Can ABC Lead to Sustained 123? The Medium-Term Effects of a Technology-Enhanced Adult Education Program

Jenny C. Aker and Christopher Ksoll ()

Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2020, vol. 68, issue 3, 1081 - 1102

Abstract: Can information technology preserve the short-term learning gains associated with adult education programs? This study estimates the medium-term impacts of a mobile phone module (Project ABC) that was added to a standard adult education curriculum and for which there were significant short-term impacts on educational outcomes. Two years after the end of the program, students in ABC villages had reading scores that were significantly higher than those in standard adult education classes, and women and younger students were better able to decode numbers. This can be partially attributed to more active mobile phone usage in ABC villages. Households in ABC villages also were more likely to own certain durable assets, had higher levels of food security, and were more likely to save. Overall, these results suggest that short-term learning gains associated with technology can persist, especially if students have the opportunity to practice using that technology after the end of classes.

Date: 2020
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