Learning Mathematics with Interactive Technology in Kenya Grade-one Classes

While countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made significant progress towards achieving universal school enrolment, millions of students lack basic numeracy skills. This paper reports the results of a pilot study that aimed at using the Emergent Literacy in Mathematics (ELM) software to teach mathematics in early primary grades in Kenya. Designed as a pre- and post-test non-equivalent group research, the study unfolded in 14 grade-one classes from 7 primary public schools. After having learned with ELM for about two terms, the experimental students (N = 283) considerably outperformed their peers (N = 171) exposed to traditional instruction with the effect sizes of +0.37 on the overall skills measured by a standardised test of mathematics. The impact of ELM activities was the greatest on students’ ability to take language and concepts of mathematics and apply appropriate operations and computation to solve word problems. On this set of skills, the magnitude of difference between the experimental and control groups was +0.77. This study also revealed some positive shifts in the teachers’ perceptions about their practice. The teachers who adopted ELM in their practice reported having gained more confidence in mathematics and comfort in teaching mathematics with computers

Self-regulated learning in Kenyan classrooms : a test of a process e-portfolio

Defined as “self-generated thoughts, feelings and actions that are planned and cyclically adapted to the attainment of personal goals,” self-regulated learning (SRL) addresses both meta-cognitive and motivational aspects of learning that unfold through the cyclical phases of forethought, performance, and self-reflection. The report provides details of the study design, activities and outcomes of the project. After learning with the e-portfolio, the students’ achievement and perceptions of their self-regulation skills improved when compared to peers who hardly used the electronic portfolio tool or did not use it at all.Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC

Self-regulated learning and ePEARL : a brief report on the 2018 feasibility study

Given the lack of locally designed pedagogical interventions that target the development of self-directed individuals, this educational research study was designed to explore the feasibility and impact of using an electronic learning process portfolio with Kenyan secondary students. Electronic Portfolio Encouraging Active and Reflective Learning (ePEARL) is a student-centred digital portfolio that supports the cyclical phases of self-regulation including forethought, performance and self-reflection. Findings suggest benefits of the programme, including exam scores analysis which reveal that gains were higher than in those classes where the use of ePEARL was scarce.Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC

Promoting young Kenyans’ growth in literacy with educational technology : a tale of two years of implementation

The study explored impacts of the interactive early literacy software, ABRACADABRA (A Balanced Reading Approach for Children Always Designed to Achieve Best Results for All, ABRA) and the digital library, READS, on primary students’ reading abilities and reading instruction in Kenyan schools. ABRA is an online application that provides an engaging interactive environment for learning literacy for early elementary school-aged children. Embedded in the “Learning Toolkit Plus,” READS (Repository for E-Books and Digital Stories) is a searchable collection of multi-lingual stories available online. As a result of exposure to ABRA and READS, the gap between high and low performing students diminished.Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD)Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC)Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canad

2019 Kirindon literacy study : using ABRACADABRA and READS

Two grade-one English teachers and their students from two World Vision schools in Kirindon (a remote region of Narok County, Kenya) participated in this study; one teacher used ABRA-READS as part of her English Language instruction (40 students) and one control teacher (40 students) did not use the tools. Analysis of findings show that after exposure to the ABRA and READS instruction, the students improved their scores at a higher rate than their peers from the control class. ABRA/READS students showed significantly larger improvements in Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Total Grade. The software helped learners become active learners and to reason faster

Students\u27 perceptions on the use of ICT in learning: A case study of a secondary school in Mombasa, Kenya.

There is a general agreement by researchers that the introduction of ICT into learning should have a positive impact on the learning outcomes. This body of research goes further to indicate that learners are the key stakeholders in the implementation of ICIs in teaming and that their approval is crucial. In order for the use of ICTs to be optimized studies into learners\u27 perceptions are therefore inevitable. The aim of this study therefore was to seek learners perceptions of the use of ICTs in learning and impact that these 1CTs would have on their learning. In order to understand the learners perceptions deeply, a qualitative design was used in which 18 form three students from a high school in Mombasa. Kenya were interviewed using both focused group discussion and one-on-one interviews. Findings from this study reveal that learners have positive perceptions of the use of ICTs in learning. Learners were of the opinion that the use of 1CTs would improve their learning and therefore realize better grades due to the motivation. and learner centered approaches they thought ICTs would enhance. However, the learners also noted that there are some disadvantages that would be associated with the use of lCTs which include equipment failure and therefore high cost of maintenance, exposure to pornography and constant electricity interruptions. In conclusion, findings from this study indicate that evidence from leaners through their perceptions of ICTs are a rich source of input tor stakeholders in theprocess of implementing 1CTs in learning

Self-Regulated Learning in Kenyan Classrooms: A Test of ePEARL, a Process e-Portfolio1

To align with Kenya 2030 Vision of education for self-reliance, there is a growing need for classroom instruction that develops students’ capacity to be in control of their learning. This paper reports a two-year study that tested feasibility of implementing ePEARL, an e-portfolio, in the context of Kenyan public schools. By design, the digital portfolio supports the key learning processes though the phases of self-regulated learning -- forethought, performance, and self-reflection. In this study, students (N=137) from four secondary classrooms used the tool as part of classroom instruction to complete their project assignments. Repeated measures analyses revealed that, over-time, students who demonstrated fuller use of ePEARL made significantly higher gains and reported higher level of selfregulated strategies compared to their classmates who hardly used the tool. The results suggest that in order to yield important benefits, the tool should be meaningfully integrated into classroom instruction