Sarah Mirza

Assessment Specialist - Mera SABAQ Learning Systems Private Limited
WLS 2020 Speaker SarahM

Sarah Mirza

Assessment Specialist - Mera SABAQ Learning Systems Private Limited

Biography

Biography: Sarah Mirza is the Assessment Specialist at SABAQ, an EdTech company on a mission to help K-5 children succeed in literacy, Maths and Science. She leads the Assessment and Learning Games team that leverages technology to design effective formative assessments for primary grade students.

The efficacy of EdTech in low-resource environments in Pakistan- A case study of Muse

Pakistani learners suffer from poor student learning outcomes in K-5. EdTech interventions aim to solve this problem. Muse is a K-5 digital learning system for Math, English, Science, and Urdu with animated videos, exercises, and games. This presentation attempts to gauge the efficacy of Muse in improving literacy and numeracy scores and creating beneficial learning outcomes in low-resource environments.

The shortcomings of Pakistan’s education system results in K-5 students suffering from poor learning outcomes. EdTech interventions aim to solve this problem. SABAQ’s Muse, one such intervention, is a KG-5, digital learning system with animated videos, interactive tests and games for Math, Science, English, and Urdu.
Hypothesis:
This paper attempts to present a synthesis of two studies to explore the impact of Muse on:
a) Math and English literacy scores
b) Student Learning
Study 1: An Exploratory Study on EdTech Initiatives in Pakistan by Faisal Bari et. al
Background:
This study explored the current status of three major EdTech initiatives.
Objective:
Investigating the differences in learning attributable to introducing EdTech in classrooms.
Methodology:
The sample comprised seven SABAQ schools.
The research design consisted of a qualitative study through desk research and fieldwork.
Findings:
Using Muse in classrooms yielded learning benefits like increased student engagement, greater conceptual clarity, and increased enrolment.
Study 2: Impact assessment by Coffey
Background:
Muse was used by children in schools in Punjab and Sindh and by out-of-school children in non-formal centers.
Objective:
Assessing variation in learning outcomes due to Muse. The outcome variable was the level of literacy and numeracy achieved by students in ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) assessments.
Methodology:
Coffey conducted a baseline and endline study of 380 learners using Muse and 310 learners not using Muse. The change was compared and a net change was calculated to ascertain if there was an improvement in the overall learning outcomes of the intervention group.
Findings:
Intervention learners significantly outperformed comparison learners. In English, there was a 57.7% improvement in scores of intervention learners. In Math, there was a 52.1% improvement in scores of intervention learners.
Conclusion:
The studies display the beneficial effect of Muse on learning, through improvements in literacy, numeracy, and engagement.