1.4 – Delivering Improved Education Outcomes at A Systems Level
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The Bridge Approach has been successfully delivered in multiple developing countries and has demonstrated significant improvements in educational attainment levels. Some of the key attributes of the programme that have enabled these outcomes to be achieved within such short timeframes include:
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The Teacher Guides, at the cornerstone of Bridge’s methodology The teaching material and lesson instructions are available to teachers in a digital format, via Bridge’s Teacher Guides, which incorporates each lesson into a highly researched scope and sequence. The Teacher Guides content include: • •
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Clarifications of the goals and expectations teachers should have at the beginning of each lesson Lessons deconstructed into sub-sections to maximise the learning, practice and feedback potential while ensuring effective use of class time - more than 50% of class time is used for student practice and direct, targeted teacher feedback to students Concepts introduced using extensively tested activities and questions to maximise engagement and understanding by each student A carefully scaffolded explanation and reflection for each concept, enabling teachers to lead the class efficiently Each lesson also guides teachers to provide specific and positive feedback as well as utilise best-practice classroom management techniques
The main benefits of the Teacher Guides include: • • •
The stimulation of more dynamic classroom environments via moving away from lectures, and moving towards varied, evidence-based pedagogical strategies Increased opportunities for pupils to practice a core set of skills as teachers are able to pinpoint precisely where a pupil is struggling Support for teachers with lower subject-matter knowledge
Data-driven continuous improvement Bridge collects and leverages data in real time through its teacher tablets and Academy Managers’ smartphones. It can hence monitor and track the immediate impact of its model on the effectiveness in individual schools. Metrics collected include: • • •
Teacher attendance (data on arrival and departure time, start and end of class) Lesson delivery (% lessons started/completed, speed/pace of lesson delivery) Academic progress (children’s attendance and results on summative assessments)
The analysis of usage and attainment data is instrumental: •
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For the adjustment of the implementation of new programmes: the analysis of pupils’ attainment in the context of a particular programme has enabled the adjustment of the lessons plans and materials provided For the continuous monitoring of schools, enabling o Immediate intervention o Team support o The implementation of performance incentive programmes for teachers o Impact reporting
Increased students’ learning time Bridge increases students’ learning time not only by decreasing absenteeism, but by ensuring that instructional time is structured in a way that maximises learning, provides sufficient time for student practice and uses scientifically proven approaches to accelerate student learning.
Section 1.5 – Misconceptions About Bridge Methodology Reform of education systems are complex and impact many different stakeholders and outside interest groups. In any context, transformation at pace is challenging and stakeholders may question underlying intentions of a programme and its impact on the education system, its teachers and students. In undertaking our research into the work of Bridge, we have identified a number of areas where outside interest groups have raised questions which led to inaccurate headlines. We have reviewed the assertions made which imply that Bridge leads to privatisation of the education system and de-professionalize teachers. Having reviewed the way in which Bridge has engaged with education reform programmes across Africa and Asia to date, the evidence and the practice on the ground would not support such assertions. The following table summarises our findings on the three main misconceptions concerning the Bridge methodology: Figure 1.2 Myth-busting the Bridge Approach Assertion
Evidence based on case study reviews and independent evaluations
Working with Bridge or Implementing Bridge methodology means you are privatising the public school system
Implementing the Bridge Methodology in government schools is about strengthening the government’s own ability to deliver within its schools. It is not privatisation. Bridge programmes provide technical assistance under contract to support government schools which remain government schools, free at the point of delivery and run by the government. The Bridge approach is a government support programme similar to any project undertaken by government or large development agencies, where a private sector actor with the right technical solutions is hired to support the government transformation. The Bridge programmes do not involve the schools being privatised or sold off to Bridge or any other school operator and parents.
For the continuous improvement of Bridge’s methodology: it has enabled Bridge to develop and improve its methodology over time
An overview of deploying the Bridge Methodology to drive up school performance at scale in low infrastructure economies|
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