What works to support continuous learning when schools close through personalized learning?

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

In the last couple of years, policy makers have faced the urgent issue of maintaining the continuity of basic education amid unprecedented disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate-related events (UNESCO, 2020). The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in education systems worldwide, leaving millions of learners out of school for prolonged periods, and, in many cases, exacerbating the unequalities in education access and quality, as well as learning loss (UNESCO, 2020; Engzell et al, 2021; Parolin & Lee, 2021). Similarly, climate-related disruptions such as floods, wildfires, and severe storms, are increasing (and are expected to continue in such trend) in frequency and intensity due to global warming, posing a significant threat to regular schooling and thereby leading to loss of learning time and opportunities (Sheffield et al, 2017; UNESCO, 2020).
Educational technology (EdTech) solutions provide a promising avenue for ensuring continuity of basic education amid these disruptions. These solutions have included, for example, software and/or platforms that facilitate synchronous and/or asynchronous learning using tailored educational content for various grades and subjects. However, the implementation and use of some digital and connectivity-based alternatives to facilitate distance learning require access to reliable internet connections and digital devices—a challenge in itself, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. To overcome this challenge, low-tech solutions, which do not require high-speed internet connectivity, such as phone-based instruction and specific software and/or hardware, have been used to ensure the continuity of learning in low-resource and/or low-connectivity contexts (Nickow, et al, 2020; Muralidharan, 2019; Angrist et al, 2020) The presentations in this panel will cover a range of EdTech programs that have been designed to solve the problem of learning continuity in a variety of settings, contexts, and type of solution used. The panel will include evidence from multiple studies and RCTs evaluating a phone-based tutorial modality used in the Philippines, Kenya, Nepal, India, and Uganda; RCTs with host and refugee communities in Tanzania using a tablet-based curriculum in Tanzania, a mixed-methods evaluation of an AI-powered adaptive and personalized learning platform (using Interactive voice response (IVR) systems and SMS) for students and teachers in Colombia, and implementation research from a speaking aloud pen to provide language instruction in Nigeria.
Amidst the continuously evolving landscape of EdTech solutions, we are still learning from and about the range of different alternatives designed and implemented to provide education when schools and other education settings are closed or of limited supply. While some research has pointed out to positive impacts of EdTech solutions (McEwan 2015; Glewwe & Muralidharan 2016; Evans and Yuan, 2022) other research has been mixed and/or inconclusive. Further, the types and scope of EdTech solutions has been increasing in the last couple of years (Chu, et al, 2022). Panelists will present evaluation findings to help build robust evidence about alternatives to ensure educational continuity even in the face of sudden disruptions. The mix of presentations will cover varied geographic settings, contextual differences, population types (refugee and host communities, in-school and out-of-school populations), analytical methods (quantitative and qualitative), designs (RCTs, sequential mixed methods, and more), and stages of development (pilot, as well as scaling up). The panel will thus provide nuanced and context-relevant findings, while covering a variety of scenarios, alternatives, and experiences in implementing EdTech programs. Panelists will also share their implementation experiences and insights on the programs’ implementation so that the community can learn from previous experiences implementing EdTech solutions in similar contextual challenges elsewhere.
Learning from EdTech solutions to ensure the continuity of basic education amid disruptions aligns with the principles of social justice, as a theme for this years’ conference. By looking to mitigate the widening educational disparities and working towards the goal of equitable education for all and providing evidence on both high-tech and low-tech solutions, this research acknowledges and respects the diversity of learners' contexts. The research results discussed in the panel can help bridge the digital divide and ensure that students in even the most disadvantaged settings continue to have access to basic education during disruptions.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Idalia Rodriguez, International Rescue Committee

Individual Presentations

• EdTech as supplemental learning in two Tanzania trials - Karen Levesque, Imagine Worldwide; Abraham Bahlibi, Imagine Worldwide; Silvia Diazgranados, International Rescue Committee

• Using Phone-Based Tutoring to Support Resilient Education Systems in Emergencies - Amanda Beatty, Youth Impact; Karen Clune, Youth Impact; Moitshepi Matsheng, Youth Impact; Noam Angrist, Youth Impact; What Works Hub for Global Education, University of Oxford; Thato Letsomo, Youth Impact; Colin Crossley, Youth Impact

• Implementation learnings from AudioClase in Colombia - Idalia Rodriguez, International Rescue Committee; Camilo Valenzuela, International Rescue Committee IRC