Quality of learning outcomes
This rigorous literature review, commissioned by the Department for International Development (DfID), UK, focused on pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries. It aimed to: Review existing evidence on the review topic to inform programme design and policy making undertaken by the DfID, other agencies and researchers; and Identify critical evidence gaps… Read more
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) Education has commissioned a series of rigorous literature reviews focused on different aspects of education. This review focuses on literacy and foundation learning. Developing countries face distinct challenges in providing access to quality education. Educational provision also varies markedly in terms of teacher training, teaching and learning resources,… Read more
This report outlines a number of different scholarship, stipend and cash transfer programmes (CCTs). Evidence on the effectiveness and impact is mixed. Most programmes increase enrolments but the impact on learning is less clear. Programmes that aimed to get girls into schools were successful in that aim. Scholarship programmes that target the poor generally have… Read more
This report describes the Ugandan context and the educational context within. Under-funding, rapid expansion and inadequate management have led to low and declining education outcomes for girls and boys. DFID’s aim is to improve education for all children within DFID-supported schools, and reduce gender barriers to girls’ participation and achievement. Support from DFID can help:… Read more
Developing countries spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on schools, educational materials and teachers, but relatively little is known about how effective these expenditures are at increasing students’ years of completed schooling and, more importantly, the skills that they learn while in school. This paper examines studies published between 1990 and 2010, in… Read more
This paper assembles a panel data set that measures cognitive achievement for 128 countries around the world from 1965 to 2010 in 5-year intervals. The data set is constructed from international achievement tests, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, which have become increasingly available… Read more
These helpdesks were designed to enable an extensive search for evidence on various methods for improving learning. There are a series of six similar reports, each is based on an edit of a literature search for their chosen method. After the initial search had been done the search fields were expanded to include further search… Read more
These helpdesks were designed to enable an extensive search for evidence on various methods for improving learning. There are a series of six similar reports, each is based on an edit of a literature search for their chosen method. After the initial search had been done the search fields were expanded to include further search… Read more
These helpdesks were designed to enable an extensive search for evidence on various methods for improving learning. There are a series of six similar reports, each is based on an edit of a literature search for their chosen method. After the initial search had been done the search fields were expanded to include further search… Read more
The low-quality of education in much of the developing world is no secret. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) produced by the Indian NGO Pratham has been documenting the poor state of affairs in that country for several years. The most recent report highlights the fact that more than half of grade 5 students… Read more
Governments and donors as part of their commitment to achieve Education for All by 2015 have pledged to get children into school, provide them with quality education and respond to their learning needs. But what is most effective in getting children into school, keeping them there and ensuring that they learn? The brief Quality education… Read more