Research Summary: Enhancing literacy and numeracy through teacher dashboards and digital personalised learning: an A/B/C test in Kenyan early years education

This research investigates the impact of Digital Personalised Learning (DPL) tools, specifically teacher-facing learning analytics dashboards, on early-years literacy and numeracy outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The study, conducted as an A/B/C test in 4,487 Kenyan schools, aims to determine how different dashboard designs influence device usage, learning outcomes, and teachers' evaluation of student progress, addressing a gap in understanding dashboard utilization in LMICs.

Why it matters

Understanding the efficacy and optimal design of learning analytics dashboards is crucial for maximizing the impact of educational technology investments in developing contexts. This research can inform policy and implementation strategies for scalable and effective digital learning solutions, directly influencing foundational education outcomes for a large number of learners.

Key insights

• Digital Personalised Learning (DPL) shows promise for improving early-years literacy and numeracy in LMICs.
• There is a need to determine if teacher-facing learning analytics dashboards further enhance educational outcomes.
• Different dashboard designs require evaluation to identify features that best support pedagogical decision-making.
• Existing evidence on how learning analytics dashboards are used in LMICs is limited.
• This study is the first to explore the impact of varied dashboard designs on device usage, learning outcomes, and teachers' evaluations.
• The research employs an A/B/C test methodology across 4,487 Kenyan schools.

Source

Educational Technology Research and Development — https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11423-026-10703-1