Latin America and the Caribbean is in the midst of an educational crisis. Though enrollment in primary school has grown and today is nearly universal, average completion rates for secondary school stand at 64 percent compared to an average of 79 percent for OECD countries. Moreover, only 35 percent of 15-year-old students in Latin America attain minimum competency in math, way … [Read more...] about Leveraging Technology to Reduce Student Dropout and Improve Learning
Elena Arias Ortiz
Elena Arias Ortiz is a Senior Education Specialist. She joined the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2011 as part of the Young Professional Program. Her first rotation was in the Competitiveness and Innovation Division. Since then, she has been part of the Education Division. Before joining the IDB, she previously worked as a consultant for the World Bank, UNDP, and the European Commission. Elena holds a Master Degree in Economic Analysis and a Ph.D. in Economics, both from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Her research focuses mainly on the development of skills and the transition of student to higher education and the workplace and the use of digital tools to improve learning. Her publication record includes international peer-reviewed journals.
Vaccinating Kids Against the Learning Loss of School Closures
Like millions of mothers around Latin America, Liliana Domador was forced to juggle a job, with the raising of and even teaching of her child as the Covid-19 pandemic closed down schools and afflicted the greatest interruption of in-class education in the region's history. So Domador, a 34-year-old Peruvian mother, was delighted when … [Read more...] about Vaccinating Kids Against the Learning Loss of School Closures
Boosting Math Education with Technology during the Pandemic and After
Education in Latin America and the Caribbean is facing an unprecedented crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced governments to close schools in the vast majority of countries, forcing study to take place at home partly through computers and other devices. But many teachers are still unprepared to use technology effectively in the learning process. And there are long standing … [Read more...] about Boosting Math Education with Technology during the Pandemic and After
Can Games Boost Math Learning For Poor Kids?
Aaron Pinto, age 11, always loved math. He just wasn't very good at it. He stumbled with multiplication, fractions and decimals, refused to use pencil and paper, and made mistake after mistake as he tried to work things out on his fingers or in his head. Frustrated, at times even depressed, he couldn't seem to find a way forward. But Aaron's problems, if overwhelming, … [Read more...] about Can Games Boost Math Learning For Poor Kids?