Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos

Empirical literature on digital technologies for student learning is generally unable to identify separately whether learning gains arise from reciprocity in response to the gift of a valuable gadget (the 'gadget effect') or from...

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Main Authors:	Habyarimana, James, Sabarwal, Shwetlena
Format:	Working Paper
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2018
Subjects:	EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY DIGITAL TOOLS STUDENT LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS EDUCATION ECONOMICS RETURNS TO EDUCATION
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/659331544105347027/Re-Kindling-Learning-eReaders-in-Lagos http://hdl.handle.net/10986/30987

id	okr-10986-30987
recordtype	oai_dc
spelling	okr-10986-309872022-08-01T00:24:41Z Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos Habyarimana, James Sabarwal, Shwetlena EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY DIGITAL TOOLS STUDENT LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS EDUCATION ECONOMICS RETURNS TO EDUCATION Empirical literature on digital technologies for student learning is generally unable to identify separately whether learning gains arise from reciprocity in response to the gift of a valuable gadget (the 'gadget effect') or from increasing exposure to relevant materials (the 'content effect'). This paper attempts to disentangle these mechanisms using a randomized control trial in junior secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria. It estimates three contrasts: (i) the effect of just receiving an eReader with non-curriculum content, (ii) the marginal effects of receiving an eReader with curriculum text books, and (iii) the marginal effects (relative to ii) of receiving curriculum with supplementary current and remedial instructional content. The findings show that six to eight months of exposure to eReaders led to modest positive impacts on learning, but only if the devices had curriculum material and were filling input gaps resulting from a lack of textbooks. Consistent with other recent findings, even six to eight months of exposure to eReaders with non-curriculum recreational material reduced student learning outcomes. These results demonstrate that the promise of digital solutions to improve learning depends largely on the extent that these solutions address unmet access to instructional material. The paper also finds that exposure to eReaders improved student retention. However, these impacts are not very robust and could be achieved much more cost-effectively through the provision of information about the economic returns to education. 2018-12-11T18:43:01Z 2018-12-11T18:43:01Z 2018-12 Working Paper http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/659331544105347027/Re-Kindling-Learning-eReaders-in-Lagos http://hdl.handle.net/10986/30987 English Policy Research Working Paper;No. 8665 CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper Publications & Research Africa Nigeria
repository_type	Digital Repository
institution_category	Foreign Institution
institution	Digital Repositories
building	World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection	World Bank
language	English
topic	EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY DIGITAL TOOLS STUDENT LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS EDUCATION ECONOMICS RETURNS TO EDUCATION
spellingShingle	EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY DIGITAL TOOLS STUDENT LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS EDUCATION ECONOMICS RETURNS TO EDUCATION Habyarimana, James Sabarwal, Shwetlena Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
geographic_facet	Africa Nigeria
relation	Policy Research Working Paper;No. 8665
description	Empirical literature on digital technologies for student learning is generally unable to identify separately whether learning gains arise from reciprocity in response to the gift of a valuable gadget (the 'gadget effect') or from increasing exposure to relevant materials (the 'content effect'). This paper attempts to disentangle these mechanisms using a randomized control trial in junior secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria. It estimates three contrasts: (i) the effect of just receiving an eReader with non-curriculum content, (ii) the marginal effects of receiving an eReader with curriculum text books, and (iii) the marginal effects (relative to ii) of receiving curriculum with supplementary current and remedial instructional content. The findings show that six to eight months of exposure to eReaders led to modest positive impacts on learning, but only if the devices had curriculum material and were filling input gaps resulting from a lack of textbooks. Consistent with other recent findings, even six to eight months of exposure to eReaders with non-curriculum recreational material reduced student learning outcomes. These results demonstrate that the promise of digital solutions to improve learning depends largely on the extent that these solutions address unmet access to instructional material. The paper also finds that exposure to eReaders improved student retention. However, these impacts are not very robust and could be achieved much more cost-effectively through the provision of information about the economic returns to education.
format	Working Paper
author	Habyarimana, James Sabarwal, Shwetlena
author_facet	Habyarimana, James Sabarwal, Shwetlena
author_sort	Habyarimana, James
title	Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
title_short	Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
title_full	Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
title_fullStr	Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
title_full_unstemmed	Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos
title_sort	re-kindling learning : ereaders in lagos
publisher	World Bank, Washington, DC
publishDate	2018
url	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/659331544105347027/Re-Kindling-Learning-eReaders-in-Lagos http://hdl.handle.net/10986/30987
_version_	1764473333703770112

Re-Kindling Learning : eReaders in Lagos

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