Commentary

School closures and shifting timelines: When is it best to test if an assessment cannot take place as planned?

Thu, 04/23/2020 - 19:12 By assessment

Though many of the issues we are facing in ensuring children worldwide are in school and learning are not new, COVID-19 has magnified the challenges. This pandemic has impacted nearly all facets of the world’s education systems and programs at the same time. Assessing children’s learning achievement is one important aspect of education support and reform; it is essential to know if children are learning. Yet many assessment efforts can no longer take place as planned. How can we gauge learning when best laid plans are out?

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Calculating the Educational Impact of COVID-19:  Closed Schools, Lost learning, Unequal Impact

Tue, 04/21/2020 - 18:58 By

Several recent blog posts have raised the issue of COVID-19 related disruptions to schooling around the world and how this will impact student learning.  All agree that the closing of schools will negatively affect students’ academic progress.  But these blogs and related commentary raise some compelling questions, that are only just beginning to be answered.

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Think before you link

Fri, 04/10/2020 - 09:14 By

Due to the global pandemic most of us are sheltering in place and an estimated 91% of children globally are out of school[1]. Advocates for global education are working from safe places looking for ways to keep children engaged and reading. A common reaction is to share links to online learning materials. The good news is that there are many high-quality online books out there. However, we want to encourage you to think before you link and match the link to the purpose and audience.

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Going Virtual: Reflections and Key Considerations

Sun, 04/05/2020 - 20:29 By

Like many other organizations working in global education, RTI International is working rapidly to understand the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on our overall institution and the way we function, on how we can support our staff and projects, and how we can support education goals in the countries where RTI staff live and work. Do we have all the solutions? Certainly not. But, we are learning and want to share our experience, tools, and resources in the hope they help others.

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Understanding and leveraging the promise of positive school and classroom climates: What we have learned from Malawi and Uganda

Sun, 01/12/2020 - 10:47 By

Schools that prioritize the wellbeing of students and teachers, as well as academic performance, provide a foundation from which to build a welcoming, safe, and supportive place for all children to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. When students feel cared about, physically, socially, and academically safe, and free to ask questions and express their ideas, they look forward to coming to school every day and develop the confidence and sense of personal agency they need to stay in school and perform well.

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