Interactive radio instruction – How cost effective ICT can have a remarkable impact

The International Development Division (IDD), a subdivision of the Education Development Center (EDC), is cooperating with local partners in over 35 countries in order to improve education at a preschool, primary and secondary level. They are working with youth, adult and out-of school learners in several projects.

One of their projects is called “Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI)”, where radio is used to bring curriculum and teacher training to the world’s least developed countries. The biggest advantage of radio is the small requirements of resources. Only a radio and an adult facilitator are needed to bring this device into the classroom. Furthermore this technology offers a huge range, so even students and teachers in remote areas have the opportunity to stay informed. IRI is a perfect example how cost-effective ICT can have a remarkable impact. Evaluation studies show that IRI has an effect on the comprehension and speaking skills as well as on math and social science knowledge. The World Bank Toolkit states that:

“There is consistent and significant evidence that IRI can increase learning across subject matter, age, gender, and rural or urban location. Students show progressively greater learning with time.”

But what is the difference between broadcast radio and interactive radio instruction? As the term already states, IRI is an interactive radio program. Teachers and students are required to follow the instructions. It is not about sitting in a classroom and just passively listening to the program. Instead the whole classroom comes to life, the students and teachers are singing, participating in question and answer activities and various types of physical movement.

Let us take a closer look some examples. In India IRI is used to improve the quality of education at the elementary level in seven states. The programs are developed depending on the needs defined by teachers themselves.

One of the programs is the “Life Skill Audio” which offers interactive audio exercises on selected skills for life topics. It is designed for middle-school youth as well as their teachers and parents. The idea of this project is to “apply skills”, “extend concepts” and “make connections”. It is linked to other media products, launched earlier by the Indian government.

From India we are going all the way to Zambia and the “Learning at Taonga Market”. Learning at Taonga Market is a delivery of the Zambian Basic school curriculum that infuses methodologies such as New Breakthrough to Literacy (NBTL) and Step Into English (SITE) with the IRI methodology. The lessons are written and recorded by the EBS.

One lesson consists of 30 minutes broadcast and aims at exercises the class has to complete before and after listening to the broadcast. Those activities help learners to review skills and information of previous lessons. The EBS offers 150 lessons at each level with 50 lessons for each term. In addition to that, teachers have to prepare themselves by listening to the five teacher/mentor training broadcast at the beginning of each term.

These mentor trainings assist teachers in three ways. Firstly, each guide explains how to use the radio-program. Secondly the mentor guide provides the teacher with all the necessary words and teaching methods - for example how to use puppets to visualize the content of the broadcast. Thirdly, the guide offers detailed lesson plans with activities and explanations to difficult concepts.

The project started in 2000 with a pilot exercise for Grade 1 only. By 2007 they extended their offer to Grades 2-7. It is planned that the students will complete seven years of education following the radio lessons and write the Primary School Leaving Certificate at the end. Those who pass have the opportunity to attend upper schools or distance learning programs. In the beginning there were only 22 IRI centers but in 2005, 897 basic education schools already used the radio program permanently. In between 2004 and 2005 the numbers rose 38 per cent.

IRI is a very ambitious and successful project but still has to face a lot of challenges. Schools often lack of the supply of adequate learning and teaching materials. In addition, the IRI centers are missing an honest and meaningful support by the communities or the government.  But also the production of the mentor guides can be very inconsistent because of the long and lavish procedures.

All in all the IRI is a perfect example for the effective use of ICT in education. It gives students in remote areas access to basic education. But in the long run it can only survive with the support and funding of local communities and the Ministries of Education and governments.