Our meeting by Zoom this month was opened up for other members to attend for a talk by Professor Nicola Pitchford of Nottingham University.
Nicola’s theme was about her current research looking at the impact of using educational technology to improve access to primary education. She explained that in some countries where due to trained teacher shortages and a weak economy for many children, especially girls, schooling only lasts about 3 years. This together with a very short school day leads to weak literacy and numeracy skills which limits lifetime opportunities.
The intervention is to provide what are basically mini computer tablets containing only two programmes, literacy and numeracy in the native language for each individual child. They work on this at home and it has a built in small solar panel which recharges the battery since many places have limited mains electrical supplies.
Progress is measurable and the research includes using the same software in some Nottingham Primary Schools as a comparator. Nicola demonstrated some of the evidence that shows the effectiveness of the programme with different groups of children in different countries. Her team then evaluate and quantify the evidence to consider if this programme of intervention can be scaled up and is sustainable for many more children in countries across the world.
Next meeting by Zoom: January 15th, 2021 at 10.am