Gaming and Learning: Scaling a digital maths game in schools in Peru and Latin America
Since October 1, 2021, The Ceibal Foundation, in collaboration with Peru’s Grupo de Análisis para el Desarrollo (GRADE), has been implementing the project “Gaming and learning: Scaling a digital maths game in Peru and Latin America”, funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
This initiative seeks to address the challenges related to the negative effects of COVID-19 on student learning in Latin America by supporting the expansion of “Conecta Ideas” – the learning platform developed by the University of Chile – at the national level in Peru in order to promote learning in mathematics through digital games. This platform was shown to contribute to significant progress in promoting student motivation and engagement through digital games in a previous IDRC-funded pilot assessment. Through this project, 1.5 million public primary school students in grades 4-6 will be given access to the platform so that they can continue learning while schools are closed and also catch up when schools reopen.
The project seeks to seize this opportunity to produce innovative research on how countries can use technology effectively on a large scale. The goal is to come up with rigorous research and evidence on how technology can result in systematic improvements in learning outcomes on a national scale with limited investment. In addition, it will promote the adoption of this solution and other sustainable innovations in low-income Latin American countries. Collaboration among the GRADE research centre, IDRC, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Ministry of Education of Peru, the digital company AutoMind and researchers from the University of Chile and Northwestern University together with the Ceibal Foundation will ensure solid implementation, an in-depth analysis, and will also facilitate the replication process in other Latin American countries.
In that regard, GRADE is responsible for the implementation of Component 1 of the project “Producing research on the profitable use of technology for learning mathematics and supporting the national expansion of Conecta Ideas in Peru”, while the Ceibal Foundation is in charge of component 2, called “Increasing the adoption of sustainable innovations to support inclusive, quality digital education in low-income Latin American countries.” In this context, it will implement a proof of concept for Conecta Ideas and promote sustainable innovations in digital education for the region, with a focus on low-income countries.
