Making Education Attainable for All: Why Bangladesh Needs Low-cost, Private Schools
In 2012, over two hundred thousand students applied for admission to the prestigious Dhaka University. Only 6,000 can matriculate, putting Dhaka University’s acceptance rate at under 3%. One in 37 applicants was accepted (as a point of comparison—Harvard College admits about one in 17 applicants). In recent years, dozens of private universities have sprung up in Bangladesh, sensing the […]
Why Private investors, Governments, and Aid Agencies Should Rethink Their Strategies
I have been researching low-fee private schooling for over a decade. In fact, the term, ‘low-fee private schooling’ did not exist until I coined it. In 2001, when I began researching the sector, there were almost no published studies in the scholarly literature. People spoke of ‘budget schools’, ‘private schools for the poor’, or ‘teaching […]
Low-Fee Private Schools and International Aid
Introduction Over the last decade or more there has been a considerable increase in ‘low-fee’ or ‘low cost’ private schooling in many developing countries. Countries as diverse as India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Mongolia, China and Vietnam have all seen a dramatic growth in private schools aimed at some of the poorest families these countries. […]
Portal 2 & Puzzle Maker
Country of Origin: USA Languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Russian Developer: Valve Corporation Publisher: Valve Corporation Year Published: 2011 Platforms: Windows, OSX, PS3, Xbox Genre: Physics Puzzle / Puzzle Platformer Subjects: Math, Science (physics) Portal 2 is a huge commercial hit game for PC, Mac and several consoles, which uses first-person controls in a […]
The Impact of Low Cost Private Schools
In recent years there has been growing interest from donors in supporting low cost private schools in low income countries as part of global efforts to achieve progress on education. Indeed there is growing support from donors like the World Bank and DFID despite the lack of evidence that this is an effective use of […]
Mobilizing Communities to Educate Girls
From attitudes and tradition to poverty and lack of infrastructure, communities are often seen as the biggest barrier to girls’ education. But those same communities can act as the primary agents of change in addressing these barriers, and ultimately, improve education outcomes for out-of-school girls. This presentation highlighted the challenges of working in communities where […]
Reach for the Sun
Country of Origin: United States Languages: English Developer: Filament Games Publisher: Filament Games Year Published: 2013 Platforms: Windows, OSX Genre: Simulation Age range: Elementary, Middle & High School Subjects: Science Skills (Biology, Chemistry) Wellness, Global Citizenship and Sustainability Many games are based on abstract systems that players navigate for success. Reach for the Sun, however, […]
A Slower Speed of Light
Country of Origin: USA Languages: English Developer: MIT Game Labs Publisher: MIT Game Labs Year Published: 2012 Website: http://gamelab.mit.edu/games/a-slower-speed-of-light/ Platforms: Windows, OSX, Linux Genre: Simulation, First Person Puzzle Age Range: 12+ Subject: Science In A Slower Speed of Light, players control a small ghost-like spirit who can collect orbs to slow down light. As a result, […]
Read Local, Think Global on Education
Global education is abuzz with the new insights and improved practices of creative thinkers and on-the-ground practitioners who are implementing innovative solutions to education challenges everywhere. Every day education stakeholders around the world share ideas and inspiring stories through articles, blog posts and research, but these sources remain too dispersed and often fail to reach […]
Vicky Colbert: “Without Quality Education, We Cannot Achieve Anything in Society”
2013 WISE Prize for Education Laureate Vicky Colbert talks about how the innovative Escuela Neuva, a bottom-up educational model, has empowered teachers, improved performance and led to better interactions in classrooms through child-centered learning.