Expanding the Understanding of Resilience in Educational Responses to Crises

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

In 2022, USAID partnered with the University of Auckland to explore and expand the understanding of the existing tools, guidance, and evidence on which the education sector relied to support learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through mapping of the existing educational resources for minimizing learning loss and maintaining learning outcomes, engagement of the education implementation partners to identify which resources were used in their COVID-19 responses, how they were used, strengths and limitations of the resources, and what gaps exist. The process resulted in identifying and sharing promising interventions and practices used to respond to the pandemic and sustain learning outcomes, as well as the comprehensive review of tools and resources used to support the education response to COVID-19 (Boisvert, et al., 2022; Chinnery et al., 2022).

This panel includes three presentations that expand on the studies completed in 2022, adding contributions to strengthen the practice, measurement, policy, and advocacy to build resilience in educational responses to crises. The first presentation shares the findings from the engagement of education stakeholders with the recommendations steaming from the identified promising practices to inform educational practice and advocacy. Next, based on the recommendations around the tools and resources used in the educational responses (Boisvert et al., 2022), the second presentation shares the process of updating the Safety Gap Map, a valuable evidence source to support Safe Learning Environments initiatives under the USAID Education in Crisis and Conflict Network's (ECCN's). Finally, the third panelist will share the process, outcomes, and learning from the ECCN members engagement in a participatory mapping of indicators used to measure, quantify, and understand resilience at the organization and systems level. The panel will conclude with a summary of learnings and next steps from these three activities, aiming to engage the participants in the conversation about expanding the understanding of resilience in educational responses.


Boisvert, K., Choo, L., and Shah, R. (2022). COVID-19 and Education: Use of Tools, Guidance, and Evidence to Support the Education Sector Response. USAID.

Chinnery, J., Shah, R., and Kayla B. (2022). Promising Practices Case Studies Series. USAID.

Sub Unit

• Education in Conflict and Emergencies SIG

Chair

• Jasmina Josic, Education Development Center

Individual Presentations

• Barriers to and Factors Enabling COVID-19 Education Sector Response: PSS, SEL, Accelerated and Remedial Education - Brianna Reed, Education Development Center, Inc.

• What Is New in Evidence for Safe Learning Environments: Climate Change, COVID-19, and Mental Health - Cynthia Koons, Education Development Center

• Measuring and Understanding Resilience in Education in Crises and Conflict Contexts - Jasmina Josic, Education Development Center