Digital Inclusion and data-driven dropout prevention in Guatemala​ [CIES 2023 Presentation]

Building on past efforts in dropout prevention, the Guatemala Basic Education Quality and Transitions Program seeks to support the Ministry of Education to deploy an open-source mobile application to teachers’ devices that will both facilitate data collection and display easily understandable information on student learning, attendance, and risk of dropout. The application will enable teachers to regularly assess student learning, track daily attendance, and report on key variables that past research has shown to be indicators of risk of dropout, including trauma, economic stress, and other destabilizing conditions. The data will be shared at the school, municipal and ministry level, but only in anonymized and aggregated form, which we expect will reduce teacher fears of punitive accountability. Free community Wi-Fi and school-based internet connectivity will improve teacher’s ability to access the application and other education data, resources and tools while also improving digital inclusion for students to access online learning opportunities and resources. This presentation was delivered by Cynthia del Aguila at the 2023 CIES Annual Conference.