impacts of the “Learning to Read in a Healing Classroom” intervention on teacher well-being in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Wolf, Sharon; Torrente, Catalina; Frisoli, Paul; Weisenhorn, Nina; Shivshanker, Anjuli; Annan, Jeannie; Aber, J. Lawrence (Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015)
This article examines the impacts of a partial year of implementation of Learning to Read in a Healing Classroom (LRHC), a curricular and social-emotional teacher professional development intervention in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on teacher professional well-being. Using a cluster-randomized control trial, this study assesses LRHC impacts on a sample of 346 teachers from 64 primary schools. We find statistically significant increases in job dissatisfaction for female teachers and increases in motivation for the least experienced teachers. Implications are discussed for the role of teacher professional development and well-being in improving education in low resource and conflict-affected contexts.
Keywords: Democratic Republic of the Congo; International education; Motivation; Teacher professional development

Examining sustained impacts of two teacher professional development programs on professional well-being and classroom practices - Wolf, Sharon; Peele, Morgan E. (Teaching and Teacher Education, 2019)
We examine second-year impacts of a 1-year pre-primary teacher training and coaching program, delivered with and without parental-awareness meetings, evaluated with a school-level randomized trial. Outcomes included teachers’ professional well-being and classroom practices. Most gains observed during the program year faded out. However, there were small sustained impacts on the implementation of training activities. Counteracting effects of the parental-awareness meetings were evident, with suggestive evidence that teachers in this treatment group displayed lower scores on one dimension of classroom qualitydSupporting Student Expressiondcompared to controls. Implications for professional development and educational quality are discussed.
Keywords: _proposed-for: Scoping review

Assessing the Construct Validity of Save the Children's International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) - Wolf, Sharon; Halpin, Peter; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Pisani, Lauren; Dowd, Amy Jo; Borisova, Ivelina (Global TIES for Children, New York University, Save the Children, 2016)

Measuring school readiness globally: Assessing the construct validity and measurement invariance of the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) in Ethiopia - Wolf, Sharon; Halpin, Peter; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Dowd, Amy Jo; Pisani, Lauren; Borisova, Ivelina (Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2017)
The post 2015 context for international development has led to a demand for assessments that measure multiple dimensions of children's school readiness and are feasibly administered in low-resource settings. The present study assesses the construct validity of the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) developed by Save the Children using data from a sample of children (∼5 years of age; N=682) from rural Ethiopia. The study (a) uses exploratory and confirmatory bi-factor analyses to assess the internal structure of the assessment with respect to four hypothesized domains of school-readiness (Early Numeracy, Early Literacy, Social-Emotional development, and Motor development); (b) uses latent regression to examine concurrent validity of the domains against a limited set of child and family characteristics; and (c) establishes measurement invariance across three focal comparisons (children enrolled in center-based care versus home-based care; girls versus boys; and treatment status in a cluster randomized controlled trial of a center-based program). The results support the conclusion that the IDELA is useful for making inferences about children's school readiness. Implications for future use of the IDELA and similar instruments are discussed.
Keywords: Ethiopia; Factor analysis; Measurement invariance; School readiness; Sub-Saharan Africa

Cluster Randomized Trial of a Large-Scale Education Initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Pilot Year Impacts on Teacher Development. - Wolf, Sharon; Aber, John Lawrence; Torrente, Catalina; Rasheed, Damira; McCoy, Marissa (SREE Spring 2014 Conference, 2014)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

The Impacts of Teacher Training and Parental Awareness on Kindergarten Quality in Ghana - Wolf, Sharon; Aber, John Lawrence; Behrman, Jere (Innovations for Poverty Action, 2019)

Experimental Impacts of the “Quality Preschool for Ghana” Interventions on Teacher Professional Well-being, Classroom Quality, and Children’s School Readiness - Wolf, Sharon; Aber, J. Lawrence; Behrman, Jere R.; Tsinigo, Edward (Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2019)
We assessed the impacts of a teacher professional development program for public and private kindergartens in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. We examined impacts on teacher professional well-being, classroom quality, and children’s readiness during one school year. This cluster-randomized trial included 240 schools (teachers N ¼ 444; children N ¼ 3,345, Mage ¼ 5.2) randomly assigned to one of three conditions: teacher training (TT), teacher training plus parental-awareness meetings (TTPA), and controls. The programs incorporated workshops and in-classroom coaching for teachers and video-based discussion groups for parents. Moderate impacts were found on some dimensions of professional well-being (reduced burnout in the TT and TTPA conditions, reduced turnover in the TT condition), classroom quality (increased emotional support/behavior management in the TT and TTPA conditions, support for student expression in the TT condition), and small impacts on multiple domains of children’s school readiness (in the TT condition). The parental-awareness meetings had counteracting effects on child school readiness outcomes. Implications for policy and practice are discussed for Ghana and for early childhood education in low- and middle-income countries.
Keywords: Ghana; ___working_potential_duplicate; classroom quality; early childhood education; kindergarten; school readiness; teacher training and coaching

The Impacts of Fast Track Transformational Teacher Training in Ghana - Wolf, Sharon (Innovations for Poverty Action, 2017)

Missed Opportunities : The High Cost of Not Educating Girls - Wodon, Quentin; Montenegro, Claudio; Nguyen, Hoa; Onagoruwa, Adenike (2018)

Supporting education in Nepal: technology that improves teaching and student learning - Wodon, Quentin (Rotary International, 2015)

Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) - Equity and Inclusion in Education Systems - Wodon, Quentin (2016)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Technology in the classroom: Learning from OLE Nepal - Wodon, Quentin (Global Partnership for Education, 2015)
A young software engineer returned to his native Nepal to support the introduction of technologies in the classroom. Working with the ministry of education, he learns that it takes time to introduce meaningful change, and that support to teachers in the use of the technology is key.

Geekie: Personalized Learning for All - Wise (WISE, 2016)
About the Project This project is one of the 2016 WISE Awards winners. Geekie is an adaptive learning platform that constantly customizes students’ learning experiences instead of providing a single standardized solution to all. Over the last 18 months, the company’s solutions have already helped five million students throughout the country, from all states and […]

Why wait 100 Years? Bridging the gap in global education - Winthrop, Rebecca; McGiveney, Eileen (The Brookings Institution, 2015)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

A new face of education: Bringing technology into the classroom in the developing world - Winthrop, R.; Smith, M.S. (Brookings, 2012)

ICT integration in Teacher Education - A study of University of Education, Winneba - Wilson, Kofi Bentum; Ayebi-Arthur, Kofi; Tenkorang, Emmanuel Yamoah (Ghana Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2011)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Outcome Harvesting: Principles, Steps, and Evaluation Applications - Wilson-Grau, Ricardo (2018)

Guidelines and good practices for evidence-informed policy-making in a government department - Wills, Alf; Tshangela, Mapula; Shaxson, Louise; Datta, Ajoy; Matomela, Bongani (2014)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Great expectations: aspiration, uncertainty and schooling in Rwanda - Williams, Timothy P. (Education Development Trust, 2016)

Broadband “the missing link” in global access to education - Williams, Sue; Parkes, Sarah (UNESCO, 2013)
New report from the Broadband Commission highlights strategies for leveraging high-speed networks to realize ‘Education for All’ Broadband connectivity carries unprecedented potential to bridge education divides, transform learning and improve skills for the globalized economy provided that governments make broadband accessible, empower teachers and students to use technology, support the production of local language content and promote open educational resources, says a new report just released by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development.

Unfinished development projects in Ghana: Mechanising collective choice - Williams, Martin (Voxdev, 2017)
Project non-completion, commonly attributed to corruption or clientelism, is in fact often caused by an inability to prioritise public expenditure

Systems Theory - Wilkinson, Lee A. (Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development, 2011)

Liberia: Farewell 2019 - A Review of ICT Initiatives in Liberia - Wilkins, Darren (All Africa, 2019)

Open Content - Wiley, David (2011)

Wikipedia:Text of Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License - Wikipedia (Wikipedia, 2019)

Wikipedia:WikiProject Wiki Loves Women/Ghana - Wikipedia (Wikipedia, 2017)

Dual-mode teacher professional development: challenges and re-visioning future TPD in Indonesia - Widodo, Ari; Riandi (Teacher Development, 2013)
This paper presents the results of a two-year research project aimed at developing a teacher professional development (TPD) model in Indonesia. New government policies in this nation, its archipelagic nature, vast numbers of teachers and scarcity of support resources present a unique challenge to TPD. A needs assessment was conducted to identify teachers’ professional needs. Based on the results of this assessment, a dual-mode TPD that combines face-to-face sessions and online sessions was developed. Participation in face-to-face sessions was relatively high but the participation rate in online sessions was very low. Incentives, teachers’ autonomy as professional learners, ICT skills and infrastructure are important considerations when designing TPD in Indonesia. This study and an analysis of TPD policy allow us to suggest future directions for TPD in Indonesia
Keywords: CONTINUING education; EDUCATION & state; EDUCATION -- Forecasting; ERIC, Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE); Education--Teaching Methods And Curriculum; Educational Change; Educational Strategies; Elementary Secondary Education; FORECASTING; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; HIGHER education; Higher Education; INDONESIA; Indonesia; Information Skills; Instructional Design; Interviews; Models; Needs Assessment; Online instruction; PROFESSIONAL education; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Postsecondary Education; Professional development; Public policy; Questionnaires; Science Teachers; TEACHER certification; TEACHER development; TEACHER education; Teacher Education; Teacher education; __:import:01; __:match:final; __:matched; __:study_id:2097039; ___working_potential_duplicate; __finaldtb; dual-mode professional development; online training; teacher certification; teacher education; teacher education futures; teacher professional development in Indonesia

Social media use by undergraduate students of education in Nigeria: a survey - Wickramanayake, Lalith; Muhammad Jika, Saidu (The Electronic Library, 2018)
Purpose This paper aims to investigate teacher students’ perceptions, intentions, experiences, attitudes, opinions and barriers concerning social media use and impact of social media on their learning process. Design/methodology/approach A stratified sampling technique was applied to draw the sample, and 242 teacher students were selected as a sample from three higher educational institutions in Gombe State, Nigeria. A questionnaire survey method was used to collect the data. Data analysis was by means of simple and inferential statistics. Findings The students widely used mobile phones to access social media, and social media was extremely popular for education, entertainment and communication among them. Educational and informational communities were also preferred by students to other social media communities. The study further revealed that effective social media usage among students enhanced their different types of skills including learning. Unstable electricity connections, security and privacy issues, internet costs and unreliable internet connections were recorded as some barriers concerning students’ social media use. Originality/value The outcome of this study will be a unique contribution because the pertinent literature provides little evidence or research highlights concerning teacher students’ social media use. Even more, the results of the present study may be a useful resource for university administrators, education policymakers and innovative teachers in universities – especially in developing countries and particularly Nigeria – when considering integration of modern techniques and technologies with university teaching and learning.
Keywords: Internet-based learning; Media-based teaching; Nigeria; Social media; Teaching students; User studies

An animated dictionary for hearing-impaired students in Thailand - Wicha, Santichai; Sharp, Bernadette; Sureephong, Pradorn; Chakpitak, Nopasit; Atkins, Anthony (Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2012)
As English increasingly becomes the international language, many ministerial and educational organisations have identified the need to improve the competence of Thai students in speaking English. While there is significant research devoted to developing software tools to support the teaching of English as a second language, they are mostly concerned with adult learners. This project focuses on addressing the need to improve the teaching of English as a second language to primary school children with hearing impairments. This paper presents the development of an educational software tool referred to as the Total Communication with Animation Dictionary (TCAD), which supports learners in the acquisition and retention of new English lexical knowledge and is based on the theoretical approaches of Total Communication and situated learning. A series of experiments was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the TCAD in improving vocabulary acquisition and retention. Early results are promising with increased learner engagement and performance compared with traditional approaches.
Keywords: Hearing-impaired students; language acquisition; total communication with 3D animation

Investigating The Benefits Of Incorporating Technology In Instructional Curriculum: Pre-Service Teachers' Perspectives From Ghana - Wiafe, Bernard; Akaadom, Bernard (International Journal of Advanced Research, 2019)
The use of technology has gained worldwide recognition in all professions. Teachers have resorted to several technology tools to enhance the work they do in the classroom and to facilitate the understanding of what they teach their students to enhance easy recall and for students to remember what they learn in class. The use of technology tools in the classroom in Ghana has not received much attention from teachers because of challenges with respect to technological infrastructural development. However, with the inclusion of technology in the teacher colleges of education curriculum, new teachers are being trained to incorporate technology into classroom instruction to change the face of teaching and make learners more eager to learn by bringing the understanding of concepts much more clearly to students. The study adopted a mixed method approach to bring to light, the perspectives of teacher trainees and tutors in colleges on the benefits both the teacher and the learner stand to gain in using technologies to deliver instruction in the classroom. It came to light that although there are challenges pre-service teachers tend to face in terms of access to such technologies, they still do their best to include technologies in their lessons whenever possible. This is because of the fact that learners tend to do well on instruction received on lessons delivered using technology as compared to lessons delivered without using technology based on their experience in using both approaches in the classroom. Keywords: Technology, instruction, benefits, curriculum.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Assistive technology - WHO (2019)
WHO fact sheet on assistive technology. Assistive technology enables people to live healthy, productive, independent, and dignified lives, and to participate in education, the labour market and civic life.

World Report on Disability - WHO (2011)

World Report on Disability - WHO (2011)

Health outcomes in economic evaluation: the QALY and utilities - Whitehead, S. J.; Ali, S. (British Medical Bulletin, 2010)

Why do we care about evidence synthesis? An introduction to the special issue on systematic reviews - White, Howard; Waddington, Hugh (Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2012)
Systematic reviews are currently in high demand in international development. At least 100 new reviews are ongoing or already completed on a range of topics across the board in international development, many of which were commissioned by policy-making agencies. These new reviews need to be based on answerable questions, using methods of analysis and reporting which are appropriate for social and economic development programmes and relevant to users. This introductory paper lays out why we believe systematic reviews should be an important component of evidence-informed development policy and practice. It concludes by introducing the papers collected in this issue, which aim to demonstrate how reviews can be made to live up to the promises generated around them.
Keywords: -FullBiblioUHMLgen; -GeneralCitations; 3ie; CLL:en; Reviewed; impact evaluation; publicImportV1; systematic reviews

Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching Practices and Teacher Education in Developing Countries. Final Report. Education Rigorous Literature Review - Westbrook, Jo; Durrani, Naureen; Brown, Rhona; Orr, David; Pryor, John; Boddy, Janet; Salvi, Francesca (Department for International Development, 2013)
Keywords: C:Low- and middle-income countries; Read; ___working_potential_duplicate; ⛔ No DOI found

Beginning to teach inclusively: An analysis of newly-qualified teacher pedagogy in lower primary classes in Tanzania - Westbrook, Jo; Croft, Alison (Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015)
Inclusive pedagogies to support children with disabilities in low-income countries have been neglected, and viewed as ‘specialised’ or optional within teacher education. In contrast, this paper presents details of practices of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in Tanzania that aim to help all learners to learn even in poorly-resourced schools. It argues that NQTs' positive attitudes and responsibility towards their students can be located in Tanzania's history and their early professional experiences, resulting in an interactionist pedagogy that normalises ‘inclusive’ practices. ‘Learning difficulties’ are relocated from a medical model of disability to a concern with improving teaching and learning for all.

Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching Practices and Teacher Education - Westbrook, J.; Durrani, N; Brown, R (2013)

I'd blush if I could: closing gender divides in digital skills through education - West, Mark; Kraut, Rebecca; Ei Chew, Han (UNESCO, 2019)

Reading in the mobile era: a study of mobile reading in developing countries - West, Mark; Chew, Han Ei (UNESCO, 2014)

Reading in the mobile era - West, Mark; Chew, H.E (UNESCO, 2014)

Public financial management and health service delivery: Necessary, but not sufficient? - Welham, Bryn; Hart, Tom; Mustapha, Shakira; Hadley, Sierd (2017)
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

CONSORT-Equity 2017 extension and elaboration for better reporting of health equity in randomised trials - Welch, Vivian A.; Norheim, Ole F.; Jull, Janet; Cookson, Richard; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Tugwell, Peter; Symposium, CONSORT-Equity and Boston Equity (BMJ, 2017)
We outline CONSORT-Equity 2017 reporting standards, an extension to the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement that aims to improve the reporting of intervention effects in randomised trials where health equity is relevant. Health inequities are unfair differences in health that can be avoided by reasonable action. We defined a randomised trial where health equity is relevant as one that assesses effects on health equity by evaluating an intervention focused on people experiencing social disadvantage or by exploring the difference in the effect of the intervention between two groups (or as a gradient across more than two groups) experiencing different levels of social disadvantage, or both. We held a consensus meeting with diverse potential users from high, middle, and low income countries, including knowledge users such as patients and methodologists. We discussed evidence for each proposed extension item from empirical studies, reviews, key informant interviews, and an online survey, aiming to improve clarity of reporting without imposing undue burden on authors. The new guidance contains equity extensions to 16 items from CONSORT 2010 plus one new item on research ethics reporting, with examples of good practice and a brief explanation and elaboration for each. Widespread uptake of this guidance for the reporting of trials where health equity is relevant will make it easier for decision makers to find and use evidence from randomised trials to reduce unfair inequalities in health.
Keywords: _C:Bulgaria BGR; _C:Canada CAN; _C:India IND; _C:Madagascar MDG; _C:Malawi MWI; _C:Mexico MEX; _C:New Zealand NZL; _C:Norway NOR; _C:Pakistan PAK; _C:Thailand THA; _C:Uganda UGA; _C:United States USA; __C:scheme:1

The Learning Environment as a Chaotic and Complex Adaptive System - Weichhart, Georg (systems-journal.eu, 2013)
Thrivability is a novel concept describing the intention to go beyond sustainability, allowing a system to flourish (Russell, 2010). For a society or organization to be thrivable, educated, responsible acting agents are needed. Traditional education focuses on (efficient) reproduction of existing organised bodies of information (Dewey, 1938). We argue that complex adaptive systems theory and chaos theory provide concepts well suited to inform the design of learning environments, in order to facilitate a thrivable organization. This learning is not linear and externally controlled, but happens in a chaotic, yet guided manner. After discussing the suitability of the theoretical body of these general approaches, we show how a concrete progressive education approach, called the Dalton-Plan pedagogy (Parkhurst, 1923, 2010), implements and supports these elements. By doing so, we show that the Dalton-Plan pedagogy is well suited for education of agents working in and for thrivable organizations. Support for teachers as part of this evolving learning system is provided by an e-learning environment.
Keywords: ⛔ No DOI found

Online learning performance and satisfaction: do perceptions and readiness matter? - Wei, Huei-Chuan; Chou, Chien (Distance Education, 2018)
The current study proposes a comprehensive structural model to determine whether online learning perceptions and online learning readiness affect students’ online learning performance and course satisfaction. A questionnaire was voluntarily completed by 356 undergraduate students enrolled in a cross-campus, general education, asynchronous online course in Taiwan. The structural equation modeling analyses indicated that students’ computer/Internet self-efficacy and motivation for learning exerted a direct, positive effect on their online discussion score and course satisfaction. Furthermore, it was found that students’ computer/Internet self-efficacy for online learning readiness had a mediated effect not only on online learning perceptions and online discussion score but also on online learning perceptions and course satisfaction. The findings of this research are helpful for both academics and practitioners of online learning to design online courses that particularly emphasize computer/Internet self-efficacy.
Keywords: course satisfaction; learning readiness; online learning perceptions; student performance

Virtual learning communities: Success factors and challenges - Wegener, R.; Leimeister, Jan Marco (International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2012)
Despite their didactical potential many Virtual Learning Communities VLCs fail in enhancing learning outcomes. Therefore, we synthesise factors most critical for establishing a successful VLC. Applying a structured literature review, we searched for studies dealing with VLCs in the well known databases Business Source Premier, Science Direct and ERIC. We identified, classified and synthesised 64 relevant papers. Results indicate that critical success factors include a strong instructor that acts in different facilitation roles, face-to-face meetings that help establishing social ties and well structured small-group assignments that scaffold the learning process. Main challenges are a lack of common goals, feelings of inhibition and technical problems. Based on the review, we offer concrete advice for instructors building up VLCs. We suggest that future research should focus on the design of methods and tools for instructors to facilitate the learning process in a less resource demanding way.