Lower Attainment Research Articles

Family and Social Cognitive Predictors of Southeast Asian American College Students’ Academic Satisfaction

Southeast Asian Americans have unique sociopolitical histories compared to other Asian American ethnic groups in the United States. These experiences may distinctly shape their academic experiences. Given the low academic attainment rates in this population, we tested a cultural and social cognitive model of academic satisfaction with a sample of 111 Southeast Asian American college students. Specifically, we examined the degree to which intergenerational family conflict and social cognitive factors (e.g., self-efficacy) related to academic satisfaction. We found that intergenerational family conflict was negatively related to family academic support. Contrary to expectations, family academic support and self-efficacy were not directly linked to academic satisfaction, family academic support was not directly linked to self-efficacy or outcome expectations, and outcome expectations was not linked to goal progress. Other social cognitive predictors were related directly and indirectly to academic satisfaction, consistent with prior research. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are addressed.

The intersectionality of educational inequalities and child poverty in Africa: a deconstruction

The developing world has continually faced tremendous challenges in providing social security and safety nets for its vast populations culminating in wider educational inequalities and extreme poverty. It is not uncommon in Sub-Saharan Africa to find rapacious wealth in the hands of a few co-existing with mass poverty. As a consequence, the majority of children in education have continually experienced low attainment levels and poor prospects in life. This paper discusses interrelationships between child poverty and educational inequalities since these aspects are critical to child development and social mobility and are poignant for developing nations if they are to re-align their economies competitively at a global level. The paper used an analytic review of existing survey data and literature on contemporary contexts in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on establishing understanding on child poverty and its impacts on children’s education and well being. In using data from the World Bank and United Nations agencies, the paper has been able to ascertain poverty indices affecting children; inadequate education investment levels; educational inequalities and how these have negatively impacted childhood education and development. Indications are that child poverty and educational inequalities continue to exist despite rising education investments in some countries. The paper posits strategies that developing nations may apply to improve childhood experiences and harness human capital, despite challenging levels of poverty.

The role of registries and genetic databases in familial hypercholesterolemia.

To review how leveraging familial hypercholesterolemia registries can impact molecular genetic research and precision medicine. Familial hypercholesterolemia is both much more common and more phenotypically heterogeneous than previously thought with some evidence for significant genotype to phenotype correlations. Genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolemia is becoming both more widely available and cheaper, spurring conversations about its clinical utility. In most countries, familial hypercholesterolemia is underdiagnosed and diagnosed later in life, often after the onset of coronary heart disease (CHD). Familial hypercholesterolemia is undertreated; low goal attainment and additional modifiable risk factors further increase CHD risk. Familial hypercholesterolemia epitomizes the goal of precision medicine to define a subset of individuals with a high risk of morbidity and mortality through genetic diagnosis to manage and treat the risk accordingly. Genetic cascade screening can be used to identify familial hypercholesterolemia patients at a younger age and start timely treatment to prevent CHD. Familial hypercholesterolemia registries are tools for clinical research and improving healthcare planning and patient care. As genotype and phenotype correlations in familial hypercholesterolemia become increasingly understood, this information will likely play a more important role in diagnosis and treatment especially as the cost of genetic testing continues to decline.

Unraveling the 'Social' in Social Norms: The Conditioning Effect of User Connectivity

Social influence in the form of social norms has been shown to be a powerful means to motivate behavior change, and is widely used to promote desirable behaviors such as a healthy life style. While abundant empirical evidence supports the average efficacy of social norms, there are few studies examining how the effects of social norms are differentially manifest across individuals. In today’s socially connected digital world, we conjecture that the effects of social norms are conditional on one’s digital social ties, and provide new empirical evidence from a randomized field experiment. Our field experiment included more than 7,000 individuals observed for a two-month period on an online physical activity community. We studied the effect of social norms on users’ goal setting and goal attainment behavior. We find that while social influence increases the rate of goal setting, strikingly, we also observe an undesirable effect in that such influence leads to lower rates of goal attainment. Our examination of heterogeneous treatment effects shows that individuals with higher levels of social connectivity are the most susceptible to a social norms message. Further analysis suggests that social norms motivate these runners with high social connectivity to set up a goal beyond their own capabilities, resulting in low goal attainment. Our findings have important implications for the design of interventions in the context of mobile health technologies.

Implementasi Peraturan Walikota Semarang Nomor 7 Tahun 2013 Tentang Peningkatan Pemberian ASI Eksklusif (Studi Di Puskesmas Pegandan Kecamatan Gajahmungkur Kota Semarang)

Semarang City’s goverment impose the Program of Exclusive Breast Feeding by publishing the Semarang Mayor goverment’s regulation nomor 7 by 2013. The low attainment of breast feeding in Gajah Mungkur compare with the target Dinas Kesehatan and national target were the background of done this research. The research aimed to analyze the implementation process these regulation later on it could be deduced that efforts need to be made in order to be effective implementation. This research was used qualitative research with observation, interview, and documentation to collect the data. The result of this research showed that the mplementation these regulation about the incresing of Exclusive breast feeding in Gajah Mungkur subdistrict have not been appropriate with these regulation. This problem occur because of a shortage in terms of resources, funds and facilities, the breast milk exclusive group support, communication, coordination, training of the officers which insufficient and the social economic effect of the society. Based on that problems, are needed to do some efforts which can be started by give right communication and continue support for the cadre ASI exclusive, coordination among Clinic officers Pegangan with group target and implementing the policies so that effective implementation require these regulation.

Ethnicity, disadvantage and other variables in the analysis of Birmingham longitudinal school attainment datasets

Explaining and responding to inequalities in attainment are significant educational policy challenges in England as elsewhere. Data on four cohorts of Birmingham Local Education Authority (LEA) pupils, each approximately 13,000, were analysed by ethnicity, deprivation, gender and other relevant individual pupil variables. For the four successive cohorts of children, aged five in 1997–2001, analysis shows the attainment trajectory of each ethnic group from Baseline/Foundation Stage Profile (age 5) to GCSE (age 16). The relative constancy over time, the changes from one key stage to the next and the differences within broad ethnic categories argue against simplistic explanations. The ethnicity variable accounts for a relatively small amount of variance in pupil achievement, with the same ethnic subgroups recurrently low attainers. Considering explanatory perspectives on educational inequalities and ethnicity in the light of these data, we conclude that a structuralist perspective offers the best explanation recognising economic exploitation, dominance and oppression at the national and local levels. Notions of institutional racism and Critical Race Theory (CRT) are considered to be inadequate and counter-productive, in part shown by their inability to accommodate the range of attainment levels and educational experience of different ethnic groups. More tellingly, they lack causal explanations relevant to the United Kingdom and deflect attention from the need for sustained effort to reduce poverty and disadvantage as it affects children.

Could energy drinks be a cause of mental health problems, low academic attainment, and disruptive behaviour?

Caffeinated energy drinks have become a cause for concern, with mainstream media accounts relating their usage to undesirable outcomes. My doctoral work aimed to investigate the efficacy of such claims by determining whether energy drink use predicts stress and mental health problems, disruptive behaviour, and low academic attainment. The research took a novel approach by investigating the use of these products both in isolation and in combination with other dietary variables (e.g., cola and chewing gum consumption, breakfast omission). The results suggest that energy drink use is associated with undesirable outcomes in young consumers, and that such relationships could be causal.

National Diabetes Audit 2015–2016 shows variations in care processes and targets

National Diabetes Audit 2015–2016 shows variations in care processes and targets

SU27. Cognitive Remediation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Occupational Outcome in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A 2-Year Follow-up Study

Background: Neurocognitive impairment is prominent in schizophrenia and significantly related to low occupational attainment and poor occupational outcomes (August et al, 2012). Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is frequently implemented to counteract high unemployment rates. Individuals with schizophrenia however face numerous challenges such as neurocognitive impairments and psychotic symptoms. Hence, augmenting VR to address illness-related factors may optimize occupational outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Cognitive Remediation (CR)-augmented compared to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-augmented VR on neurocognition and occupational functioning over a 2-year period. Methods: One hundred and thirty-one participants underwent assessments at baseline, post-treatment (after 10 months), and follow-up (2 years after randomization). Performance on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), occupational status, and number of hours worked per week were recorded at all assessment points. Results: Both intervention groups improved on several neurocognitive domains, improvements were however in favor of the CR group with significant intervention-by-time interactions for working memory (P = .009) and the composite score (P = .03). There was a significant increase in number of participants working (79% vs 80% at post-treatment and 68% vs 58% at follow-up in CBT and CR, respectively) and hours worked throughout the project period, with no between-group differences. CBT participants were working 11.6 hours a week at post-treatment and 14 hours at follow-up, whereas CR participants worked 10.6 hours at post-treatment and 11.3 hours a week at follow-up. Separate multiple regression analyses with hours worked as criterion was not significant for CBT (P = .13), but for CR (P = .03) with education (P = .03) and positive change in Working Memory (P = .02) as significant predictors. Entering the composite change score as predictor instead of separate domains produced a significant model for CR (P = .02). Significant predictors were age (P = .04) and change in the composite score (P = .007). Conclusion: CR-augmented VR improved several neurocognitive domains, particularly Working Memory, which was central in the CR program as well as the MCCB Composite Score. Neurocognitive improvements may also be partially explained by additional strategy learning and bridging to work settings provided in the CR program perhaps reducing interference caused by neurocognitive impairments and leading to more sufficient allocation of neurocognitive resources in turn aiding in transfer of learning to vocational settings which consequently may have helped optimize occupational functioning. The major implication of these findings is that the combined effect of VR, organized collaboration between services and CBT/CR enabled a significant proportion of the participants to attain work and to increase the number of hours worked in the study.

Socioeconomic Attainment of Extremely Low Birth Weight Survivors: The Role of Early Cognition.

To determine: (1) if childhood cognitive and academic abilities mediate the association between being born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and socioeconomic attainment at age 29 to 36 years; (2) which cognitive abilities (IQ, verbal abilities, fluid intelligence, mathematical abilities, or academic achievement) most strongly mediate this association; and (3) if the mediating role of cognition is different in ELBW survivors with significant neurosensory impairment (NSI). A prospective, longitudinal cohort of 100 Canadian ELBW survivors born between 1977 and 1982 and 89 normal birth weight comparison participants were used to examine the mediating role of childhood cognition by using 5 cognitive mediators assessed at age 8 years (overall IQ, verbal IQ, performance IQ, quantitative ability, and academic achievement) on socioeconomic attainment at adulthood. Socioeconomic attainment was defined as personal annual earnings and full-time employment assessed via self-report at age 29 to 36 years. Mediation models revealed that childhood cognition mediated the association between ELBW status and income attainment, with mathematical abilities and overall IQ each accounting for 26% of the direct effect. Mediated effects were not statistically significant in full-time employment models. For both outcomes, the mediating effect of cognition was stronger for ELBW survivors with NSI. Childhood cognitive abilities partially mediate associations between ELBW status and adult income attainment. Early life cognition is a critical predictor of socioeconomic attainment in ELBW survivors, particularly in those born with NSI. Interventions aimed at enhancing early cognition in ELBW survivors may help optimize their later socioeconomic attainment.

Clinical determinants and treatment gaps in familial hypercholesterolemia: Data from a multi-ethnic regional health service.

Background Familial hypercholesterolemia is characterized by markedly increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and risk for premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Models of care vary and reflect differing health policies and resources. The availability of electronic databases may enable better identification and assessment of familial hypercholesterolemia in the community. Methods A regional healthcare database was utilized to identify patients with a high probability of familial hypercholesterolemia, clinically defined by age-dependent-peak low-density lipoprotein cholesterol cutoffs and exclusion of secondary causes of severe hypercholesterolemia. Clinical characteristics, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment, and treatment gaps were investigated. Results Probable familial hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed in 1932 of 685,314 individuals (1:355; median age 47 years). Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was present in 16.3% of adults (38% in males aged 50-74 years). Median peak low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 264 mg/dl (interquartile range 252-288). Statins and/or ezetimibe were prescribed to 83% of patients and high-intensity statins to 53%, whereas prescriptions were filled in 57% and 40% cases respectively over the last six months, p < 0.001. Treatment gaps were wider among ethnic minorities, younger individuals, and those without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol < 100 mg/dl was attained in 10.1% overall and 28.7% of those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Predictors of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment included recent issue of high-intensity statins, presence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes, older age and lack of smoking. Conclusions The population with high probability for familial hypercholesterolemia was characterized by low attainment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment goals despite high prescription rates of lipid-lowering medications. Low utilization of intensified therapies, non-adherence, and ethnic disparities were contributing factors. These findings emphasize the need to improve awareness and quality of care of familial hypercholesterolemia in the community.

Attainment Grouping as self-fulfilling prophesy? A mixed methods exploration of self confidence and set level among Year 7 students

Within-school segregation of pupils by attainment remains prevalent, despite evidence that these practices detrimentally impact outcomes for those in low attainment groups. This article explores the hypothesis that ‘ability grouping’ by setting impacts pupil self-confidence, precipitating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Survey data from 11,546 11/12 year old pupils in ‘ability sets’, and individual interviews and focus groups with 66 pupils, are drawn upon to explore this hypothesis. We find a significant correlation between perceived set placement and self-confidence in the set subject. More importantly, we also find a correlation between set placement and general self-confidence in learning. Pupils’ qualitative responses illustrate how setting can promote self-fulfilling prophecy, and worrying evidence of internalisation of ‘ability’ labels among pupils.

Learning number sense through digital games with intrinsic feedback

The paper proposes a new interdisciplinary approach to helping low attaining learners in basic mathematics. It reports on the research-informed design and user testing of an adaptive digital game based on constructionist tasks with intrinsic feedback. The approach uses findings from the neuroscience of dyscalculia, cognitive science research on conceptual understanding in mathematics, and mathematical education research to inform the detailed pedagogic design. It is interdisciplinary in the sense that it synthesises the results from multiple disciplines in the design principles. It then exploits the new capabilities of digital technologies to develop the design for testing with learners, and capturing appropriate data. The initial pilot has shown that the game supports learners age 5-7 years for independent learning of the kind that low attaining learners will need in order to keep pace with mainstream learners. The experimental work will evaluate this and similar games for learners of all ages who have low numeracy. In general, the approach is to (i) focus on a problem at the intersection of robust evidence in both education and neursocience; and (ii) use this data to design and test a digital intervention that fully exploits the adaptive and interactive features of learning technology.

This is the native speaker that the non-native speaker outperformed: Individual, education-related differences in the processing and interpretation of Object Relative Clauses by native and non-native speakers of English

This paper provides experimental evidence for considerable education-related differences in processing and comprehension of predicate nominal Object Relative Clauses. The experiment measured high academic attainment (HAA) and low academic attainment (LAA), native and non-native speakers' response time and decision accuracy using an online sentence-picture matching task which compared processing and comprehension of Active Transitive and Subject and Object Relative Clause sentences (e.g., This is the girl that hit the boy, This is the girl that the boy hit). The results support usage-based (e.g., Barlow and Kemmer, 2000; Bybee, 2010; Langacker, 2000) and constraint-based approaches, particularly those that predict that participants' performance is shaped by regularity, frequency and direct experience of the constructions (e.g., MacDonald and Christiansen, 2002). All groups processed Actives and Subject Relative Clauses faster than Object Relative Clauses whilst the LAA native and HAA non-native participants made significantly more errors with Object Relative Clauses than Active and Subject Relative Clause sentences. However, since the results show evidence of non-native speakers outperforming (some) native speakers in an online task tapping knowledge of complex grammar, they are problematic for accounts which posit that only non-native speakers are restricted to ‘shallow’ syntactic processing (e.g., Clahsen and Felser, 2006).

Primary healthcare and the battle against childhood physical inactivity and obesity.

The physical activity pandemic is of particular concern with regard to children. Catherine Elliot of Lincoln University, New Zealand, Lee Stoner of Massey University, New Zealand, Michael Hamlin of Lincoln University and Mark Stoutenberg of the University of Miami, USA, consider the role of primary healthcare in the fight against childhood physical inactivity and obesity .Despite continued attention from health and government agencies across the globe, the physical inactivity pandemic continues to spread. This worrying trend is of particular concern with regards to children, who require regular physical activity to determine their optimal phenotype and prevent the early onset of lifestyle-related, cardio-metabolic diseases, of which obesity has garnered the most attention.[1] A recent meta-analysis by Stoner et al.[2] reported that physical activity is effective for promoting weight loss and improving cardio-metabolic health in overweight and obese adolescents. Stoner and colleagues also discuss the important role of general practitioners (GPs) in the fight against childhood physical inactivity and obesity.The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), through their Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) initiative, has made a call for physical activity to be considered by all GPs as a vital sign in every patient visit.[3] The EIM paradigm goes beyond pharmacotherapies to provide a more fully integrated system by implementing exercise prescriptions in healthcare systems. Prescribing exercise can manage a major cause of the root of these cardio-metabolic problems (i.e. physical inactivity) as opposed to pharmaceuticals which address only the resultant symptoms. Considering that New Zealand is a relatively contained industrialised country with high obesity rates[4] and a closed national healthcare system, the remainder of this article will discuss the possibility of EIM being uniformly instituted. Specifically, the discussion will focus on three important considerations: (1) the appropriate amount and form of exercise prescription, (2) the appropriate outcomes for monitoring success and (3) the medical education required for prescribing exercise and referring to an exercise specialist.[Image omitted: See PDF.]Appropriate Amount and Form of Exercise PrescriptionThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 6-17 year old children engage in at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) every day.[5] In New Zealand, only 10% of secondary school students met these recommendations in 2012.[6] This low attainment rate may be at least partially attributable to the 'one-size-fits-all approach' to exercise prescription. For example, due to physical and cardiovascular constraints, obese children may experience discomfort and pain when engaging in conventional MVPA. However, resistance training has been shown to be well-tolerated by this population, and recent research suggests that high-repetition resistance training, combined with low-intensity aerobic exercise and behavioural modification, is the most effective exercise paradigm for improving body composition.[7] Furthermore, a recent study reported that obese individuals with high-strength fitness exhibit cardio-metabolic risk profiles similar to normal-weight, fit individuals.[8] Additional investigations are required to further confirm these exploratory findings in obese children and to determine how exercise prescription can best accommodate their needs.Appropriate Outcomes for Monitoring SuccessBody mass index (BMI) is commonly used by GPs to monitor changes in health; however, it is imperfectly associated with body composition, particularly among children,[9] and not necessarily an indicator of cardio-metabolic health. Among children, emerging evidence exists that cardiorespiratory fitness is a more indicative correlate of cardio-metabolic health than BMI,[10] suggesting its suitability as a vital sign for health. …

Identification and characterization of severe familial hypercholesterolemia in patients presenting for cardiac catheterization

Patients with severe familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are often unrecognized despite typical presentation. The introduction of PCSK9 inhibitors opens new therapeutic options and emphasizes the need for identification of severe FH patients. The objective was identification, characterization, and management of severe FH patients by screening of cardiac catheterization (CC) database. Retrospective analysis of CC database from 2002 to mid-2015 was performed for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥130mg/dL (n=2383). Severe FH was diagnosed if any prior LDL-C was ≥280mg/dL, excluding secondary causes. Peak/current LDL-C levels and lipid-lowering therapies were evaluated. Initial attempt was made to detect relatives with FH according to identifying data and age-dependent LDL-C cutoffs. Severe FH was identified in 54 of initial 2382 patients with CC LDL-C ≥130mg/dL. Mean age at cardiovascular disease diagnosis was 45years. Peak LDL-C was 280 to 464mg/dL (median, 322). Coronary artery bypass graft surgery was performed in 26 patients (48%) and redo coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 5 patients (9%). Risk factors included obesity (33%), hypertension (59%), smoking (33%), and diabetes (24%). LDL-C reduction ≥50% of peak value was achieved in 56%, LDL-C <130mg/dL in 32%, and LDL-C <100mg/dL in 17% of patients. High-intensity statin plus ezetimibe was prescribed for 67%, high-intensity statin alone for 24%, and other lipid-lowering therapies for 9% of patients. Treatment intensity was directly associated with attainment of LDL-C goals. Matching probands' surnames and place of residency with district health maintenance organization database has identified 161 additional individuals with possible FH; 58% were not treated with lipid-lowering drugs. A simple algorithm for identification of patients with severe FH was implemented based on large catheterization and health maintenance organization databases and revealed patients with severe FH and coronary disease at a young age, with low attainment of cholesterol treatment goals. Screening existing cardiovascular databases of populations at risk will promote identification and management of severe FH patients and their affected family members.

Information Technology: Brake on Progress

IT infrastructure projects are socialised production activities developed in the public sector, notably in the US military, with private sector involvement. Given the movement towards monopoly and the concentration of the world’s firms into enormous enterprises (and by bringing other companies into exclusive relationships), IT projects are tending to grow in scale and complexity presenting management challenges even under ideal conditions. This is reflected in software engineering terminology, such as Ultra Large Scale systems and Systems of Systems. However, even the most modest of projects within small firms or departments, are now of such scale and/or complexity that adequate research, planning, project management, skills and incentives are crucial to successful delivery. Providing such a development environment for projects under capitalism is proving difficult for several reasons. The result is that teams become inured to low quality attainment (if not outright failure) and cynicism sets in. IT projects of large and small scale become forms of surplus extraction by monopoly suppliers, and purely an income to workers who see no opportunity for quality delivery and job satisfaction. IT projects, in part, appear to constitute social and economic waste. While IT presents humanity with profound potential for progress, that potential is stymied by capitalism itself.

Food insecurity and mental health problems among a community sample of young adults.

Food insecurity has been found to be related to anxiety and depression; however, the association with other psychiatric disorders, particularly among young adults, is not well known. We examined whether food insecurity is independently associated with four common mental health problems among a community sample of young adults in France. Data are from the TEMPO longitudinal cohort study. In 1991, participants' parents provided information on health and family socioeconomic characteristics. In 2011, participants' (18-35years) reported food insecurity, mental health symptoms, and socioeconomic conditions (n=1214). Mental health problems ascertained included major depressive episode, suicidal ideation, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and substance abuse and/or dependence (nicotine, alcohol and cannabis). Cross-sectional associations between food insecurity and mental health problems were tested using modified Poisson regressions, weighted by inverse probability weights (IPW) of exposure. This makes food insecure and not food insecure participants comparable on all characteristics including socioeconomic factors and past mental health problems. 8.5% of young adults were food insecure. In IPW-controlled analyses, food insecurity was associated with increased levels of depression (RR=2.01, 95% CI 1.01-4.02), suicidal ideation (RR=3.23, 95% CI 1.55-6.75) and substance use problems (RR=1.68, 95% CI 1.15-2.46). Food insecurity co-occurs with depression, suicidal ideation and substance use problems in young adulthood. Our findings suggest that reductions in food insecurity during this important life period may help prevent mental health problems. Policies aiming to alleviate food insecurity should also address individuals' psychiatric problems, to prevent a lifelong vicious circle of poor mental health and low socioeconomic attainment.

Ethnicity, gender, deprivation and low educational attainment in England: Political arithmetic, ideological stances and the deficient society

Attainment data on England’s school pupils are more extensive in coverage, detail, quantity, accessibility and of higher quality than monitoring statistics routinely available in other European countries. These data facilitate investigation of low attainment in England’s schools and its relationship to ethnicity, gender and poverty. This article reviews longitudinal sample studies and extends this with simpler presentations of England’s national attainment statistics for education over 5 years up to 2014. The analyses show recurrent correlations of low attainment with specific ethnic minority groups, with gender and most strongly with low-income sections of society. There is a strong case, from these data and other research, that these inequalities are rooted in social and economic factors outside the school, created and sustained by neoliberal economic practices and elitist structures. It is argued that reducing the proportion of children growing up in poverty will have a bigger impact on raising average attainment levels than focusing on in-school factors.

Should Touch Screen Tablets Be Used to Improve Educational Outcomes in Primary School Children in Developing Countries?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (United Nations, 2015). Whereas, the principal focus of global education planning since 2000 had been on getting children into schools, sustainable development goal 4 (above) reflects concerns about quality. As improving learning outcomes starts to receive heightened policy focus, it becomes imperative to consider the types of intervention that can be most effective in raising learning outcomes, particularly in settings characterized by poor resourcing and persistent low attainment levels. Here, we consider if touch screen tablets can be used to improve educational outcomes in primary school children in developing countries. We focus on early maths attainment in Malawi as one of the most dramatic examples of the current learning challenge.