Foundations for Equitable Measurement: Lessons from a Multi-Country Capacity-Strengthening Program

• In Event: Building Equitable Research Ecosystems to Understand Learning Variability

Proposal

What does it take to foster not only research skills but research leadership among early-career scholars in low- and middle-income countries? The LEARN initiative approaches this question through a deliberate, theory-informed pedagogical model grounded in co-construction, active engagement, and practice-based learning.

Designed through close collaboration among its partner institutions -- NYU, Universidad de los Andes, and the University of Cape Coast -- LEARN seeks to build capacity for rigorous, policy-relevant research on child development and learning variability. The program structure, consisting of monthly virtual seminars, mentorship, and in-person workshops, is not merely a delivery vehicle for content but a vehicle for cultivating independent, confident researchers who can design studies, secure grants, and engage with global and local policy communities.

Our pedagogical approach blends elements of cognitive apprenticeship (Grossman et al., 2009) with strategies for adult learning, contextual relevance, and scaffolded practice. This includes the intentional use of approximations of practice: structured, mentored opportunities for scholars to write proposals, develop and test measurement tools, present emerging research, and participate in peer review. These exercises allow early career scholars to “rehearse” these critical career-building skills in safe learning environments.

A cornerstone of the LEARN model is co-construction. Program content is developed collaboratively with regional teams, ensuring responsiveness to local priorities and systems. For example, Ghanaian and Colombian partners shaped the sequence of psychometric training to align with cultural and contextual needs. Sessions use datasets, when possible, from scholars’ own contexts, allowing global concepts to be grounded in local realities.

In addition, the program places heavy emphasis on building not just knowledge, but strategic capacity. This is supported through multi-tiered mentorship (primary, methods, and peer-review mentors), professional development around proposal writing and presentation, and partnerships with research societies like SRCD and ISSBD.

So far, this model has shown strong engagement and early evidence of impact: scholars are participating in learning variability studies, initiating cross-country collaborations, and developing and applying new methodological skills. At the same time, key challenges have emerged: balancing technical depth with accessibility, ensuring mentorship is consistent across contexts, and creating more sustained space for scholars to lead their own agenda-setting.

This presentation will offer an inside look at the LEARN pedagogical model, highlighting what has worked, what we are still adapting, and what we recommend to equip the next generation of scholars.

Authors

• Hirokazu Yoshikawa

• Lindsay Brown, NYU Global TIES

• Priyamvada Tiwari, NYU Global TIES for Children