Evidence-Based Principles of Computer-Assisted Learning Programs

• In Event: Guidance on Evidence-Based Computer-Assisted Learning Approaches: Examples from China and India

Proposal

In the early 2000s, momentum was building around providing access to technology hardware through programs such as One Laptop per Child. Evaluations of such standalone approaches showed improvements in outcomes such as computer usage and literacy, addressing aspects of the digital divide, but no impacts on learning for primary-age students.

In contrast, technology hardware, when combined with adaptive or self-paced software, has shown significantly more promise in improving learning outcomes, including foundational skills, at least in contexts where such approaches are feasible to implement. Such programs, often referred to as computer-assisted learning or CAL, generally provide instruction that replicates what a tutor can do and are provided as both substitutes to regular instruction when incorporated into the school day or as supplements to regular instruction when provided during extra hours before, during, or after school. In many low- and middle-income countries, in particular where school quality is low and children are far behind expected learning levels, CAL may provide an opportunity to provide a personalized learning environment for a short time in a way that would be extremely difficult for teachers managing large class sizes. While the need for improving quality education in low- and middle-income countries may be particularly great, education actors should keep in mind that there is also a high risk of increasing inequality due to who has access to hardware and the necessary infrastructure to support CAL, both within and across countries.

While the general principals will need to be contextualized and adapted for every program, the presentation will aim to share considerations on context and implementation that will be relevant when translating evidence into action in any context.

Author

• Priyanka Varma, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology