Learning Collaborative

NewGlobe’s Learning Collaborative was founded on a desire to further the science of learning and contribute to the public good. It is composed of leading academics, educators, and institutions, creating a community of learning experts.

Overview

 
Learning is a science. Pedagogical practices need to be consistently and effectively researched to improve student outcomes.
 
NewGlobe’s Learning Collaborative was founded on a desire to further the science of learning and contribute to the public good. It is composed of leading academics, educators, and institutions, creating a community of learning experts.
 
The Learning Collaborative is unique. It focuses on applied work in schools that will drive learning for students at a state and national scale and contribute to a global understanding of how students learn. Interventions are rigorously tested in schools. Findings are then used to inform the pedagogical approach implemented in all NewGlobe-supported programs.

The Process

Can learning be measured by phone? Evidence from Kenya ​

Spotlight: Publication ​

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent closures of school systems had a significant impact on learning. The State of Global Learning Poverty report has highlighted the escalation of learning poverty from 57% to 70% in low and middle-income countries, with a generational estimated loss of 21 trillion dollars in lifetime earnings. 

As part of pandemic preparedness, the research community is assessing the efficacy of interventions that can measure learning when schools are closed. There has been increasing interest in the potential of mobile technology as a tool to support remote learning strategies. 

This study by researchers from the University of Virginia examines the effectiveness of phone-based assessments as a tool to measure foundational learning. Using comparisons to in-person exams, the data shows that phone-based assessments accurately measured the average learning levels of a group of students but were less accurate in ascertaining individual scores. 

A Cautionary Tale of Tutoring Hard-to-Reach Students in Kenya

Spotlight: Working Paper ​

Covid-19 generated unprecedented learning losses, exacerbating the existing learning poverty crisis by an estimated 13%. For impact-management, innovative approaches are required to penetrate low-infrastructure areas whereby digital connectivity is limited. 

Educational literature has revealed the benefits of tutoring- according to Brookings, educators agree that tutoring is one of the most adaptable, high-impact tools commonly used. Yet, little is known about its effectiveness on hard-to-reach students. This paper studies the effect of teacher-student phone calls on mathematics scores in Kenya during school closures.

Researchers found that phone tutoring had no effect on performance, but improved students’ perceptions that teachers cared about them. As such, tutoring remains a valuable tool but needs to be more carefully targeted.

Using E-readers and Interactive Read Alouds to Promote Participatory Learning and Literacy in Lagos, Nigeria ​

Spotlight: NewGlobe Study ​

Foundational literacy is endorsed as a focal point of educational development by international bodies; a prerequisite to progressing in education, gaining higher-order skills and improving later life outcomes. In 2018, the World Bank found an adult literacy rate of 62% in Nigeria. 

Increasing interest in the possibilities of leveraging technology to improve learning outcomes has presented E-Readers as a potential resource due to improvements in accessibility and cost. This study assesses the effectiveness of using an E-Reader alongside ‘interactive read alouds’ to supplement instructional support from teachers in Nigeria.

Results show that using E-readers alongside interactive read alouds produced a 0.2 standard deviation increase in reading comprehension performance, offering an approach that is aligned with the World Bank’s EdTech strategy: utilizing technology that is both data-driven and enhances teacher engagement with students.  

Research
Community

Thought
Leadership

Studies in
Progress

New Delhi, India

NewGlobe in New Delhi has shared services teams, including Marketing, Academics, Talent Acquisition, Policy & Advocacy, and New Opportunities. 

The Marketing team develops and executes strategic marketing initiatives, while the Academics team focuses on effective instructional design as well as high-quality educational content.

The Talent Acquisition team ensures NewGlobe India attracts and retains top talent, while the Policy and Advocacy team liases with stakeholders that support the organization’s mission. They all work closely with offices around the globe to optimize operations across the organization. 

Hyderabad, India

NewGlobe operates shared services teams in Hyderabad, with a focus on transforming education in under-resourced communities. 

The teams include Technology (Software Development, IT Operations, etc.), Academics (Instructional Design, Production), People, Talent Acquisition, and Finance. Through their collaboration, NewGlobe effectively delivers high-quality education to remote and marginalized populations across India.