Formative evaluation for accelerated learning materials development in Liberia’s AEQ activity

• In Event: Supporting students through culturally responsive teaching & learning materials: Lessons from Afghanistan, Liberia, and Morocco

Proposal

USAID/Liberia’s Accelerated Quality Education for Liberian Children (AQE) activity provides access to quality education through accelerated programming for children aged 8-15. Learners are diverse in their skills and knowledge, their strengths, and their educational needs. Curricula and materials for AQE are designed to address the varied needs and potential of this highly diverse group, supported by an iterative research and development process that allows lessons learned in implementation to be fed back into and improve the resources used in the classroom.

The interagency Accelerated Education Working Group’s Guide to Principles for Accelerated Education Programs includes 10 overarching Principles and Action Points for each Principle that provide guidance for effective implementation of accelerated education in a variety of contexts. AQE supports learners in building foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, in line with Principle 4. Consistent with this Principle’s Action Points, AQE develops and uses scripted teaching and learning materials that
• are flexible and designed intentionally for older learners.
• are genuinely accelerated, AE-suitable, and use relevant language of instruction (in Liberia, English).
• are condensed, levelled, age-appropriate, and competency-based.
• integrate accelerated education principles, pedagogy and practices throughout the curriculum, training, and EMIS and Monitoring systems.
• are adapted to reflect gender and inclusive education practices.
• integrate psychosocial well-being and life skills acquisition to address issues young people experience in fragile contexts.

Materials are continuously enhanced through a formative evaluation process that incorporates focus group discussions, classroom observations, and shadowing activities, conducted over a three-year period, with findings looped back into materials revisions and training enhancements to ensure the best fit and use of the resources developed. Key action research questions include: Are the lessons providing a scaffold for the teachers? Are the dense scripts constraining the teachers from responding to individual student needs? Do the scripted lessons equip teachers with confidence? What changes can be made to the scripts that will allow opportunities for teachers and learners to be innovative, adapt, and create learning environments that allow students to thrive and flourish? How can teacher training support teachers to use the scripted lesson plans more effectively?

As Fasse and Kolodner note, “assessing the success and potential of a curriculum unit requires more than documentation of what students have learned (or not learned) and how well they can use what they’ve learned. Prolonged engagement and extensive observation are central to gaining an in-depth understanding of a classroom.” AEQ’s deep exploration of Liberia’s accelerated classroom contexts has been key to the successful integration and uptake of the activity’s new materials and methods. This presentation will share the formative evaluation model, data from the three cycles of action research, and examples of adaptations that have resulted.

Authors

• Pauline Browne, Education Development Center

• Mary Hooker, Education Development Center

• Apollo Nwake, EDC

• Mary F. Sugrue, Education Development Center (EDC)