RG-T1946 : Evaluating the benefits and costs of alternative ICT uses in education

The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of different ICT policies. The project will look at three common uses of ICT technology that differ widely in costs: delivery of standardized lessons through video technology, assisted learning through computers, and one-laptop-per child schemes. A group of consultants will be hired to design comparable instruments for the delivery of common curricular material (e.g., geometry) in all three formats, appropriate teacher training and design of narrow and broad evaluation instruments. The specific objectives are: i) to estimate the relative cost-effectiveness of different technologies to improve the learning of mathematics; ii) to evaluate the impact of the before mentioned technologies on other result variables of interest, y iii) to strengthen the institutionalism of Costa Rica and other countries of the region through the development of didactic material, student evaluations and teacher training linked to the teaching of mathematics and the use of technology.