How Educational Initiatives motivated middle school student learners by adapting math content to their learning levels

Learner

Middle school students from rural govt schools

Topic

Mathematics

Format

Personalised adaptive learning platform - Mindspark

Educational Initiatives (Ei), a PedTech leader, revolutionises education using technology and personalised learning to enhance students' learning outcomes.

Addressing dismal math outcomes, the case study highlights the critical need for math learning support in rural Indian areas and how Mindspark, Ei's adaptive learning solution, significantly improved math outcomes in rural Rajasthan by tailoring to low-infrastructure needs, showcasing its adaptability in challenging contexts.

What’s Inside

Problem (2 mins read):
The challenge of math learning

Process (5 mins read):
Building Mindspark & taking it to learners who need it the most

Implementation (5 mins read):
Learning with understanding

Impact (3 mins read):
Improved learning outcomes at scale

Problem

The challenge of math learning

The ASER Survey indicates that only around 50.3% of Grade 5 students can solve a Grade 2 subtraction problem. The incremental nature of math, combined with a lack of foundational clarity, amplifies the challenges these students face. In essence, math isn't just a universal challenge; it becomes an even more formidable task for those in remote rural areas in India and across the world due to the shortage of quality educators.

Math isn’t easy, and without the right kind of teaching, it’s like trying to learn a new language without a translator.

Visualising Math Learning in Rural Rajasthan

Put yourself in the shoes of a student in rural Rajasthan grappling with math concepts. These first-generation learners attend school every day, driven by the hope of breaking the shackles of generational poverty on one side while struggling with numbers, symbols, and equations that go beyond mere classroom challenges— they become daily hurdles.

So, what lies at the core of this educational challenge?

In remote areas of India, a host of challenges emerge where the limited availability of resources and the shortage of quality teachers compound the difficulties.

Lack of Quality Teachers:

Challenge: The region faces a scarcity of competent teachers.
Impact: Children are left without the necessary support to comprehend intricate math concepts.

Diverse Student Levels:

Challenge: Students exhibit a wide range of proficiency levels in math.
Personas Identified by Educational Initiatives (Ei)

Those completely falling behind.
Students with a fear of math, yet willing to give it a try.
Those fairly comfortable with math but could use more guidance.

Skewed Student-Teacher Ratio:

Challenge: There's only one teacher for 35-40 students, and when students with different needs share the same classroom, tailoring instruction becomes a complex task.
Impact: Many students feel lost and overwhelmed as they progress to the next grade.

Recognising the struggle, Ei contemplated the potential of personalised adaptive learning technology as a remedy. Mindspark, a personalised learning program designed to support students at various learning levels in catching up and understanding mathematical concepts better was introduced.

Given the context, the fundamental question was whether Mindspark could convert math from a subject of fear to one of understanding and interest. This case study delves into how Mindspark achieved this transformation and examines if Ei, with its rich background and innovative solutions, could make a meaningful difference in learning methodologies.

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Process

Building Mindspark & taking it to learners who need it the most

Educational Initiatives followed the following steps to build Mindspark:

Educational Initiatives aimed to systematically evaluate learning outcomes by constructing a robust framework. Ei began its journey in 2001 with Ei-ASSET, a physical paper-pen-based exam, which served as the tool for this purpose, enabling a comprehensive understanding of students' academic levels. The initial aim was to assist schools in identifying the gaps and approaching teacher professional development more effectively.
Insights from data and feedback from schools illuminated a specific need for comprehensive math learning support. This acknowledgment marked a pivotal moment in recognizing the critical gaps in the educational landscape, particularly in the realm of mathematics.
Shifting from a traditional content-centric approach, Educational Initiatives embraced a problem-solving methodology. This approach emphasized active engagement in problem-solving and practical application, fostering a dynamic and participatory learning environment.
Ensuring tailored learning experiences that catered to individual student needs. PAL could be the guide these students needed, offering math in bite-sized, customized lessons—different from the usual one-size-fits-all approach.
Fitting the solution into the regular school schedule was key for keeping things going and schools with tech facilities, like computer labs, were the best places to start with this solution.

Having observed the success of Mindspark in private schools and after-school centres throughout India, Educational Initiatives contemplated taking it to learners who would benefit the most from this technology i.e. government schools. With an ongoing hypothesis that regular use of Mindspark, 90 mins/week or 3 periods of usage per week would lead to improved learning outcomes. Mindspark along with traditional teacher-led instruction and student support would expedite the process of closing the learning gap.

In 2017-2021, Educational Initiatives shifted focus to rural areas in Rajasthan, highlighting its partnership with the Global Innovation Fund (GIF). To solve for the limited resources, Mindspark emerged as a convincing answer to attempt the pilot.

Educational Initiatives followed the below steps to execute Mindspark:

Ei conducted a thorough survey with 200+ schools to check the basic resources such as availability of electricity, computer lab, leak proof room, availability of 3 periods, willingness of stakeholders etc in order to have a working base to execute the Mindspark. Based on the survey results, 40 schools were shortlisted to conduct the Pilot.
A Lab-In-Charge (LIC) was appointed to maintain the lab and support the students and teachers with the newly introduced tech. Most students and teachers had never seen a laptop before. During the lab orientation, the students were introduced to essential components such as keyboard, mouse, headsets, and more. The message conveyed was that these devices and the lab itself were theirs to manage and maintain.
The initial 3-4 days of the program were dedicated to teaching fundamental skills, including typing, logging in, and remembering their usernames and passwords.
Each student takes a screening test with multiple-choice questions and fill in the blanks, designed to diagnose their learning levels. It's important to note that this screening test remained consistent across grades 3 to 8. Learning levels were assigned independently of the student's grade level. For instance, a Grade 6 student might demonstrate a Grade 3 level of understanding in a specific topic.
Learners start using Mindspark regularly for 3 periods every week i.e, 90 mins/week. The LICs and the math teacher help learners whenever they need.

Next, let’s look at how this pilot & the use of Mindspark enabled learning with understanding and how it ultimately led to improved learning outcomes.

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Implementation

Learning with understanding

The implementation followed a multi-layered approach:

Mindspark PAL (Personalised Adaptive Learning) Product by Educational Initiatives: This robust adaptive engine facilitated content scaffolding at the appropriate level.
Engagement (Rewards - Sparkies & Leaderboards): These served as extrinsic motivators, guiding learners through the educational experience with positive reinforcement.
Contextualisation & Adoption: This aspect revolved around customising the Ei program to align with the needs of the specific context and stakeholders i.e. Govt schools in Rural Rajasthan.

Now, let's delve into these three elements.

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1. Personalised Adaptive Learning - Mindspark

Personalised Learning Paths:
Mindspark assesses each student's current level of proficiency in a subject, starting with a screening test. Based on the results of this assessment, every student is assigned a certain level and it creates a level-wise customised learning path for the student.

Adaptive Learning:
As students progress through the program, Mindspark continuously adjusts the difficulty level and content based on their performance. If a student is struggling with a particular concept, the platform provides additional practice in that area. Conversely, if a student excels, it offers more challenging material.

What did they learn?

Everytime a student goes from one grade to another, the newer content falls beyond their zone of proximal development and cannot cope un-aided.
Allowing learners to progress at their own pace fosters a sense of autonomy and independence. Learners don’t feel ashamed of their current levels. The learner feels confident as they can see their own progress at a granular level of learning objective and feel competent in mathematics.
Use data analytics to inform instruction. Track learner progress, identify patterns, and make informed decisions about adjustments to content and interventions.

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2. Engagement through Sparkies, Leaderboards & Certificates

Mindspark rewards learners for achieving high accuracy and completing units through Sparkies. When a learner consecutively answers three questions correctly, they earn one Sparkie. They collect these sparkies accumulated Sparkies are then used to construct a leaderboard.

Sparkies are also presented when the students attempt to challenge questions & play games.

The data is presented in the form of dashboards and teachers utilise these metrics to motivate learners to practice more and climb up the Sparkie leaderboard.

Teachers create a Sparkie leaderboard on chart paper in the lab to inspire and motivate learners

What did they learn?

Learners would put in extra effort to get the answer right consistently for three times to earn more sparkies. Learners love to collect sparkies!
Learners love the games that are introduced periodically on Mindspark, they show up for learners who answer five consecutive questions correctly. If they answer it correctly, they receive a Sparkie!
On a weekly basis, the Lab-in-charge meticulously draws a Sparkie leaderboard on a blackboard. This leaderboard showcases the names of learners against the number of sparkies they have earned. Additionally, they also provide sparkie-champ certificates to learners with the highest number of sparkies.

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3. Adoption & Contextualization

The lack of resources and the overwhelming factor of the new technology was becoming a problem. To address that, Ei did the following:

Lab orientation: To familiarise students with technology and cultivate a sense of ownership, a lab orientation program was conducted. This initiative targeted learners who were likely encountering a laptop for the first time. During the orientation, the students were introduced to essential components such as a keyboard, mouse, headsets, and more. The message conveyed was that these devices and the lab itself were theirs to manage and maintain. The initial 3-4 days of the program were dedicated to teaching fundamental skills, including typing, logging in, and remembering their usernames and passwords.
Dual-logins & Peer pairs: The inclusion of dual logins and peer-pairing in the Mindspark program was a strategic choice that significantly improved its implementation. It allowed two students to use a single computer, effectively doubling the access for 40 children using 20 computers. This feature proved especially valuable when transitioning from a 1:1 model to a 1:2 model. It created a collaborative learning environment, enhancing the overall educational experience. Dual logins and peer-pairing played a crucial role in maximising the program's benefits within their specific educational context.

Peer-pairs practicing through dual-login feature at the Mindspark lab

Mindspark-lab at a rural govt school

What did they learn?

For learners from rural backgrounds, getting a chance to work with laptops itself was a big motivating factor. Understanding that they were given an opportunity to improve their learning outcomes though this software naturally inspired and motivated them.
“No one will scold you for touching the computer, it is yours to use.”
Peer-pairing based on learning levels fosters collaboration among students. It promotes discussion and mutual support, which can enhance comprehension and motivation. Learners feel comfortable at the level they are at without feeling too dumb or too smart with respect to their learning partners.

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Improved Learning Outcomes at Scale

Impact

“Kids who get to attend the Mindspark Program, even just for a 4.5 month period, score dramatically higher in both Maths and Language. They scored about 0.36 standard deviations higher in Math and 0.22 in Hindi.” (Kartik Muralidharan)

Improved Learning Outcomes

Mindspark showed 2-2.5x learning as compared to control in two RCTs conducted by JPAL in Delhi (after-school centres) and Rajasthan (government schools). In another study by Idinsight, Mindspark showed 0.2 SD gains across low-fee private schools and high-fee private schools.

Grade-Level Advancement

Mindspark enabled students to achieve nearly a full grade-level increase in mathematics within just 4.5 months, offering a highly cost-effective solution that required less than 70% of the government's per-student spending in public education.

Resource Optimisation

With just a 5% shift in spending towards technology-based personalised learning software like Mindspark, there was evidence of a 200-400% increase in learning outcomes. This demonstrates the program's exceptional efficiency in utilising financial resources to boost educational achievements.

Reduced Costs at Scale

Scaling up Mindspark to more schools showed potential for even greater cost efficiency. Estimates indicated that expanding to 100 government schools could bring the unsubsidised cost down to $2 per child per month, and further expansion to 1,000 schools could reduce it to $1 per child per month

“When I joined Mindspark, I was at the first level and I solved all the questions. When I was in 5th Class, I was at level 6 in English and Hindi and level 7 in Maths. Concepts like Whole Numbers, Natural Numbers. Data handling and Integers were known to me because I had learnt them though Mindspark. I gained confidence because of Mindspark, and today I am not afraid of saying anything. Today, I can express myself easily.” (Student )

Mindspark's approach to personalised learning ensured equitable academic advancements across various student proficiency levels. The program proved especially beneficial for students who had previously lagged behind, helping them catch up and even excel in their academic pursuits.

This inclusive progress demonstrates the effectiveness of adaptive learning in catering to diverse educational needs, confirming that personalised instruction is key to achieving uniform educational growth regardless of a student's initial capabilities.

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