Strengthening ODFL systems to increase education access and attainment for young people in high HIV prevalence SADC countries

This research aimed to help two project countries (Malawi and Lesotho) increase access to learning for students living in high HIV prevalence areas who were at risk of grade repetition or school drop-out, through (i) complementing classroom teaching with self-study learner guides to provide more open, distance and flexible delivery of the curriculum and (ii) strengthening community support for learning.
The research objectives were: (1) To increase understanding of how open, distance and flexible learning (ODFL) can be used to address the factors that disrupt schooling by conducting research with school teachers and community members; (2) To design and implement an intervention in primary schools (Grade 6) in Malawi and Junior secondary schools (Grade B) in Lesotho over one school year (January to November 2009); (3)To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing student absenteeism, drop-out and grade-repetition using an experimental design; (4) To disseminate the new knowledge gained to enable appropriate, evidence informed policy development to better integrate and more open and flexible curriculum delivery into schools and strengthen community support for vulnerable learners.
ODFL initiatives, structures and networks that are already in place to implement HIV/AIDS policies were firstly identified through analyses of secondary data. Case studies were developed in contrasting communities severely affected by HIV and AIDS to identify contextual factors that can lead to exclusion from conventional schooling and dropping out. The case studies are complemented by data collected using a range of approaches such as semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, informal discussions with family members, participatory activities and observation. Based on this formative research, a pilot intervention will then be made through secondary schools to identify and trial a small-scale ODFL intervention package designed to overcome the barriers to conventional schooling identified in the case studies. The intervention will be evaluated qualitatively and also quantitatively using an experimental design.
The impact was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. In each country there were 20 schools in the intervention group and 20 schools in the control group. Data to evaluate the impact of the programme on school attendance, drop-out and grade repetition were collected before and after the intervention. Student achievement was assessed by testing children in Mathematics and English before and after the intervention.

The study was conducted in 4 stages: (1) Sampling and randomization of schools; (2) Intervention design (informed by synthesizing existing knowledge, generating new knowledge and inviting critical comment from all stakeholders); (3) Intervention implementation; (4) Intervention evaluation.
<p>This study aimed to increase access to education and learning for young people living in high HIV prevalence areas in Malawi and Lesotho, by developing a new, more flexible model of education that uses open, distance and flexible learning (ODFL) to complement and enrich conventional schooling.
The findings showed that in Malawi, the programme reduced overall student drop-out by 42% (OR=0.58). This effect was not significantly different among at-risk children targeted by the program and those not targeted in their class suggesting the intervention had spillover effects beyond the intended beneficiaries. There were improvements in mathematics scores for at risk students and a history of grade repetition was a better predictor of future drop-out than orphan-hood. In Lesotho the intervention reduced absenteeism and improved Mathematics and English scores. These findings suggest that the intervention reached the most vulnerable and was effective in increasing access to education and learning.
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本研究旨在助力两个项目国——马拉维与莱索托——提升HIV高流行地区面临留级或辍学风险学生的受教育机会，具体通过两大路径：其一，以自主学习学习者指南补充课堂教学，实现课程的更开放、远程与灵活交付；其二，强化社区对学习的支持。

本研究的目标如下：(1) 通过与学校教师及社区成员开展研究，加深对开放远程灵活学习（Open, Distance and Flexible Learning，ODFL）如何用于破解扰乱正常学业进程的各类因素的理解；(2) 在2009年1月至11月的一个学年内，于马拉维的小学（六年级）及莱索托的初中（Grade B）设计并实施干预项目；(3) 采用实验设计评估该干预在降低学生缺勤率、辍学率及留级率方面的有效性；(4) 传播所获得的新知识，以支撑循证政策制定，更好地将更开放、灵活的课程交付模式融入学校教学，并强化社区对弱势学习者的支持。

首先通过二手数据分析，识别出已有的用于落实艾滋病防治政策的ODFL举措、架构与网络。在受艾滋病疫情严重冲击的不同类型社区开展案例研究，以识别可能导致学生无法参与常规学业乃至辍学的情境性因素。案例研究辅以多类方法采集的数据，包括半结构化访谈、焦点小组讨论、与家属的非正式交谈、参与式活动及观察。基于该形成性研究，后续将通过中学试点干预项目，筛选并试用一套小型ODFL干预包，以破解案例研究中识别出的常规学业障碍。该干预将采用实验设计开展定性与定量评估。

本研究采用随机对照试验评估干预效果。两国各设20所干预组学校与20所对照组学校。分别在干预前后采集数据，以评估项目对学生出勤率、辍学率及留级率的影响。通过前后测数学与英语考试，评估学生学业表现。

本研究分为四个阶段开展：(1) 学校抽样与随机分组；(2) 干预方案设计（整合已有知识、生成新知识并邀请所有利益相关方提出批判性意见）；(3) 干预实施；(4) 干预评估。

本研究旨在通过构建新型更灵活的教育模式——以ODFL补充并丰富常规教学——提升马拉维与莱索托HIV高流行地区青少年的受教育机会。

研究结果显示，在马拉维，该项目使整体学生辍学率降低42%（优势比OR=0.58）。该干预效果在项目针对的高危学生与班级中未被针对的学生间无显著差异，表明干预产生了超出预期受益群体的溢出效应。高危学生的数学成绩有所提升，且相较于孤儿身份，既往留级史是未来辍学的更强预测因子。在莱索托，干预降低了学生缺勤率，同时提升了数学与英语成绩。上述结果表明，该干预覆盖了最脆弱的群体，并有效提升了教育获取机会与学习效果。