IEQ Publications by type

A publication and products catalogue and a February 2002 updated addendum are now available with a synopsis of many IEQ publications. Many of these publications can be downloaded from this website, Below, publications are organized by the type of publication/product, following the order laid out in the catalogue. You may also view our publications by main topic or by country.

Each document is saved as a PDF file and can be viewed, downloaded or printed. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please go to the Adobe website to download a free copy.

In addition, publications developed under this or any USAID contract can be downloaded (if available) or ordered through the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse website

Technical Reports: Findings Generated by IEQ Research
Exploring Factors that Influence Teaching and Learning: Summary Findings from the IEQ/Malawi Longitudinal Study 1999-2002 Cassandra Jessee, Hartford Mchazime, Amy Jo Dowd, Frank Winicki, Abigail Harris, and Jane Schubert September 2003, 42pp. USAID document no. PN-ACU-230. Exploring Factors that Influence Teaching and Learning: Collection of Selected Studies Using the IEQ/Malawi Longitudinal Data 1999-2002 IEQ/Malawi, September 2003, 107pp. USAID document no. PN-ACU-229. This two-volume series presents a summary of the findings and a collection of papers that report further investigation of key issues of the IEQ/Malawi Longitudinal Study. Volume 1 contains summaries in user-friendly formats of eleven key findings of the longitudinal study. These findings begin with a description of the pupils and are followed by: learning over time; comparison with a continuous assessment intervention; retention over four years; the use of mother tongue in the classroom and the relationship between mother tongue of pupil and teacher; the availability and use of instructional materials; teacher qualifications linked to pupil outcomes; use of instructional resources; followup of teacher mobility; role of communities in school; and external influences on learning. Volume 2 presents a collection of studies, divided by chapters on the following areas: the Context of the Study; Primary Education in Mangochi and Balaka; Language Policy and Education in Malawi; Teacher Qualifications, Classroom Practices, Classroom Resources and Pupil Learning; Pupil Characteristics Predict Learning; and the Effects of HIV/AIDS in the Classroom.
Uplifting Adolescents Project Study Heather Simpson, Abigail Harris, Jane Schubert, and Yasmeen Yusuf-Khalil, September 2003, 30 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACU-231. This document summarizes the findings of a study of the experience of participants of the USAID-funded Jamaica's Uplifting Adolescents 2 Project (UAP2). UAP 2 continues the work of the original UAP, whose work with various NGOs delivered services to adolescents with the overall objective to improve the participants' opportunities to become more productive and responsible citizens through pre-vocational skills training, remedial education to improve reading and mathematics proficiency, and personal development counseling including sex and drug education.
The Relationship of Ranking Pupils to Teaching and Learning Sandra Schmidt, Shirley Miske, and Enret Santhe, April 2003, 15 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-783. The ranking and selection process is such an integral part of Malawi’s education system that most adults can readily recall her or his position in class throughout primary school. This paper explores the relationship of this ranking system to improving basic educational quality in Malawi, the relationship between pupil learning and a pupil’s position or class rank as assigned by the teacher, the ways in which teachers believe ranking helps children learn and how they use ranking in their instructional practice, whether or not knowing a pupil’s rank helps the pupil to improve her or his performance or helps the teacher teach more effectively, and if ranking pupils is the best way to improve educational quality in schools.
Rainbow Charts and C-O-C-O-N-U-T-S: Teacher Development for Continuous Assessment in Malawi Classrooms Joy duPlessis, April 2003, 18 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-782. A rainbow chart is an assessment tool and C-O-C-O-N-U-T-S refers to one of the ways in which IEQ II/Malawi’s TALULAR (Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources) approach uses one’s own body to teach spelling. This document describes IEQ II/Malawi’s model of continuous assessment, which focuses on a variety of assessments and improving teachers’ practice and attempts to shift the perspective of continuous assessment away from one of “continuous testing” to one in which a variety of assessments are used to promote pupil learning.
Alternative Models for Secondary Education in Developing Countries: Rationale and Realities Vivian Figueredo and Stephen Anzalone, January 2003, 38 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-510. This paper seeks to contribute to the international discussion of the potential of alternative models as a policy option to provide secondary school education in developing countries. The paper looks in detail at the rationale for expanding access to secondary school education, even in countries that have not achieved universal primary school education. It examines some of the experience of developing countries - and the issues faced - in creating and implementing alternative models at the secondary level. The paper highlights the experience of Honduras in developing an alternative junior secondary model. Although the Honduras experience is still a work in progress, the results of this experience bear watching. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the literature on use of alternative models for secondary education.
Distance Education: An Option for Increasing Access and Improving Quality in Secondary Education Stephen Anzalone, September 2002, 32 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-246. As the number of children completing primary school grows, pressure is building for a more far-reaching expansion of secondary schooling. This document examines distance learning as an option for secondary education. It also offers four models of distance education as well as in-country examples.
Recent Research on the Impact of Alternative Education Delivery Systems in Honduras Seth Spaulding, July 2002, 21 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-245. During the past several years, Honduras has been recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Mitch. During that time, several educational initiatives have been undertaken in an attempt to reach the many children and adults who have been left or pushed out of the educational system, either because of dislocations that were part of the Mitch disaster or because of the endemic limits of the traditional Honduran school system. This paper presents two of these initiatives, Educatodos and Telebásica, and their impact on women and the economy of Honduras.
Case Studies in Secondary Education Reform Clementina Acedo, ed., 2002, 218 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACP-917. Bilateral development agencies and multilateral organizations have recently shifted their focus from primary, vocational and higher education to enhancing access to and improving the quality of secondary education. In this monograph, a team of IEQ researchers, based at the Institute for International Studies in Education at the University of Pittsburgh (IISE/Pitt), reports on their investigation of what is happening in secondary education around the world. Presented is a general survey of the types of reforms being planned and implemented at the secondary level in five regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, Arab States, Asia and Pacific Region, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean) and then a more in-depth examination of one country from each of those regions (Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, and Romania).
Secondary Education Reform Case Studies Series Short synopsis of the Case Studies in Secondary Education Reform.
Evaluation to Support Learning: The Evaluation Process of the 7th-9th Grade (Third Cycle) of Educatodos Esdra María Zelaya, Abigail M. Harris, Carmen Siri, Maria Moncada, Julia Isabel Mejía Palacios, Trinidad Elvir de Rodezno, 2002, 33 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACR-840. This document provides the information necessary to demonstrate the quality and thereby the credibility of the 7th-9th grade program of Educatodos.
La propuesta curricular de Educatodos: Volumen 1 IEQ II - Honduras, 2002, 42 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACS-243. Este trabajo describe todas las etapas del proceso de Educatodos, desde los antecedentes y fundamentos que lo sustentan, el diseño de la propuesta propiamente dicha, hasta los materiales de aprendizaje que hicieron posible su aplicación.
Evaluative Study of the Institutional Viability of Telebásica/Honduras Patricio Barriga, Gloria Gamera, and Seth Spaulding, 2002. USAID document no. PN-ACN-820. Also available in Spanish USAID document no. PN-ACR-834. Telebásica is a Honduran adaptation of the Mexican Telesecundaria program, which provides seventh- through ninth-grade instruction through use of a comprehensive set of instructional materials, including television modules distributed by satellite. Under an agreement with the government of Mexico, Honduras has been experimenting with the use of the materials in Centros de Educación Básica, which are essentially elementary schools that have added grades 7–9 in order to expand educational opportunities. This study examines student achievement in the experimental centers, the opinions of teachers, students, parents, and community leaders about the program, the content of the curriculum, what resources would be necessary to expand the program, and the relationship of the effort to other projects and programs in Honduras.
Pathways to Quality (Case Study Anthology) Improving Educational Quality Project Team March 2002, 163 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-775. This anthology presents case studies of how the IEQ approach was applied in specific countries by local educators and researchers. Authors from each country describe "defining decisions" that guided the technical designs of the locally based research efforts and how they addressed the issue of quality. Chapters address case studies from ENE, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Malawi, and Uganda.
Teacher Language Proficiency, Training, and Language Use In Guatemala Bilingual Classroom Fernando E. Rubio F., March 2002, 11 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Orlando, FL. USAID document no. PN-ACT-153. This work analyses the initial impact of an in-service teacher-training program for teachers working in a rural bilingual context with mostly indigenous Mayan students in Quiche, Guatemala. The training program is part of a USAID/G-CAP funded project that aims to increase access to bilingual education for indigenous rural children in this department. The focus of the analysis s to see whether the training program changes teachers' usage of the local language in such a way that this language is used more as language of instruction, a key aspect for the success of the bilingual program.
Early Childhood Education for Refugee Children: From Evaluation to Action Fernando E. Rubio F. and Basilia Lópex, March 2002, 14 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-074. This paper presents a summary of an evaluation of an Early Childhood Education program being developed in the Ixil speaking region of Guatemala since 1987 by the French NGO Enfants Refugies du Monde (ERM), and a brief description of how the local team has used the results to improve the program.
Monitoring System for DIGEBI Bilingual Intercultural Education Fernando E. Rubio F., Justo Mactzul, and Rigoberto Vásquez, February 2002, 14 pp. Also available in Spanish. USAID document no. PN-ACT-155. This document describes a series of indicators and procedures for monitoring the actions of the Dirección General de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (DIGEBI) at the school and classroom level. The indicators and procedures have been developed through a collaborative effort between DIGEBI and MEDIR over a two-year period. The process began with reflection over what types of information are needed to make decisions about instructional delivery at the departmental and national levels, and how could such information be obtained in a parsimonious manner. Over time, indicators were developed for bilingual schools and classrooms and instruments tested and refined for collecting data on the indicators. Three departments successfully implemented the system in 2001 and it will be implanted in all departments where DIGEBI is working during the 2002 school year.
Final Technical Report Malawi/IEQ II Project Activities February 1999- September 2001 IEQ II/Malawi Project Team, January 2002, 13 pp. USAID document no. PN-ABU-676 IEQ/Malawi partnership began between the Improving Educational Quality Project, Malawi Institute for Education and Save the Children/USA to support Malawi’s Girls Attainment in Basic Literacy and Education in 1999. This report details the research findings and activities of the project from February 1999 – September 2001.
IEQ2/Ghana Final Report: The Implementation of Ghana’s School Language Policy Peter Amissah, Kingsley Andoh-Kumi, Samuel Asare Amoah, Albert Awedoba, Fiifi Mensah, Eric Wilmot, and Shirley Miske, November 2001, 119 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACN-636 Researchers from the IEQ II project (funded by USAID/Ghana) worked on a multi-site case study research project to inform language policy discussions and decisions in Ghana and other countries facing similar challenges This Final Report on The Implementation of Ghana’s School Language Policy presents the findings from Phase I (Data Sets One and Two) and Phase II (Data Set Three) collected at six schools and six nearby teacher training colleges between September 1999 and June 2001.
Improving Educational Quality Project Final Report IEQ II Guatemala Social Communications Project IEQ II/Guatemala Social Marketing Task Order Team, March 2001, 241 pp. USAID document no. PD-ABU-639. This document represents the final report for an eleven-month effort in social communication in support of USAID/G-CAP’s initiatives in education. The activities of the project were designed to provide social communication tools and targeted training to key opinion leaders in support of education reform, with an emphasis on the areas of cultural pluralism and gender equity.
Formative Evaluation of USAID/Haiti Education Portfolio: Final Report Évaluation formative du programme éducation de l'USAID/Haïti: rapport final Kathine Stone, Fadi Abillama, January 2001, 148 pp. USAID document no. PD-ABU-650. This midterm formative evaluation of the USAID Education Portfolio in Haiti focuses on the results obtained to date in the two projects carried out in partnership with MENJS - ED2004 and SOAG (Strategic Objective Agreement Grant). The evaluation also sheds some light on the impacts of the Enhancing Food Security II project, one objective of which is to improve primary education through its school feeding program.
Implementation of the School Language Policy in Ghana: Interim Report IEQ/Ghana Core Research Team, June 2000, 86 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-322. Ghana’s School Language Policy calls for the predominant language of an area to be used as the medium of instruction for primary classes 1–3 and for English to be the medium thereafter. This report provides results from a multi-site, qualitative research project designed to discover the range of ways the policy is being implemented and to probe some of the reasons why it is being implemented in these ways. The study recommends that teacher training colleges “solidly incorporate” methodologies into their curriculum for using and teaching local languages and English as well as for teaching second local languages when necessary.
Orava Project Evaluation Report: Executive Summary Joanne Brady and Jody Spiro, January 2000, 91 pp (full report). USAID document no. PD-ABS-787. The Orava Project’s goal was to help Slovakia restructure its education system to reflect its commitment to new democratic processes and prepare the next generation of citizens to participate in them. This evaluation focused on the educational practices of the Orava Project, conducted classroom observations, collected data from key stakeholders, performed comparative analysis of program results, and reviewed records and evaluations of training programs.
Classroom Assessment at Jamaica's Teacher Training Colleges for Primary Teachers: A Needs Assessment, 29 August–1 September 2000 Lorna Fraser, Joy du Plessis, and Rose Thomas, 2000, 20 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-314. Jamaica’s new Revised Primary Curriculum for grades 1–6 requires dramatic shifts in teaching methodology, assessment, content arrangement, purpose, and focus. Teacher training colleges, however, are only beginning to address these needs. This report, based on visits to Jamaica’s six teacher training colleges, assessed the level of support needed by the colleges to implement classroom assessment that consistent with their own new curriculum.
Baseline Study of Bilingual Education in el Quiché Ray Chesterfield, Fernando Rubio, and Rigoberto Vásquez, December 1999, 45 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACH-060. The department of El Quiché was a central area for the civil conflict in Guatemala. Thus, when the peace accords were signed, little was known of primary education practice in this area. This study examines aspects of schooling such as infrastructure, teacher experience, and participation of students and parents in schooling. Findings showed that the major problem is at grade 1, where close to 50 percent of students drop out. Data suggested that this was a result of placing the least experienced teachers in the earliest grades, which limited the participation of both students and parents.
Perspectives of Quality Learning: From Research to Action: Improving Education Quality Uganda Case Study IEQ/Uganda Core Research Team, September 1999, 35 pp. Final report of IEQII 1997–1999, presented to the Research Advisory Committee. USAID document no. PN-ACK-324. In January 1998, the Uganda IEQ research team began a study on participation as a method to improve educational quality. The study had two parts, one focusing on initiating a participatory process to improve educational quality, and the other—this document—to gather perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders from three communities using participatory action research and community, teacher, and pupil perspectives on quality learning. Also presented are recommendations to policymakers for enhancing community participation to improve educational quality.
Evaluation of the Step by Step Program: Executive Summary Joanne P. Brady, David K. Dickinson, Julie A. Hirschler, Theodore Cross, and Laurette C. Green, 1999, 21 pp. USAID document no. PD-ABS-783. Using multiple qualitative and quantitative data, this evaluation attempted to understand how child-centered learning strategies can contribute to democratic, collaborative behaviors at the local level. Focusing on Step by Step, an ongoing early childhood development program in several newly independent states of eastern Europe and central Asia, the study compares the educational performance and developmental progress of children in the program with those in traditional programs and evaluates the program’s effect on families, teachers, and administrators. A related goal of the study was to build local capacity in applied evaluation and assessment techniques.
Analysis of Textbook Distibution and Management in the Republic of Guinea Denise Lacasse, Boubacar Bayero Diallo, Luc Gilbert, Pierre Joseph Kamano, and James Toliver, July 1998, 154 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-319. Since 1990, several donors have financed book production and acquisition in Guinea. How-ever, there have been many problems in distributing the books. This study assesses the distribution and management problems since 1990 and explores avenues to improve the system.
Primary Education in Guinea: Limited Sector Assessment - Final Report Uli Locher, Alfred Sicotte, Fadi Abillama, Francine Agueh, and Jacques-André Gueyaud, November 1997, 151 pp. Also available in French. USAID document no. PN-ACK-326. This report presents a limited assessment of the education sector in Guinea as it relates to the USAID/Mission’s strategic objective in education. Covering the areas of the Ministry of Education’s strategic planning, administration, and decisionmaking capacities, teacher supply and demand in primary education, regional and gender equity issues, and community participation, the study found that the government has improved the education system in terms of enrollment and school system management. However, school efficiency, repetition, and dropout rates remain problematic. The study makes general policy-level as well as specific and operational recommendations.
Policy-Practice-Research-Dissemination/Dialogue Spirals in Improving Educational Quality Mark B. Ginsburg, Donald K. Adams, Thomas Clayton, Martha Mantilla, Judy Sylvester, and Yidan Wang, June 1997, 169 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-632. This monograph sketches a framework for analyzing research-based international education projects, focusing on policy-practice-research-dissemination/dialogue spirals. This framework then serves as a basis for organizing the results of documentation research, which examines the experiences of various groups involved in the first phase of IEQ (1991–1996) in Ghana, Guatemala, and Mali.
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Concept Papers: Linking Quality to Broader Issues
Accelerating Paths to Quality: A Multi-Faceted Reality Jane G. Schubert and Diane Prouty-Harris, October 2003, 35 pp. This paper highlights the significant role the IEQ project played in facilitating the dialogue on quality, based on concrete information from the school environment, such as factors influencing teaching and learning, and enabling conditions that contribute to an improved learning environment. It further describes how the information was used to guide efforts to transform the findings into action in local practice and national policy.
Proud Pioneers: Malawian Teachers Implement Continuous Assessment in Primary School Classrooms Shirley Miske, August 2003, 21 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-775. In a context where continuous assessment usually means continuous testing, the 57 teachers participating in IEQ/Malawi's Continuous Assessment Feasibility Study (CAFS) did indeed have to "pioneer hard" to develop a new way of doing continuous assessment. They had to learn new terms, new concepts, and new ways of teaching the average 66 pupils in their classes. They forged into the unknown territory of individual, curriculum-based assessment that set aside paper and pencil tests. They foraged for resources to develop their own assessment materials, and they ventured into the new terrain of incorporating remediation and enrichment into their lesson plans and teaching. Their rewards were improved pedagogy and pupil achievement; increasingly child-friendly classroom environments; and enhanced relationships with colleagues, head teachers, pupils, and their parents. How did these pioneers go about making these changes and what enabled these changes to take place? This paper explores these questions by examining changes in the discourse and teaching practice of four of the 57 teachers who participated in the 12-month study.
Pathways to Quality (Case Study Anthology) Improving Educational Quality Project Team March 2002, 163 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-775. This anthology presents case studies of how the IEQ approach was applied in specific countries by local educators and researchers. Authors from each country describe "defining decisions" that guided the technical designs of the locally based research efforts and how they addressed the issue of quality. Chapters address case studies from ENE, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Malawi, and Uganda.
Helping Children Outgrow War Vachel W. Miller and Friedrich W. Affolter, June 2002, 132 pp. USAID Technical paper No. 116. USAID document no. PN-ACP-892. Helping children outgrow war is an overarching goal of educational reconstruction in post-conflict settings. Given the diversity and complexity of such settings, responses must be both highly adaptive and informed by insights gained from interventions elsewhere. This guidebook offers several examples of successful interventions in post-conflict settings internationally, situating them within a framework that emphasizes the ecology of children’s well-being and learning. It is not intended to address the complex technical, financial, and political issues involved in rebuilding school systems. While it touches on those issues, this guidebook is concerned more broadly with creating conditions for constructive learning in the wake of social violence.
Choices: Improving Educational Quality: Conceptual Issues, the Ideal IEQ Approach and the IEQI Experience Mark B. Ginsburg, Jane Schubert, Ntal Alimasi, Carolina Belalcazar, Jorge Gorostiaga, and Simona Popa, September 2001, 27 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-622. This paper situates the IEQ approach and experience within a wide range of theoretical literature. The paper is organized around eight issues: definitions of educational quality, sources of knowledge used in policy and practice decisions, paradigms and approaches that inform empirical research activity, levels on which such research focuses, participants in the research process, participants in shaping educational policy and practice, degrees of (de)centralization in efforts to implement and sustain improvements in educational quality, and capacities that need to be developed to enhance research, policy, and practice activities.
IEQ Process: Aligning Quality in the Classroom Jane Schubert, Diane Vanbelle-Prouty, June 2001 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACN-637. This paper discusses the "process" used by the Improving Educational Quality Project. The paper focuses on the cycle of assessment, analysis, and action and how it can effectively be used to inform key stakeholders on issues that effect the quality of learning. The key elements of examining the classroom and improving teacher skills are highlighted.
Path to Quality Jane Schubert, March 1, 2001. USAID document no. PN-ACN-637. This paper discusses the ten year history of the IEQ project and the ongoing struggle of how to define quality and how to improve the quality of teaching and learning in each of the countries in which IEQ works.
Demonstrating Impact on Ground through Assessment of Learning Abigail Harris, January 2001, 25 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACL-064. This manuscript describes a “rhythm of reform”—a cycle of assessment-assimilation-action occurring throughout the life of a reform effort—designed to assess and enhance the impact of interventions within the reform. Although multiple sources and kinds of assessment are useful for analyzing and enhancing impact, the focus of this paper is to demonstrate that direct assessment of student achievement is crucial because of its power to guide and motivate action.
Whither Thou Goest: Education, Democracy, and the Search for a Common Future Beryl Levinger, September 2000, 12 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-638. This paper points out the contribution that the education sector can make to a country’s “democratic capital,” including school systems that foster or sustain democratic institutions through their students and communities.
Curriculum Based Student Performance Assessment Abigail Harris, 1999, 54 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-269. IEQ focuses on what happens in the classroom in terms of who learns, what is learned, and how it is learned. Measured changes in student learning are the most direct indicator of the effects of educational investments and the success of efforts to improve educational quality. Although multiple sources and kinds of assessment are useful in analyzing and enhancing project impact, this paper argues that direct assessment of student achievement using local curricula is crucial because of its power to guide and motivate action.
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Conducting Classroom-Based Research and Evaluation: Bibliographic Resources
Quality Paper Bibliography Compiled by Diane Prouty and Jane Schubert, September 2000, 5 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-303. This bibliography lists publications relating to improving the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. Articles are taken from leading publications as well as from USAID, the World Bank, and NGOs that deal specifically with the issue of quality.
An Annotated Bibliography on School Language Policy and Practice Mercedeh Momeni, July 2000, 13 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-288. This bibliography divides items into the categories of bibliographies, articles and essays, and other publications dating from 1975 to the present. Although the majority of entries were chosen with school language policy and practice in mind, also included are items that take into consideration other factors affecting education and language policy in various countries.
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Conducting Classroom-Based Research and Evaluation: Tools
Continuous Assessment for Standard 3: A Training Manual for Educators in Malawi Henri Chilora, Joy du Plessis, Yoas Kamingira, Hartford Mchazime, Shirley Miske, Alisa Phillips, and Gibson Zembeni, April 2003, 112 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-335. Most teachers in Malawi have an understanding of continuous assessment and why it is important. This manual presents methods in which Standard 3 teachers may carry out continuous assessment in their classrooms so that the progress of all pupils may improve. The manual is meant for teachers to use in their schools to help them understand how best to carry out the assessment of pupils in Standard 3 on an ongoing basis. The manual also helps trainers and others interested in continuous assessment find out what a teacher can do to assess pupils in a meaningful way that helps children continue to learn.
Continuous Assessment: A Practical Guide for Teachers Joy du Plessis, Diane Prouty, Jane Schubert, Mona Habib, Eileen St. George, September 2003, 44 pp. The development of this guide is the result of an urgent need in many countries for relevant and practical materials that help teachers and teacher trainers understand and implement learner-centered teaching in the primary grades. These materials have brought together ideas from developing and developed countries from around the world to provide teachers and other educators with up-to-date practices and examples in continuous assessment. This manual is firmly rooted in the professional development of teachers. The methodology integrated into the manual employs a variety of assessment, uses a formative approach, emphasizes progress toward specific levels of mastery, and provides constructive feedback to pupils. This manual is a companion to In My Classroom: A Guide to Reflective Practice.
In My Classroom: A Guide to Reflective Practice Joy du Plessis, Mona Habib, Haddy Sey, Barbara Gardner, Andrea Baranick, and Andrea Rugh, 2002, 98 pp. American Institutes for Research and USAID. USAID document no. PN-ACS-247. Also available in French This manual for teacher development focuses on getting teachers to solve their own problems and build their professional skills and knowledge through a process of dialogue and critical analysis of their own teaching and learning context. It brings together experiences and best practices in primary teaching from many countries. The manual does not prescribe teaching methods to teachers. Rather it provides options for teachers to choose from and activities for teachers to analyze their context and bring in strategies that are appropriate to their skill level and teaching situation.
TALULAR: A User’s Guide (no electronic copy available) Andy Byers and Gibson Zembeni, August 2003, 274 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-831. Many teachers think of teaching and learning resources as the commercially produced instructional materials alone, such as printed charts, pupils’ books, teachers’ guides, globes, markers and radios. The government is normally seen as the source of these materials. If these are not provided, teachers believe that they have a ready excuse for why their teaching does not include the use of teaching and learning resources. Teaching and Learning Using Locally Available Resources (TALULAR) provides methods for teachers to develop their own learning aides from materials readily available in the local environment. This guide provides numerous examples and ideas for developing TALULAR.
Language Policy Implementation Research: Handbook for a Multi-site Case Study C. Dowuona-Hammond, P. Amissah, K. Andoh-Kumi, R. Asante-Frempong, S. Asare Amoah, A. Awedoba, J. Dzinyela, E. Gyamera, F. Mensah, S. Miske, E. Wilmot, November 2001, 33 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACN-638. This handbook is written to assist those who are interested in actively improving educational quality through research and action on first and second language teaching and learning in classrooms. In this handbook IEQ presents the process our team collaborated on to design and conduct a qualitative research study to explore this topic in Ghana.
USAID Resource Guide for Joint Programming in Education and Democracy Ronald C. Israel and Kristin Rosekrans, April 2003, 39 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-336. This document seeks to 1) raise awareness among education sector professionals at USAID about the role of the democracy and governance sector in shaping education policies and programs; 2) raise awareness among democracy and governance sector professionals at USAID about education as an important democracy and governeance sector issue; and 3) provide frameworks and best practice examples to help guide joint programming among USAID education and democracy and governance staff.
Education and Democracy: A Compendium of Lessons Learned, Analytic Tools, and Resource Listings Compiled by Ron Israel, October 2000, 32 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-337. This document is divided into four parts, as follows: 1. Recommendations from the Global Forum on Education and Democracy summarizes the proceedings and recommendations of a global education and democracy on-line forum that occurred in April 2000, in which more than six hundred education and democracy governance specialists from around the world considered an “education and democracy agenda.” This agenda focuses on how classroom instruction and democratic behavior, education sector governance, community participation, and national education policies can contribute to democratic development of countries. 2. Education and Democracy Planning and Evaluation Investigative Questions builds upon lessons learned from the on-line forum. The questions are intended as a resource for program planners and researchers concerned about building democratically responsible educational systems. 3. Whither Thou Goest: Education, Democracy, and the Building of a Common Future points out the contribution that the education sector can make to a country’s “democratic capital,” including school systems that foster or sustain democratic institutions through their students and communities. 4. An Education and Democracy Resource List provides a reference list related to education and democracy. The list was compiled following the recommendations of participants in the global on-line forum.
Participation as a Method to Improve Education Quality: The Principles Lawrence Kanyike, Modesta Omona, Vincent Birungi, Denis Nuwagaba, Patience Namanya, Imelda Kemeza, and Joseph Carasco, September 1999, 62 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-309. This illustrated manual provides step-by-step guidance for stakeholders, stakeholder groups, and facilitators at the school level who want to design and carry out participatory action research and make the results of such research available to communities. The aim of such skill-building is to increase the ability of stakeholders to solve local school problems. Group members learn to collect, analyze, and disseminate information, and to use the research results in designing activities to improve student learning.
Step by Step Evaluation Project Data Collector Manual Joanne Brady, 1998, 6 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-344. This manual offers guidelines for data collection for the Step by Step program. It offers tips for classroom and school visits and guidelines to follow for administering child assessments and conducting classroom observations.
Classroom Observation Tools Ray Chesterfield, January 1997, 34 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-335. This handbook uses the experience of IEQ in conducting classroom-based research in a number of countries to provide a series of decision points on conducting observational research. The paper discusses which instruments are appropriate for answering different research questions and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The document makes it clear that no single observation instrument is appropriate for answering all research questions, but that they are best used in combination to show patterns and differences among individuals and groups.
Tips on How to Manage a Large Class Aida L. Pasigna, January 1997, 11 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-346. This easy-to-read, illustrated booklet provides suggestions to teachers to help them manage large classes. The suggested procedures and techniques can help teachers increase pupils’ time on task and maximize opportunities for learning.
Multiple Method Evaluations Regino Chávez, September 1996, 57 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-300. Multimethod evaluations are an appropriate response to the increasingly complex nature of programs as well as the need of policymakers and program administrators for information on the effectiveness of an intervention. This “module” summarizes the essential concepts and strategies in the conduct of multimethod evaluation research, providing the reader with an introduction to this type of work and an idea of some of the challenges in carrying it out.
Pupil Assessment Manual: Chichewa, English and Mathematics Standards, 2, 3, and 4. Abigail M. Harris, Amy Jo Dowd, E.S. Kaphesi, Master Kalulu, Lester Namathaka, Francis Mabeti, and Mike Chibwana, 35 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-339. This manual is a resource for researchers interested in reviewing the procedures used in the assessment of children. It was used to guide researchers in Malawi who were assessing skills in English, Chichewa, and Mathematics in standards 2–5. The manual provides instructions and information on preparing to test, materials needed, directions for administering, and procedures for scoring.
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Probing into Research Findings: Targeted Studies
Findings from an Exploratory Study of Teachers' Beliefs and Practices about Pupil Assessment in Malawi Shirley Miske, Sandra Schmidt, and Enret Santhe, August 2003, 37 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACT-785. This paper documents what Malawian education stakeholders, especially teachers, believe about and do in assessment. As such, it is part of the international movement to consider seriously the influence of tests and the ways in which they affect teaching and learning. The findings presented here show how murky the field measurement and assessment is in Malawi, and how diverse the meanings are in an enterprise that has dramatic consequences for children.
Study of Bilingual Education Graduates in Guatemala Ray Chesterfield, Fernando Rubio F., Rigoberto Vasquez, April 2003, 103 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACU-137. Bilingual education is considered one of the solutions for improving the education achievement of indigenous boys and girls. This document presents the results of an study of graduates of PRONEBI/ DIGEBI that was carried out among the pilot schools of the National Bilingual Education Project that was begun in Guatemala in 1979. It includes a sample of the original 10 schools from the Mam, Q'eqchi', Kaqchikel y K'iche' linguistic areas where the project was developed and a sample of similar schools in the same areas that have never offered bilingual education. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of participation in an bilingual multicultural education program on the adult life of graduates, in terms of personal well-being, participation in civil society, and the maintenance of Mayan culture.
Inside Story: A Story of Quality in Curriculum and Appropriate Delivery IEQ/Honduras Team, December 2001, 2pp. In Honduras nearly two-thirds of the population over age 15 have not completed their basic education past 6 th grade. This inside story focuses on one young girl who after being out of school for a couple of years comes to an Educatodos center to continue her education. It addresses issues such as how to make classes interesting and relevant to everyday life, how to provide instruction without a teacher, and how to effectively use audio to support an integrated curriculum.
Inside Story: Teachers’ Home Language and Performance of Chiyao Pupils in Mathematics, English and Chichewa IEQ/Malawi Research Team, November 2000, 2 pp. In March 1996, the government of Malawi introduced a major reform effort directing that all pupils in grades 1 to 4 be instructed in their mother tongue. At the same time a directive was issued that all teachers should be posted to schools and regions according to need and not necessarily because they speak the language of the area. IEQ/Malawi, in partnership with the Malawi institute of Education and the Save the Children/USA have been investigating the role teacher’s home language plays in the implementation of the language policy in the Balaka and Mangochi districts. This paper documents the methodology used, the findings and the impact of the findings.
Inside Story: What Happened to the Teachers? IEQ Malawi Research Team, October 2000, 2 pp. In February 1999, IEQ/Malawi, in partnership with Malawi Institute of Education and Save the Children/USA began a longitudinal study of pupils, teachers, schools, and communities. In October 1999, when they returned to complete a follow-up study, 50 percent of the nearly two hundred teachers were no longer teaching the classes they had begun in February. As a result of this finding, IEQ/Malawi researchers conducted a survey to trace the missing teachers. This paper documents the methodology used, the findings, and the impact of the findings.
Teacher and Pupil Home Language: Implications for Learning(Teacher's Home Language versus Mother Tongue Instruction Policy: Some Insights from IEQ Research Findings on Chiyao Speaking Children in Mangochi and Balaka Districts) Henry G. Chilora and Abigail Harris, 2000, 8 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-311. In 1996, Malawi instituted a language policy that a child’s mother tongue should be the medium of instruction in standards 1–4. This policy is in disconnect with teacher posting policy, which places teachers according to need and not their ability to speak the language of that region. This paper documents IEQ research findings comparing learning gains for children taught by teachers who speak the child’s mother tongue and use it in instruction with those of children in classes where the teacher does not speak or use the child’s home language.
What happened to the Missing Baseline Survey Teachers?: A Teacher Mobility Study in Balaka and Mangochi Districts IEQ/Malawi Research Team, 2000, 9 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-637. This report highlights some of the critical challenges faced by the Malawi government as a result of increased pupil enrollment. While embarking on a longitudinal study of pupils, teachers, schools, and communities, the IEQ/Malawi team discovered that nearly half of teachers surveyed were no longer teaching the classes they had started with in the beginning of the study. The team conducted a teacher mobility study to establish the reasons for the missing teachers. This report explains how the data was collected and analyzed and how the results were discussed and conclusions drawn.
El Salvador Technical Assistance Report: A Study of Child Rearing Practices in Two Areas of Usulután Regino Chávez and Kjell Enge, 1999, 18 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-318. This report is the joint effort of IEQ/El Salvador and a local NGO, Fundación Salvadoreña de Salud y Desarrollo Social (FUSAL), to gather information on childrearing practices in homes and institutional settings of two rural areas to serve as a baseline for the design of a new USAID activity. As FUSAL has ample experience in delivering health services and training, but limited experience in conducting research, IEQ provided technical assistance in research methodology to help the design the research, collect and analyze data, and prepare the report.
The Status of Primary Education in el Quiché; in relation to other departments served by DIGBI and to Guatemala as a whole Ray Chesterfield and Fernando Rubio, December 1998, 27 pp. Also available in Spanish. USAID document no. PN-ACK-716. This study uses Ministry of Education data to compare El Quiché, where USAID concentrated its efforts, with other Guatemalan departments. The findings showed that rural education throughout the country was unsuccessful, with only about 20 percent of the student population completing primary school. The situation was worse, however, in El Quiché, where only about 13 percent of boys and 10 percent of girls complete primary school. The department also had one of the lowest enrollment rates in the country. These data confirmed the importance of targeting educational interventions in this area of the country.
What happens to the textbooks? Abigail M. Harris, Beatrice A. Okyere, Anthony Mensah, and Harrison G.K. Kugbey, March 1997, 19 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACA-775. Textbooks can be a powerful tool in the teaching and learning process. By following the path of textbooks as they make their way from the publisher to classroom and into the lives of teachers and children (or to collect dust in school cupboards), researchers can develop a clearer understanding of the instructional support that is needed to maximize their use as well as the knowledge and insight needed to guide policymakers. This monograph, a cooperative effort of IEQ and the University of Cape Coast, does just that in the context of English language textbooks in fourteen urban and rural schools in the Central and Western regions of Ghana.
Research Brief: What happens to the textbooks?
Fostering English Language Learning in Ghana Abigail M. Harris and Joseph M. Dzinyela, 1997, 31 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-320. This study investigates English language learning and proficiency in Ghana. The central research questions were: What are the current language skills of Ghanaian school children? What factors are affecting language learning? And how can language learning be improved? The report discusses methodology and key findings and explores implications and future directions.
Linking Literacy Assessment and Curriculum in the Malian Schools John Hutchinson, 1996, 18 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-307. This paper attempts to describe what could be the optimal relationship between testing instruments and the curriculum and propose a mechanism that will, in the long term, result in the ongoing upgrading of the reformed Malian school. The format of this discussion takes into account the “symbiotic” relationship between the curriculum and testing instruments, and proposes a mechanism by which they can continue this relationship. The paper also aims to broaden the discussion of assessment in the context of the convergent methodology school.
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IEQ Exchanges: Papers Presented at National and International Conferences
Feasibility of a Large Scale Implementation of Continuous Assessment as a Stimulus for Teacher Development in Malawi Yoas T. Kamangira, March 2003, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, New Orleans, LA, 14 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-989. Continuous Assessment was introduced in Ntcheu as an intervention and an innovation in Malawi’s primary education system after research in Mangochi and Balaka districts had shown that even standards 2, 3 and 4 pupils were unable to read and write in English and Chichewa and that their numeracy skills were much to be desired. This scenario demands a need for an intervention and an innovation at a classroom level to stabilize the FPE in Malawi. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in conjunction with USAID suggested that the alternative solution could take the line of assessment instead of pedagogy itself. The primary objective of this Continuous Assessment is to improve pupil performance through the teacher development process. However, what is the possibility of this innovation being implemented at a large scale in order to transform the entire education system in Malawi? After describing and analysing Continuous Assessment in Ntcheu district of Malawi, this paper examines the feasibility of a large-scale implementation of Continuous Assessment as a stimulus to further teacher education development in Malawi. Successes and implications emanating from Ntcheu experience are the major parameters examined.
Integrating Primary School Curriculum and Continuous Assessment in Malawi Hartford Mchazime, March 2003. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, New Orleans, LA, 12 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-990. In 2000, USAID/Malawi asked the Improving Educational Quality (IEQ) II Project and the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) to assist the Malawi Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) in the development of a model for continuous assessment in Malawi primary schools. A number of concerns prompted this request: the declining primary school pupils' examination scores, the increasing numbers of pupil dropouts, an increased interest to develop relevant and effective continuous assessment methods, and the view that the current primary school curriculum is elitist and does not give pupils skills to help them survive once they leave school. These concerns also prompted the MOEST in collaboration with the MIE to embark on a curriculum reform called the Primary Curriculum and Assessment Reform (PCAR). This paper discusses the potential that now exists to integrate continuous assessment with the primary school curriculum.
Investigating Pupils’ Performance on Mathematics Word Problems in Lower Primary School in Malawi Henri Chilora, Cassandra Jessee, Cory, Heyman, March 2003. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, New Orleans, LA, 18 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACS-991. Malawi has over 15 local languages, but Malawi’s national language, Chichewa, is the only local language that is used as a mandatory medium of instruction in standards 1 to 4 in all public primary schools, irrespective of whether or not children use it as their home language. This paper investigates findings on pupil performance by language group in mathematics, particularly focusing on word problems that are assessing math skills in a context, using data from a longitudinal study on quality of education in Malawi conducted by the Improving Education Quality (IEQ) II Project in partnership with the Malawi Institute of Education and Save the Children Federation, Inc.
Literacy Development Through a Local Language in a Multilingual Setting in Malawi Henry Chilora, November 2001, 13 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACN-679. Since February 1999, IEQ/Malawi has been conducting a longitudinal study on the quality of education which children receive at the classroom level in Malawi. One area that is being investigated in this study is the level of literacy skill acquisition by children in grades 2, 3 and 4 in Mangochi and Balaka districts, both of which are multilingual societies that have Chiyao as their majority mother tongue language. This paper discusses some of the findings on how pupils are developing their literacy skills in a multilingual setting.
Research and Utilization and Sustainable Development Docks Jere, August 2001, 9 pp. Paper presented at the 9th Boleswa International Educational Research Symposium held at the University of Botswana. USAID document no. PN-ACN-677 This paper focuses on how the IEQ cycle of assesment, analysis and action has been used in Malawi to foster dialogue on educational quality. It highlights how through thorough data collection and analysis valuable information is attained that highlights not only how children learn but also the disconnects in a system that prevent learning.
Transforming Language Policy Through Dialogue and School-based Research J.M. Dzinyela, March 2001, 12 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-071. Although Ghana has had a national policy calling for mother tongue instruction for over 25 years, many schools are implementing English-only policies that oppose the national one. This paper examines the implications of some of the research findings for policy dialogue and formation.
Achieving Quality through Assessment: The Experience of Educatodos - IEQII in Honduras Carmen Siri, Vilma Ruth Mendez, Rafael Diaz Donaire, March 2001, 5 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-062. IEQ began working with Educatodos in Honduras in November 1999, on the development of curriculum materials for an alternative education delivery system for basic education — 7th to 9th grade. The curriculum mapping has been produced, for both formal and alternative programs, and an integrated curriculum approach is being used for development of print and audio learning materials. Similar materials are developed for teaching English as a second language. This paper discusses how specific assessment measures such as self -assessment, pre and post testing, and certification are being used to achieve quality in alternative delivery system.
Defining Quality in the Midst of HIV/AIDS: Ripple Effects in the Classroom Abigail M. Harris, Jane G. Schubert, March 2001, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. 11 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACL-063. IEQ has been working in Malawi since 1999. This paper discusses how the emerging reality of HIV/AIDS is impacting an already overburdened educational system. While IEQ is not directly studying the issue of HIV/AIDS in Malawi, as the crisis began to emerge data became available about why children miss school and the stability and continuity of education for children who do attend. This paper examines how the HIV/AIDS crisis is affecting both of these issues.
Examining the Cases: Attitudes Towards an Instruction in the Local Language A.K. Awedoba, March 2001, 16 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-067. Parents', students', and school officials' attitudes towards mother tongue or first language instruction primarily were negative across the six, in both bilingual and English-only schools. However, attitudes towards an instruction in English-medium schools did not consistently oppose the bilingual policy, as was revealed through the public English-only school of the IEQ study. Data from this site reveal the multiple, complex factors to be considered in order to change non-implementation to implementing schools in the context of the current language policy.
Investigating the Role of Teacher's Home Language in Mother Tongue Policy Implementation: Evidence from IEQ Research Findings in Malawi Henri G. Chilora and Abigail Harris, March 2001, 12 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-068. Malawi's school language policy says that pupils in grades 1 to 4 should learn in their mother tongue or vernacular language. The teacher posting policy, however, says that teachers should be posted to schools where their services are needed most irrespective of whether they can or cannot speak the pupils' home language. Whereas pupils' books (except those of English) are written in Chichewa, teachers' guides are written in English and teachers prepare their lesson plans (except those of Chichewa) in English. With teachers coming from more than 16 linguistic groups that are scattered all over the country, what role does the teacher's home language play in the implementation of this policy and how do the learners perform when taught by a teacher who speaks their language and by teachers of other languages?
Policy Dialogue and Classroom-Based Research on Ghana's School Language Policy A.K. Awedoba, March 2001, 13 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-069. Ghana's official school language policy calls for a Ghanaian language medium of instruction for three years with a transition to English-only instruction in Primary 4. In a country with over 60 indigenous languages where English is used as the official language, policy implementation is fraught with problems. The IEQ multi-site case study of six schools reveals the layers of complexity and resistance in attempting to implement the policy. Findings from classroom observations and achievement tests in the six schools informs dialogue with policymakers at various levels.
Strengthening Democracy Through Education Carmen Siri, Vilma Ruth Mendez, Rafael Diaz Donaire, March 2001, 5 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-070. The approach to strengthening democracy through education proposed by Educatodos/IEQ II involves three phases that move democracy from an expanded access -a quantitative approach-, to skills for living in democracy included in the curriculum -a qualitative approach. This paper discusses all three approaches providing equal opportunities in/for education, moving education beyond the school to exercising democratic processes.
Effects of Home Language on Pupil's Performance in Mathematics: A Focus of IEQ/Malawi Project Elias Kaphesi, March 2001, 13pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-066. The IEQ Project is conducting an longitudinal study on educational quality in the Mangochi and Balaka districts of Malawi. One of the findings is that in most cases, teachers and pupils do not share the same home language. Analysis of data revealed that differences of home language between pupils and the teachers have an effect on the pupils’ learning gains in mathematics in lower primary schools.
Effects of Democracy on Teachers and Teacher Education in Malawi Yoas T. Kamangira and Joyce C. Kasambara, March 2001, 11 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, Washington, D.C. USAID document no. PN-ACL-065. This paper compares the teachers' education and performance before and after the multi-party democracy. It explains the conditions under which the teachers were/are operating and the effects these conditions were/are having on both the teachers' performance and behaviour and the pupils' performance.
Teacher and Pupil Home Language: Implications for Learning(Teacher's Home Language versus Mother Tongue Instruction Policy: Some Insights from IEQ Research Findings on Chiyao Speaking Children in Mangochi and Balaka Districts) Henry G. Chilora and Abigail Harris, 2000, 8 pp. USAID document no. PN-ACK-311. In 1996, Malawi instituted a language policy that a child’s mother tongue should be the medium of instruction in standards 1–4. This policy is in disconnect with teacher posting policy, which places teachers according to need and not their ability to speak the language of that region. This paper documents IEQ research findings comparing learning gains for children taught by teachers who speak the child’s mother tongue and use it in instruction with those of children in classes where the teacher does not speak or use the child’s home language.
Language Policy, Research and Practice in Malawi Henri G. Chilora, March 2000, 14 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, San Antonio, Texas. USAID document no. PN-ACK-274. This paper discusses Malawi’s school language policy, the manner in which it has been implemented, and some of the findings of research on the policy carried out by the IEQ project and its research partners in sixty-five schools in two districts in the southern part of the country.
Stakeholder Collaboration Rosamond Asante-Frempong, March 2000, 9 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, San Antonio, Texas. USAID document no. PN-ACK-284. The paper begins by stating the rationale for teaching in local languages in early primary and describes some of the benefits and challenges of using a collaborative approach to carrying out the IEQ-sponsored study of the implementation of Ghana’s language policy. Including stakeholders such as universities, government, and practitioners appears to increase the likelihood that the results will be valued, widely disseminated, affect classroom practices, and improve the country’s capacity to carry out further research on its own when donor assistance has ended.
Qualitative Research from a University/Ministry Partnership: Informing School Language Policy Decisions Kingsley Andoh-Kumi, March 2000, 6 pp. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society, San Antonio, Texas. USAID document no. PN-ACK-277. This paper explains the rationale for and summarizes of Ghana’s School Language Policy before outlining the IEQ project’s multi-site study, the aim of which is to inform policy dialogue and improve bilingual practices in primary education. Some preliminary results are also shared. Multilingualism is a problem not limited to urban areas, as has been thought. Also contrary to expectations, the policy is not being widely implemented. Finally, it appears that there is little support for the policy at the school level.
Report on the National Seminar on Quality Education through Research, Information and Activities IEQ/Malawi Team, 7–9 February 2000, 22 pp. Paper presented at the National Seminar at Nkopola Lodge, Mangochi, Malawi. USAID document no. PN-ACK-281. In 1999, IEQ conducted baseline and follow-up surveys in sixty-five primary schools in Mangochi and Balaka districts in Malawi to establish factors that affect quality. These proceedings summarize the results of the presentation of these findings, discuss the role of research in improving educational quality, and suggest how these findings can guide policies and actions in Malawi’s primary schools.
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Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Active Learning and Democratic Behavior in Guatemalan Rural Primary Schools Yetilu de Baessa, PhD, Ray Chesterfield, PhD, Tanya Ramos, M.A., forthcoming in Compare USAID document no. PN-ACN-634. Emerging democracies such as Guatemala are beginning to experiment with active learning methodologies to improve learning and encourage democratic behavior among children. However, there exists little information on the effects of different classroom environments on childrens behavior in developing countries. This study uses focused classroom observations to examine differences in the democratic behavior of children of different genders and ethnicity attending traditional rural schools and those attending rural schools with an experimental active learning program.
Challenges of School-Based Assessment in Primary Schools in Malawi Docks R. Jere, Fall 2000, 4 pp. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice 19 (3): 45–48. USAID document no. PN-ACK-651. With the introduction of Free Primary Education and a new primary school curriculum, primary school teachers in Malawi are confronting some serious problems in the area of classroom assessment. This article examines the critical issues of assessment and student performance at standard 3, particularly with respect to gender as well as mixed-age and mixed-ability primary school classes in Malawi.
Enhancing Dialogue among Researchers, Policymakers, and Community Members in Uganda: Complexities, Possibilities, and Persistent Questions Joseph Carasco, Nancy Clair, and Lawrence Kanyike, 2000, 33 pp. Comparative Education Review 45 (2). USAID document no. PN-ACK-287. The problem of non-dialogue among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners is widespread. Most education stakeholders agree that research findings should be utilized more effectively to improve schools. There is less agreement on how this should happen. Participatory action research (PAR) is one possible solution as it involves dialogue, investigation, and action, and includes local people in the research process. In this study, researchers use interpretive theory and data collection techniques to illuminate the complexities and possibilities of PAR and to understand how dialogue may contribute to better schools.
Teacher's Perception of their Participation in Policy Choices: The Bottom-up Approach of Nueva Escuela Unitaria (NEU) in Guatemala Martha E. Mantilla, November 1999, 31 pp. In B. Levinson and M. Sutton, eds., New Approaches to Studying Educational Policy Formation and Appropriation. New York: Ablex. USAID document no. PN-ACK-304. Nueva Escuela Unitaria (NEU) is an educational reform initiative that seeks innovative ways to engage actors such as teachers, parents, students, government officials, and program administrators in the educational decisions that affect their lives. This article addresses the issue of teachers’ participation in the formation and appropriation of educational policies within the context of NEU in Guatemala with the intention of showing the relationship between participation on one hand and policy formation and appropriation on the other.
Linking Research to Educational Policy and Practice: What Kind of Relationships in How (De)Centralized a Context D. Adams, M. Ginsburg, T. Clayton, M. Mantilla, J. Sylvester, and Y. Wang, 1998, 26 pp. In B. Levinson and M. Sutton, eds., New Approaches to Studying Educational Policy Formation and Appropriation. New York: Ablex. USAID document no. PN-ACK-297. This chapter outlines a set of debates concerning alternative models for the relationship between researchers and policymakers/practitioners in efforts to link research with policy/practice. The issues raised in these debates are explored using illustrations drawn from documentation research of the IEQ project, which operated in Ghana, Guatemala, and Mali during 1992–1996.
The Politics of Research and Linking it to Educational Policy/Practice: Continuing the Dialogue M. Ginsburg, 1996, 3 pp. Research Papers in Education 11 (3): 259–61. USAID document no. PN-ACK-713. This article addresses questions posed by Owen van den Berg, who commented on “Choices in Conceptualizing Classroom-Anchored Research and Linking it to Policy/Practice to Improved Educational Quality in Developing Countries.” It clarifies several points and acknowledges the central role that interpersonal, intergroup, interinstitutional, and international power relations play in education development projects.
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Multimedia Products
Thinking Electronically: Practical considerations in putting tools of the evaluation trade on- line Mary Kay Schoen and Kristen Weeks, November 2001. This power point presentation is an outcome and result of the experiences of IEQ while creating the Tools for Measuring Teaching and Learning portion of the IEQ website.Tips and items for consideration are included for fellow researchers who are considering placing evaluation tools on-line.
Educatodos – Fast Track to the 9th Grade in Honduras Carmen Siri, August 2001. This PowerPoint presentation compares the advantages, disadvantages, and cost effectiveness of the Educatodos alternative delivery system for grades 7–9 program to the traditional school program in Honduras.
Educación para Todos – Prioridad en Guatemala Proyecto Comunicacion Social, April 2001. This PowerPoint presentation takes a comprehensive look at the education system and educational issues in Guatemala using statistical information. Issues relating to cultural pluralism and gender equity are addressed.
Pamphlet on Education Partnerships (Livreto Parcerias in Portuguese), 2001. This pamphlet was developed for the Brazilian Education Partnership. It provides guidance for school staff on developing partnerships to improve local schools and education. It will also be disseminated to potential school partners to explain the concept and the important contribution that a partnership can make to school quality. This work was funded by IEQ and done for the U.S. Department of Education with support from the U.S. Embassy in Brazil and CONSED.
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Newsletters: The Quality Link

Spring 2002, Number 5:	Reflections on Establishing and Sustaining Partnerships in IEQ	English	Français	Español
Spring 2001, Number 4:	Education and Democracy	English	Français	Español
Winter 2000, Number 3:	Teachers as Miracle Workers-Stepping Stones to Success	English	Français	Español
Fall 1999, Number 2:	Pupils, Learning, and Educational Quality	English	Français	Español
Spring 1999, Number 1:	Introduction to IEQ	English	Français	Español

Publicaciones en español
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Sistema de monitoreo de indicadores en el aula para la educación bilingüe intercultural en Guatemala Justo Mactzul Coyote y Rigoberto Vásquez González, junio 2002, 11 pp. Documento de la USAID no. PN-ACT-154 En julio del año 1998, el Proyecto de Medición de Indicadores y Resultados (MEDIR)/USAID, ha venido apoyando a la Dirección general de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (DIGEBI) en la búsqueda de información relacionadas al desarrollo de la Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (EBI) en el campo de la investigación y evaluación educativa, con la intención de facilitar herramientas para mejorar las tomas decisiones de parte de los administradores en el aspecto técnico y administrativas de la educación a nivel local, departamental y nacional. En este documento, encontrará datos históricos de la DIGEBI, cómo se concibe en DIGEBI el sistema de monitoreo, los procedimientos para la realización, los indicadores a estudiar, los instrumentos que se utilizan, la frecuencia de los reportes de parte de los investigadores y el uso de la información de parte de los interesados.
Replicabilidad del Programa Pre-escolar y de Educación Temprana Implementado por Niños Refugiados del Mundo Regino Chávez y Fernando E. Rubio F., junio 2002, 10 pp. Documento de la USAID no. PN-ACT-073. Uno de los objetivos del estudio evaluativo fue determinar si el modelo de educación inicial desarrollado por Niños Refugiados del Mundo puede ser llevado a escala. Este documento presenta un análisis de los aspectos sustantivos del modelo, así como un breve análisis cualitativo de costos del programa.
Sistema de monitoreo de educación bilingüe intercultural: Colección de datos de indicadores de aula y de escuela Fernando E. Rubio F., Justo Mactzul, and Rigoberto Vásquez, febrero 2002, 8 pp. También disponible en inglés. En este documento, se describe una serie de indicadores y procedimientos para hacer un seguimiento de las acciones de la Dirección General de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (DIGEBI) a los niveles de aula y escuela. Los indicadores y procedimientos han sido desarrollados por un esfuerzo de colaboración entre DIGEBI y MEDIR durante dos años.
Monitoring System for DIGEBI Bilingual Intercultural Education Fernando E. Rubio F., Justo Mactzul, and Rigoberto Vásquez, February 2002, 14 pp. Also available in Spanish. USAID document no. PN-ACT-155. This document describes a series of indicators and procedures for monitoring the actions of the Dirección General de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural (DIGEBI) at the school and classroom level. The indicators and procedures have been developed through a collaborative effort between DIGEBI and MEDIR over a two-year period. The process began with reflection over what types of information are needed to make decisions about instructional delivery at the departmental and national levels, and how could such information be obtained in a parsimonious manner. Over time, indicators were developed for bilingual schools and classrooms and instruments tested and refined for collecting data on the indicators. Three departments successfully implemented the system in 2001 and it will be implanted in all departments where DIGEBI is working during the 2002 school year.
Evaluative Study of the Institutional Viability of Telebásica/Honduras Patricio Barriga, Gloria Gamera, and Seth Spaulding, 2002. USAID document no. PN-ACN-834. Also available in English USAID document no. PN-ACR-820. Telebásica is a Honduran adaptation of the Mexican Telesecundaria program, which provides seventh- through ninth-grade instruction through use of a comprehensive set of instructional materials, including television modules distributed by satellite. Under an agreement with the government of Mexico, Honduras has been experimenting with the use of the materials in Centros de Educación Básica, which are essentially elementary schools that have added grades 7–9 in order to expand educational opportunities. This study examines student achievement in the experimental centers, the opinions of teachers, students, parents, and community leaders about the program, the content of the curriculum, what resources would be necessary to expand the program, and the relationship of the effort to other projects and programs in Honduras.
Educación y prensa escrita en Guatemala: Temas y actores destacados en los años 2000/2001 María Magdalena Molinas, junio 2002, 34 pp Con la intención de identificar la importancia que la prensa escrita le da al tema educativo, de detectar qué temas son de su interés y qué actores son los se manifiestan en torno al mismo, el Proyecto Medición de Indicadores y Resultados (MEDIR) inició en el año 2000 el registro mensual de los artículos que sobre educación se publican en seis periódicos de circulación nacional. Este informe se da seguimiento al estudio referido, a través de la presentación de los resultados de los registros de prensa realizados en los años 2000 y 2001.
An Evaluation of the Early Childhood Education and Preschool Program Implemented by Niños Refugiados del Mundo: Classroom Implementation and Community Participation: Final Report Fernando E. Rubio F., June 2001, 73 pp. Also available in Spanish. USAID document no. PD-ABY-269. This document presents the results of an evaluation of the Niños Refugiados del Mundo (NRM) preschool programs in the Nebaj, which was conducted to examine the impact of the program on children's development as well as to assess the program's progress in incorporating parents in the program, in using local culture in the classroom and to characterize classroom teaching and learning processes. Thirteen (13) NRM preschool classrooms were compared to eight (9) DIGEBI and three (3) Ministry of Education preschools. Information was obtained through observations of classrooms, interviews with teachers, parents, board members and community members and reviews of center documentation.
Una Evaluación del Programa Pre-escolar y de Educación Temprana Implementado por Niños Refugiados del Mundo: Implementación de Aula y Participación Comunitaria: Informe Final Regino Chávez y Fernando E. Rubio F., febrero 2002, 45 pp. También disponible en inglés. Este documento presente los resultados de una evaluación que se realizó de los programas preescolares de los Niños Refugiados del Mundo (NRM) en el municipio de Nebaj, para evaluar el impacto que tiene el programa en el desarrollo de los niños, para medir el progreso del programa en la incorporación de los padres y madres de familia en el mismo; para conocer el uso de la cultura local en el aula y para describir los procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje en el aula. Se compararon trece (13) aulas preescolares de NRM con ocho (8) aulas preescolares de la DIGEBI y tres (3) aulas preescolares (párvulos) del Ministerio de Educación (MINEDUC). La información se obtuvo mediante observaciones de aulas/clases, entrevistas con docentes y padres/madres de familia, miembros de la junta directiva y de la comunidad, también a través de revisiones de centros de documentación.
Los facilitadores voluntarios de EDUCATODOS Ned van Steenwyk, 2002, 42 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-835. El facilitador voluntario es el elemento clave para el éxito de los participantes en Educatodos. Cuatro mil facilitadores dedican su tiempo a sus comunidades para la enseñanza de la educación básica con Educatodos. Este documento examina las características de los facilitadores voluntarios de Educatodos y también examina el valor de la donación de su tiempo.
El impacto de Educatodos en la vida de las mujeres Rocío Tábora, 2002, 96 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-836. En este estudio sobre el impacto de Educatodos en la vida de las mujeres participantes, se demuestra que Educatodos constituye una alternativa efectiva de entrega de servicios a las comunidades y personas, especialmente mujeres y jóvenes excluidos del sector educativo. La investigación se realizó en municipios situados bajo la línea de pobreza, en los departamentos de Lempira, Intibucá, Copán y Ocotepeque.
Impacto de Educatodos en la producción y en las condiciones de vida de los participantes Adolfo del Cid, 2002, 56 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-837. Este trabajo constituye una aproximación factual al impacto de Educatodos en las empresas donde funciona, tanto en lo que respecta a la producción como a las condiciones de vida de los participantes. En esta investigación, se ha incorporado la voz de los actores directos, participantes, empleadores y facilitadores, su visión, sus logros y sus expectativas. El propósito fundamental de esta investigación ha sido establecer cómo Educatodos ha incidido en los procesos de producción, así como en las condiciones de vida de los participantes.
Logros académicos del séptimo grado de Educatodos: Estudio comparativo externo de los centros de Educatodos y centros regulares Unidad Externa de Medición de la Calidad de la Educación (UMCE), Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Francisco Morazán (UPNFM), 2002, 110 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-839. En este informe se presentan los resultados de un estudio cuyo propósito fue identificar, describir, analizar y comparar el nivel de competencia de los estudiantes del séptimo grado en las habilidades y destrezas correspondientes a las asignaturas de Español y Matemáticas, a fin de determinar el impacto de Educatodos en el rendimiento académico de los participantes.
Estudio cualitativo del séptimo grado de Educatodos Patricio Barriga, 2002, 84 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-838. Este documento presenta un estudio cualitativo del séptimo grado de Educatodos que concluye que el séptimo grado de Educatodos es viable, que ha superado los principales obstáculos de diseño e implementación y que está formando una cultura de eficiencia y eficacia.
Metodología interactiva de audio en el modelo de Educatodos Altagracia Díaz, 2002, 42 págs. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACR-842. Este documento describe la metodología de Educatodos, una metodología interactiva que integra a la radio y el audio como recursos didácticos. En este sistema innovador, el audio se convierte en complemento del texto. Se presentan el proceso, los ambientes, y los desafíos del modelo de Educatodos.
El Estado de la Educación Primarie en el Quiché en Relación a otros Departamentos Servido por DIGEBI y a Guatemala Ray Chesterfield y Fernando Rubio, diciembre 1998, 28 págs. También disponible en inglés. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACG-207. Este estudio utiliza las estadísticas nacionales generadas por la Unidad de Informática del Ministerio de Educación para presentar una descripción de la situación educativa en el Departamento de El Quiché, el área de enfoque de los esfuerzos de la USAID. Los resultados mostraron que la educación rural en Guatemala ha tenido poco éxito, donde sólo alrededor del 20 por ciento del estudiantado termina la primaria. El Quiché tenía una situación peor que la del país en general, donde sólo el 13 por ciento de los niños y el 10 por ciento de las niñas terminan el sexto grado. Se encontró que el acceso a la escuela fue relativamente bajo en comparación con el resto del país. Los datos confirmaron la necesidad de prestar atención especial a las escuelas de El Quiché.
Memoria de la Conferencia Nacional de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural en Guatemala: Unidos por una educación intercultural bilingüe IEQ II/Guatemala, mayo 2001, 76 pp. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACU-136. La Conferencia Departamental de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural realizada en Chichicastenango, Quiché, mayo del 2001, tuvo como objeto principal el propiciar los espacios de reflexión y discusión de la comunidad educativa e1n relación de la situación y desarrollo de la educación en el departamento, poniendo énfasis en la importancia de la Educación Bilingüe Intercultural. La memoria del encuentro esta integrada por las ponencias presentadas durante el encuentro así como las principales intervenciones que las mismas generaron.
Círculos de calidad de Maestros: Una Metodología para descentralizar la capacitación de maestros Fernando Rubio e Hipólito Hernández, enero 1999, 11 págs. Presentada en la Conferencia sobre Reforma Educativa en Centroamérica, Panamá y República Dominicana, San Salvador, El Salvador. Documento de la USAID No. PN-ACG-206. Este documento discute los esfuerzos de utilizar “círculos de calidad de maestros” para facilitar la capacitación de maestros bilingües en servicio. Los resultados mostraron que los círculos de calidad han sido exitosos al estimular la participación de los maestros rurales bilingües en el análisis de problemas y asuntos educativos a nivel local. De igual forma, los círculos han tenido éxito en la ejecución de acciones en la escuela que ayudan al desarrollo de una cultura democrática. Sin embargo, después de dos años de implantación, las experiencias positivas de los maestros con los círculos no reflejaron cambios en el desempeño de los alumnos.
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