Reaching the Disenfranchised: Multi-Media Distance Education in Afghanistan

• In Event: Scaling and Sustaining Arts and Multimedia Distance Education in Fragile Contexts

Proposal

This study directly addresses these questions by testing strategies designed to ensure scalability and sustainability of distance education. With a local media company, we evaluate the following interventions:

1. Scalable outreach strategies: SMS campaigns (unilateral and static vs. dynamic), and whatsapp tutoring. We measure the impact of dynamic messages versus whatsapp tutoring support.

2. Broader well-being outcomes: measuring not only cognitive learning but also psychosocial and mental health effects as indicators of sustainability.

Methodology:

The study employs a mixed-methods, experimental design across multiple provinces. RCT arms test the comparative effectiveness of unilateral messages campaigns, dynamic quizzes campaigns, and whatsapp-based tutoring support. Quantitative measures are complemented by qualitative interviews with learners, parents, teachers, and community facilitators to capture the “how” and “why” of sustained participation. Cost-effectiveness analysis incorporates both cognitive and psychosocial outcomes, providing a more holistic measure of sustainability.

Anticipated Contributions:

Findings from Phase II will provide actionable insights into how distance education programs can move from proof of concept to sustainable models in crisis contexts. We expect to generate three contributions:

1. Evidence on scalable delivery models – By directly comparing low-cost dynamic SMS campaigns with higher-touch WhatsApp tutoring, the study will identify which interventions can be both impactful and financially sustainable at scale in fragile settings.

2. Insights into learner persistence and engagement – By combining experimental data with qualitative interviews, we will illuminate the behavioral, social, and contextual factors that drive continued engagement with distance education, helping to explain not just what works, but why.

3. A multidimensional measure of sustainability – Through integrating learning outcomes, psychosocial well-being indicators, and cost-effectiveness analysis, the study will offer a holistic framework for evaluating sustainability that goes beyond test scores alone.

Taken together, these contributions will advance both the academic and policy discourse on education in emergencies, offering governments, NGOs, and donors clear guidance on which distance education models can be sustained and scaled in Afghanistan and other crisis-affected contexts.

Authors

• Mohammad Jawed Nazari, New York University

• Dana Burde, New York University

• Heddy Lahmann, New York University

• Abdul Hamid Hatsaandh, New York University

• Rena Deitz, New York University