The challenges of conducting educational assessments in low- and middle-income environments during the pandemic can be eased by AI-powered speech recognition technology that offers a promising solution to enhance assessments. By utilizing advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques, this technology accurately transcribes spoken language into written text. Reading fluency and comprehension can be efficiently measured by integrating AI speech recognition into assessments, without the need for physical presence. From the safety of their homes, students can perform the assessments using their smartphones or computers, assisting schools in organizing complex logistics. AI speech recognition technology has a great edge in providing instant feedback, which is one of its main benefits. While students are speaking out loud, the AI system can swiftly assess their intonation, pronunciation, and tempo, rendering quick guidance and identifying areas for refinement. This personalized feedback effortlessly assists students in boosting their reading abilities, even in the absence of in-person teacher interactions. Moreover, AI-backed evaluations can be carried out on a wider scale, enabling educators to collect extensive data on reading patterns and tackle specific issues that are commonly seen among students. The objective of this presentation is to feature the self-administered AI Speech recognition Computer-based reading assessment that RTI developed at the request of the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), under the USAID All Children Reading (ACR). Throughout the school years of 2020-2022, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to conducting face-to-face assessments, particularly in remote learning environments. As a result, teachers faced constraints in terms of time and resources to individually assess learners' reading skills against crucial learning competencies. The proposed automated assessment technology offered a potential solution to alleviate this burden and streamline the evaluation process, allowing educators to efficiently gauge students' reading abilities remotely. In February 2022, ACR-Philippines initiated discussions with USAID and the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd) to produce a ‘proof of concept’ that explores the feasibility of a self-administered computer-based reading assessment (CoBRA) in English and Filipino for students in the Philippines. The concept found resonance with the DepEd leadership as the adoption of a computer-based format for assessments aligns with international practices and provides an excellent opportunity to ascertain students' preparedness to take computer-based tests, such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). The result of this intervention generated a prototype solution piloted and tailored to fit DepED's existing platforms for supporting remote learning and delivery. The pilot provided insights on the feasibility of a computer-based assessment in the context of the Philippines for students in grades 4 -6. The research findings examined the performance, reliability, and results of the AI Speech recognition technology reading assessment, compared to the assessor-administered approach of the assessment. The research generated key design considerations, feedback from end users, recommendations regarding implementing similar approaches, and the future development of similar technology for other languages within and outside the Philippines.

This success story highlights a English as a foreign language teacher's experience piloting the new ELF textbooks launched by the Ministry of Public Education, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID. As a master training, she recognized that some teachers needed time to switch from their unusual approach and adjust their teaching to use the new materials, and she wanted to support them in this process. As part of her preparation to become a master trainer, she met with English as a foreign language experts from the Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program to discuss each section of the new textbooks, workbooks, and teacher guides and explore all the new supplementary materials available to teachers, including video and audio files, word cards, and a test generator. She found that the new content and the approach to teaching English were drastically different from those she had used in the past. She found the teacher guide easy to follow and noted that the steps included in the guide helped her to implement each lesson.

This success story highlights the experience of a ICT master teacher trainer who participated in the piloting of new ICT teaching and learning materials in Uzbekistan. Improving the quality of ICT teaching in Uzbekistan was critical to achieve student learning and the new teaching methods and materials are helping shift teaching from theory to practice. Shifting teacher practices will take time as teachers initially found using a teacher guide to prepare their lessons difficult. Because the content and the methods were new to them, preparing for each lesson took extra time and energy. Previously, it was unusual for teachers to have students work on practical project-based assignments during class time. By piloting the new materials, teachers are observing increasing students interest and practical skills. As a result, the new methods will have enormous impact on students’ learning.

The Ministry of Public Education (MPE) with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Uzbekistan Ministry of Public Education, initiated a reform to enhance ICT education to produce graduates with computer and programming skills that will contribute to youth employability. Under the USAID-funded Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program, the Republican Education Center and Abdulla Avloni Institute collaborated with RTI International and Mississippi State University to update Uzbekistan’s ICT educational standards and goals, scopes and sequences, teacher guides, student textbooks, student evaluations, and teacher professional development. The Program and MPE piloted an ICT program for grades 5–11.

This success story highlight the experience of one Uzbek Language Arts teacher in supporting the development of new reading materials for grades 1-4 learners. When she started working on the student textbooks and teacher guides, she found transforming Uzbekistan's approach to reading in local language challenging and rewarding, especially with the tremendous support of the international and local experts, who helped the writers to ensure international best practices guided the content and teaching methods. The result of their hard work, lead to the creation of books that inspire children to learn and develop a love of the Uzbek language.

This success story highlights the experience of a early grade math teacher and textbook writer. She outlines the development of age-appropriate requirements and standards for students first and then, once those are set, write teacher guides and student textbooks. Before starting work on the teacher guide, the Program developed the topic scopes and sequences. The teacher guides were then designed to give teachers clear instructions on the lessons. With help of the teacher guides, the teachers will know how to begin the lesson, how to connect the topics, how to continue, what problems or unexpected questions may occur, and how to guide and assist students. Additionally, they incorporated more practical examples and problem-solving tools.

The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program is supporting the Ministry of Public Education to update its English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum through the procurement, adaptation, and piloting of Cambridge University Press teacher guides, student textbooks, and student workbooks in two regions—Sirdaryo and Namangan. Thanks to teachers’ active engagement and participation in this piloting of EFL materials, the Program will be able to finalize the teacher guides for national rollout during the 2022/2023 school year.

This success story outlines the co-creation process for the Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program in From February 2020. RTI held a collaborative, interactive Co-Development Workshop to 1) affirm the shared vision for the Program, 2) clarify the Program’s overall mandate and scope, and 3) produce outlines of planned activities with associated implementation strategies, resource needs, and roles and responsibilities.

The Government of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Public Education embarked on an ambitious set of education reforms within the general secondary education system that covers grades 1 to 11. Among these reforms are the development of high-quality Student Standards that will give a solid foundation for all other curriculum products and instruction. In partnership with the Ministry of Public Education, the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Uzbekistan Education for Excellence Program conducted the Product Review Orientation Workshop for Student Standards to prepare approximately 50 educators from across Uzbekistan to undertake a formal review of the new Student Standards for Uzbek Language Arts and Mathematics grades 1–4 and Information and Communications Technology grades 1–11 produced by the Program

The theme of CIES asks our society of academics and practitioners to confront the ways in which education is a space of debate and contestation, and how stakeholders both internal and external to education systems seek to effect change (or maintain the status quo). The behavioral science perspective is not new to international education. It has often been presented from different research perspectives, including teacher mental models of teacher beliefs (Saberwal et. al., 2018), and the social aspects of educational change (Fullan, 2015). However, recent interest has shifted focus on the understanding of education systems change using a behavioral science lens (Ajani 2022). This perspective is important as education systems programming is frequently designed without a true understanding of how individuals will respond to change (Jeevan and Hwa, 2022). The presentations present studies which examine teachers, caregivers, and instructional practice and change within an education system. What new insights do we have and how might they influence policy and implementation for education systems change? This deck includes the following presentations and authors: From access to learning to nudging: Why behavioral science might be the next new best thing in education improvement programs (Amber Gove, RTI International), More of this and less of that: How a behavioral science lens suggests alternative approaches to education program design & implementation (Simon King, Creative Associates), Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Power of Social Networks in Adoption of New Pedagogies (Elizabeth Marsden, RTI International), and Supporting Caregivers of Young Children in South Africa to Engage in Play (Carolina Better, Ideas42).