I recently came across the question: if I was going to identify the main determinants of low quality of education in a given population, where would I start? Asking education system stakeholders involves capturing perceptions that may respond to group interests that do not necessarily provide an answer. Ideally, one would let the data lead to an answer. After spending much … [Read more...] about Three starting points to understand education quality
education
One Laptop per Child revisited
This is joint post with Julian Cristiá, Ana Santiago and Eugenio Severín; members of the IDB team that developed the OLPC evaluation trial in Peru. Last March we published a post (also here) with the results of the first randomized impact evaluation of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) model in Peru, which has been widely discussed in the technology and education blogosphere … [Read more...] about One Laptop per Child revisited
The evaluation agenda in education moves ahead in Mexico
The First Workshop on Impact Evaluation in Education in Mexico just took place these past 7th, 8th and 9th of May in Mexico City. This workshop was a response to the National Institute for the Evaluation of Education, INEE's interest to start a work agenda on impact evaluation. INEE is an independent institution of the Ministry of Education and created by presidential decree … [Read more...] about The evaluation agenda in education moves ahead in Mexico
Is religion good for health and education?
It’s Easter, or as the Uruguayans call it, “tourism week”. So let us talk about religion and development. The immense majority of the world’s population is religious and believes that religion is important. According to the World Values Survey, 70% of the world’s population considers them-selves a “religious person”. In almost all of the developing countries that participate … [Read more...] about Is religion good for health and education?
And the jury is back: One Laptop per Child is not enough
In 2008 a couple of economists from the IDB visited the Peruvian Ministry of Education to meet with the Education Technology Director. Our purpose was to evaluate an old IDB-project that provided computer labs to middle schools. We were welcomed and were provided with all the support to carry out that evaluation. We were told that the Government's real interest was in … [Read more...] about And the jury is back: One Laptop per Child is not enough