Behaviorally Informed Teacher Learning Circles: Using Behavior Science to Improve Teacher Practice in Burundi

• In Event: Leveraging behavioral science to make instructional reforms stick: Case studies from Burundi, Liberia, Rwanda, and Zambia

Proposal

There is an increasing demand in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for more and better-quality teachers as a critical component of meeting Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (United Nations, nd). Consequently, governments, donors, and international and local organizations are increasingly interested in exploring how to best train, support, and equip teachers in these contexts. While research has provided insights into effective teaching strategies to enhance learning outcomes, there is limited evidence on how and why teachers change their behavior to implement these strategies (Pouezevara, 2018).

Recognizing the pivotal role teachers play in improving child learning, it is essential for practitioners to design interventions that consider the multiple and complex reasons behind teacher behavior adoption or non-adoption (Kim, 2016; Opfer et al., 2011). The COM-B model for behavior change offers a useful framework for understanding teacher behavior. The model emphasizes capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M) as key factors for influencing behavior (B). Modifying one or more of these components, the model suggests, produces effective and sustainable behavior changes (Michie et al., 2011).

In 2020, in partnership with the Burundi Ministry of Education, a randomized control trial was conducted in two provinces to pilot “Let’s Learn to Read”, an early grade reading teacher training and coaching program aimed at improving early grade reading outcomes for children in grades 1-3. Data from classroom observations revealed challenges faced by teachers in implementing specific behaviors and practices taught during the training program. In response, an action research process was initiated to better understand the reasons why certain behaviors were not being implemented and use this information to design and pilot behaviorally informed Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs) within the Let's Learn to Read program.

This presentation will explore the application of social behavior change science using the COM-B model and the Behavior Change Wheel as frameworks to move from a behavioral analysis to an evidence-based intervention. It will describe how formative research findings informed the behavior selection process, identification of behavioral determinants, and the adaptation of the Care Group methodology to the TLC curriculum design. Finally, it will present evidence of impact from the pilot. By leveraging behavior change approaches, we seek to address barriers and capitalize on opportunities to enhance and sustain teacher behavior change and ultimately improve learning outcomes for children in LMICs.

Authors

• Jana Torrico, Food for the Hungry

• Lisa M Easterbrooks, CARE