Evaluation and improvement of the quality of additional education for children

Contents:

• Sustainable Development of Children's Supplementary Education: Harmony between Quality and Growth
• Methods for Assessing an Acceptable Level of Quality
• Individualization of the Educational Process in EdTech
• The Role of Research in Shaping the Educational Experience
• Effective Research Tools for the Educational Process
• Preventing Errors in Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Integrating Science, Technology, and Empathy to Improve the Quality of Education

In this article, you will learn about:

• How supplementary education for children finds a balance between development and high quality of services provided.
• How to establish an acceptable level of quality;
• Personalization in EdTech learning is manifested through an individual approach to each student, which allows the educational process to be adapted to their unique needs and preferences. This is achieved through the analysis of data on student progress and performance, which helps to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

  Using machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence, platforms can offer personalized recommendations for educational materials and optimize curriculum. For example, the system can suggest additional tasks or resources to improve skills that require further work, or, conversely, offer more challenging tasks for advanced students.

  Furthermore, EdTech products can include various learning formats, such as video lectures, interactive assignments, and quizzes, allowing students to choose the method that best suits their learning needs. An important aspect is the ability to provide feedback, which helps students receive support and motivation throughout the learning process.

  Thus, personalized learning in EdTech creates a more effective and engaging environment for students, which in turn contributes to their successful learning and development.

• Research plays a key role in the design of educational experiences. It allows for a deeper understanding of student needs, the identification of effective teaching methods, and the evaluation of the impact of different approaches on learning. Based on the collected data, curricula can be adapted to meet current requirements and student interests. Thus, research serves as the basis for making informed decisions that contribute to improving the quality of education and creating more effective learning environments.
• The "student shadow" is a research method developed at Stanford. It is an approach that allows for a deeper understanding of the educational process by observing how students learn and interact in the classroom. The essence of this method is that the researcher spends time as an observer, monitoring the actions and behavior of students to identify key aspects of their learning and knowledge perception. This format allows for a more complete understanding of how the educational process occurs in practice.

With the growing popularity of the supplementary education sector, especially in the field of EdTech, the issue of the quality of the products and services offered is becoming increasingly important. This fall, experts discussed various aspects of this topic, from methods for evaluating the effectiveness of online courses to metrics that help determine the quality of the educational experience.

During the EdCrunch Glocal conference, the topic of EdTech product quality was raised in a panel discussion entitled "Product Transformation: Should We Focus on Quality Over Growth?" In addition, at the session "Synergy of Research and Design," experts discussed aspects of quality with a focus on instructional design.

These discussions provided many valuable insights for developers of educational programs for children. How do EdTech companies developing courses for schoolchildren manage to maintain harmony between business expansion and high quality? By what criteria do they measure the success of their products, considering that the buyers are parents or educational institutions, and the direct users are students? What research contributes to the creation of effective educational programs? We invite you to familiarize yourself with the opinions of professionals in this field.

Sustainable Development of Children's Supplementary Education: Harmony Between Quality and Growth

In the field of EdTech related to adult learning, the debate is still ongoing about whether this market has reached such a scale that companies should seriously consider the quality of their educational offerings. What is the situation in the sector of additional online education for schoolchildren?

Mikhail Myagkov, founder and CEO of Maximum Education, emphasized that “the issue of quality was at the heart of the company from the very beginning,” since quality standards in the field of additional school education, for example, in preparation for the OGE and the Unified State Exam, have always been distinguished by a high bar.

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According to a company representative, the emphasis on high product quality is to some extent holding back business development, as it requires significant investment. Mikhail reported that revenue grew by approximately 60% in 2021, adding that there are competitors in the market that outperform Maximum Education in this regard. However, he noted that he is quite satisfied with the current growth rate.

"We are demonstrating stable and profitable growth while maintaining high quality standards for our product. Although we are not the market leader in terms of growth rate, there are companies that are developing faster. <…> However, we are satisfied with this situation, as we have laid a solid foundation of quality and understand how we can expand our operations to 50,000 students, and then to 100,000–150,000, and beyond."

According to Mikhail, the company's main goal today is to maintain the achieved level of quality while expanding.

Ekaterina Ryzhova, CEO of YaKlass, emphasized that their platform has the largest database in the supplementary education segment for schoolchildren, comprising 1.8 trillion tasks. She also noted that the number of users on YaKlass is quite competitive compared to other similar services. Currently, the organization is not aiming for rapid growth, but is actively implementing strategies that contribute to both improving the quality of the product and attracting a new audience. Ekaterina cited Rosstat data, according to which 39% of Russian families do not have a personal computer, and 29% do not have internet access at home. In this regard, YaKlass has developed a mobile app so that children who only have smartphones or tablets can also study using the platform.

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Methods for assessing an acceptable level of quality

Of course, the process of improving an educational product can continue indefinitely. How can you establish the optimal level of quality so as not to get lost in endless refinements? What criteria can serve as a guide for a company?

Mikhail Myagkov believes it's important to establish internal key performance indicators (KPIs) for quality, focusing on company goals. He notes that Maximum Education emphasizes engagement, as "a user who purchases an educational program and only gets acquainted with 2% of its content will not achieve significant results." Therefore, the organization focuses on engagement, or retention, and strives to maximize this figure. Currently, according to Mikhail, this figure reaches 95.6%.

To maintain student interest, it's necessary to learn how to effectively manage their motivation. For example, a student might set a goal of achieving high scores on the Unified State Exam and enrolling in a desired university. However, as Mikhail notes, "everyone strives for results, and most people don't enjoy studying." He also emphasizes that while there is a small percentage of people who truly enjoy learning, the majority require a different approach. In his opinion, educational product developers should focus on engaging and motivating all students. This is entirely achievable if a company makes this a priority.

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Changing teacher roles can significantly increase student motivation. When teachers take on new roles, they become more than just a source of knowledge; they also act as a mentor and facilitator in the learning process. This creates a more trusting atmosphere in the classroom, where students feel freer and more engaged in the learning process.

Furthermore, the diversity of roles promotes active student participation. When teachers become facilitators, they encourage independent thinking and critical analysis, which in turn encourages students to take initiative and interest in the subjects they are studying. This approach helps develop their collaboration and communication skills, which also increases overall motivation.

Role reassignment can include various techniques, such as group work, projects, and research tasks, which not only make learning more engaging but also help students understand the real-life significance of the material they are learning. Thus, when teachers become less authoritarian and focus more on support and engagement, it creates an environment where students are motivated to learn and actively participate in the learning process.

Ekaterina Ryzhova discussed how improving the platform's functionality contributed to increased student engagement. The YaKlass platform began implementing tasks that use drag-and-drop to answer questions, rather than typing. This solution arose in response to the fact that even if younger students know the correct answer, they often make typos or spelling errors. In such cases, the program automatically considers the answer incorrect, which leads to frustration and a decrease in motivation for learning on the platform. Now, thanks to the new feature, students can simply select the correct answer and move it to the desired location on the screen.

According to Ekaterina, the solution has yielded excellent results:

"We completed these tasks in the first semester." We prepared materials on Russian language for the first grade, and also on Russian language and social studies for the second grade. Although most schools begin studying Russian in the second semester of first grade, after publishing these assignments, we saw tremendous interest, comparable to requests for other elementary school assignments. I consider this a significant achievement, which also serves as an excellent incentive for children."

Mikhail Myagkov noted that in addition to the level of engagement, Maximum Education also pays attention to three other key aspects:

• student feedback, which is collected through surveys;
• A model created by data science experts is used to analyze user behavior. This model, based on various parameters, predicts the likelihood of a decrease in student motivation.
• Regarding the quality of content, Mikhail noted that previously all video lessons were checked and evaluated by a platform employee, but currently this task is performed by a specialized program.

Individualization of the educational process in EdTech

Irina Shashkina, moderator of the discussion and director of online programs at the Skolkovo School of Management, notes that there is a widespread opinion: without individualization of a product, its quality is not even worth discussing. The fact is that in this case, the product does not meet the real needs of the student, but only conveys the developers' views on what this request may be.

In response to this thesis, Ekaterina Ryzhova noted that "Yaklass" actually strives to make the educational process more personalized. She emphasized that using this platform, teachers have the ability to tailor the curriculum based on the student's knowledge level and their learning needs.

I am confident that this is the right approach, and it will likely be adopted by everyone in the future, as it can increase student motivation. Children will delve deeper into the areas of knowledge and disciplines that initially attract them and in which they strive to develop. As a result, engagement and the quality of learning will increase. This, in turn, will lead to an improvement in the educational process for children.

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The question of the need for individual educational trajectories in comprehensive schools causes a lot of discussion. On the one hand, the traditional education system often fails to take into account the unique abilities and interests of each student. This can lead to some children not reaching their potential because the curriculum doesn't meet their personal needs.

On the other hand, the introduction of individualized approaches can significantly increase student motivation. When students can choose the pace and method of learning, they become more engaged in the learning process. Individualized educational trajectories allow knowledge to be tailored to each child's unique needs, which can contribute to a deeper understanding of subjects.

However, implementing such trajectories requires significant resources and changes in teaching approaches. Teachers will need more time and effort to develop personalized plans, which can be challenging in a mass school setting with large class sizes. However, if educational institutions can overcome these challenges, individualized learning paths can be an important step toward creating a more effective and supportive learning environment.

The Role of Research in Shaping the Educational Experience

At the session on "Synergy of Research and Design," experts discussed the crucial issue of the quality of educational materials and the individualization of the learning process. What needs to be considered when collecting data to create a truly useful experience for students? As mentioned earlier, valuable information can be gleaned through feedback, but how can it be effectively analyzed when the number of students on the platform reaches hundreds of thousands or even millions?

Andrey Romashov, Academic Director of Algorithmics, emphasizes that the task of obtaining feedback in the field of children's education is quite complex. He notes that children often find it more difficult than adults to adequately express their thoughts about a course or educational program. Because of this, course developers have to rely more heavily on statistical data.

To assess the effectiveness of children's learning, Algorithmika analyzes the percentage of successful problem solutions, measures the time it takes students to answer, and evaluates the degree of meaningfulness of their answers. If a child answers questions randomly, just to avoid being held up, this indicates a lack of motivation for the learning process. Andrey believes that information about these indicators and other aspects of learning is crucial for educational program creators.

"It's important to look beyond specific checkpoints and final tests to the entire learning process and all the activities that occur within it. This will allow you to identify aspects of your courses that are, or aren't, functioning as you expect."

Laura McBain, an instructional designer and co-chair of the K12 Lab at Stanford's Design Thinking School, believes that children have a keen understanding of their learning process and can provide valuable feedback. She believes this doesn't require complex statistical research; It is enough to pay more attention to the opinions of students and closely monitor their involvement in the educational process.

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This approach is closely related to A human-centered principle in educational design that focuses on how individual students process material and how they can be supported to achieve their learning goals. Laura notes that signs of children's engagement in a lesson can be noticed quite quickly: they smile and become more active when discussing topics that interest them, and they respond to engaging lectures by raising their heads to better listen. K-12 teachers first look for these signs and then try to figure out what specifically captures students' attention.

"With first-graders, we usually start lessons with the question, 'What interests you?' For example, they might ask, 'Why do snakes crawl?'" These questions encourage even the youngest learners to become explorers, show genuine curiosity, and actively participate in their learning."

While this method is certainly not suitable for asynchronous online learning, it can be very effective in the context of webinars and other forms of collaborative learning.

Effective Research Tools for the Educational Process

When discussing research approaches for specialists involved in educational program development, Andrey Romashov identified three key tools:

• A/B testing is a method that is fairly simple to implement and makes it possible to test certain hypotheses. For example, it can be used to find out how various changes affect the studied indicators of the educational process. Within the framework of this approach, users are provided with two or more versions of the same course - one of them includes the changes, and the other remains without them. After this, the obtained results are analyzed.
• A randomized experiment involves the use of statistically valid samples and the control of extraneous variables. This means that the researcher creates, for example, two groups of children with similar characteristics, such as age and family income. It then analyzes how each of these groups responds to various educational programs, the effectiveness of which must be compared.
• Qualitative research involves conducting in-depth interviews and observing the actions of individual users with the goal of optimizing the student experience at different stages of learning.

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Developing innovations in education requires creativity and careful planning. First of all, it is necessary to analyze existing teaching methods and identify their shortcomings. This will help you understand which changes can bring the greatest benefit.

The next step is to explore new technologies and approaches that can be introduced into the educational process. For example, the use of interactive platforms or adaptive learning systems can significantly increase student engagement.

Furthermore, it is important to involve students and teachers themselves in the development of innovations. Their opinions and ideas can form the basis for creating more effective methods and programs. Conducting surveys and discussions will help identify the needs and expectations of the target audience.

It is also necessary to take into account the specifics of different educational institutions and adapt innovations to their conditions. It is important that the changes are realistic and feasible for a specific educational environment.

Finally, the successful implementation of innovations requires ongoing monitoring and evaluation of their effectiveness. Regular analysis of results will help adjust approaches and ensure the sustainable development of educational processes.

Laura McBain shared an interesting method for studying student experiences. She explained that several years ago, Stanford initiated a challenge called "Student Shadowing." The essence of this event is that each teacher must spend an entire day at school, following a student as if they were his or her shadow. This means that the teacher boards the bus with the child, arrives at the school, participates in lessons, eats lunch in the school cafeteria, and so on—in other words, immerses themselves in the student's daily life.

"Throughout the day, you observe the student not only to study their approach to learning but also to identify those areas that cause them difficulty. It is important to understand whether there are situations in their daily life when they feel unhappy, dissatisfied, or lacking connection. We are increasingly recognizing that a lack of proper recognition in the classroom can lead to complete abandonment of learning. "No one will strive to be a part of the learning process if they have such feelings."

Laura shared a story about how one of her colleagues, while participating in a challenge, spent a day at school with a girl from a Muslim family who wore a hijab. During this time, she managed to speak with the student only three times. The speaker emphasized the importance of promptly responding to situations where a child is overlooked and unappreciated in a group setting and taking steps to change such circumstances. During lockdown, educators from Stanford launched the online project "Student Shadow" and found that during remote learning, some children can go hungry for six hours and barely interact with their friends.

This method helps educators become more deeply aware of their students and understand the circumstances that affect their lives and, consequently, the learning process. According to the expert, it is on the basis of this understanding that a human-centered approach to education is formed.

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“I firmly believe that a human-centered school is a place where children really learn, and not just receive knowledge from teachers."

Avoiding Errors in Data Analysis and Interpretation

Once research is complete and data is collected, it is important to focus on several key aspects to derive valuable insights that can improve the educational process. First and foremost, it is worth analyzing the results in terms of their practical application: how the obtained data can be implemented in educational activities. It is also necessary to consider the context in which the research was conducted to understand how applicable the results are to specific educational conditions.

Pay attention to the needs and preferences of students, as their opinions can significantly impact the effectiveness of the changes being implemented. Equally important is to consider the opinions of teachers and other education professionals, who can provide unique perspectives and experience. Additionally, it's worth studying successful examples from other educational institutions to understand which approaches have proven successful and can be adapted to your context. Remember to continually monitor and evaluate implemented changes to identify their impact on the educational process and determine what's working and what needs improvement. This systematic approach will not only help you gain useful insights but also create a foundation for further development and improvement of the educational environment.Andrey Romashov pointed out that even quantitative data can lead to contradictory conclusions if all relevant factors are not taken into account in the analysis. To illustrate, he cited an example in which a researcher tests their hypothesis about improving the effectiveness of an educational program by conducting a trial on two groups: a test group and a control group. However, if the control group includes students with higher abilities than the test group, the results may indicate that the program improvements are negatively impacting academic performance. According to the expert, the results of the study can be influenced not only by the individual abilities of students, but also by the qualifications of a particular teacher, the overall level of training at the educational institution, and the financial situation of the students' families.

"This is exactly the case when it is important to carefully monitor what kind of experiment you are conducting, who your students are and whether they are all learning in the same conditions, and whether any changes have occurred in other aspects."

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Psychological aspects play a significant role in the effectiveness of distance learning. Various emotional and cognitive states of students can significantly affect their ability to absorb information. For example, motivation is one of the key factors that can facilitate or, conversely, hinder the learning process. A high level of interest and internal desire to learn allows students to more actively participate in the learning process and achieve better results.

In addition, self-esteem and self-confidence are also of great importance. Students who are confident in their abilities tend to be more persistent and ready to overcome difficulties that arise during the learning process. Conversely, low self-esteem can lead to a feeling of hopelessness and a decrease in academic activity.

The influence of stress and anxiety should also be considered. Students experiencing strong emotional stress may have trouble concentrating and remembering information. Therefore, creating a comfortable and supportive learning environment becomes an important aspect for increasing the productivity of online learning.

Self-regulation is no less important. The ability to plan their time, set goals, and control their actions helps learners organize their learning process more effectively. The online format, despite its advantages, requires more autonomy and responsibility from students, which can also affect their success.

Thus, psychological factors are an integral part of successful online learning and can both facilitate and complicate the process of knowledge acquisition.

Integrating Science, Technology, and Empathy to Enhance Education

In conclusion of the discussion, Laura McBain emphasized the importance for instructional designers not only of understanding the characteristics of learners, but also of the ability to apply a scientific approach to teaching, as well as possessing a variety of pedagogical tools. She noted that it's impossible to limit yourself to a single method, even if it seems ideal from a pedagogical perspective. In practice, there will always be both successful and ineffective strategies, and their effectiveness depends largely on the needs of students, the specifics of the subject, the content of the lesson, and many other factors. Therefore, it is crucial for methodologists and instructional designers to be able to adapt their knowledge to each specific case in order to effectively convey information to students.

"This process will never be identical in different cases, as each situation has its own characteristics due to individual differences. For example, if you have high observation skills and are able to detect changes in the context, this will allow you to quickly respond to them and effectively achieve your educational goals."

According to Laura, the skillful use of a variety of pedagogical tools not only contributes to the improvement of the educational process but also promotes the personal development of the teacher: "We combine pedagogy, people, and technology. It's really fascinating."

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• How Do Learning and Teaching Happen? 20 Insights from Research Conducted in 2021.
• Finding and analyzing research on effective teaching and learning methods requires a systematic approach. First, it's important to identify keywords and phrases that match the topic you're interested in. This will help you narrow your search and focus on the most relevant materials.

  Next, you can use various databases and academic journals, such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, or ResearchGate. These resources provide access to a wide range of publications, including articles and dissertations on educational strategies and methods.

  Once you've found the studies you're interested in, it's important to carefully review the abstracts and conclusions to understand how well the work meets your needs. Remember to pay attention to the authors' methodology, as it can significantly affect the validity and applicability of the results.

  When reading the articles themselves, it is helpful to take notes, highlight key ideas and arguments, and note how the acquired knowledge can be applied in practice. If the study raises questions or requires further analysis, it is recommended to consult other works on the same topic to gain a more complete understanding.

  Finally, don't forget about critical thinking: analyze and compare different points of view to form your own opinion about the data presented and its significance for your educational process.

• Modern teaching methods increasingly focus on the needs and interests of students. Unlike traditional systems, which emphasized the teacher and their knowledge, new approaches place the student at the center of the educational process. This means that educational programs are developed taking into account the individual characteristics, preferences, and learning pace of each student.

  Such systems actively utilize interactive technologies to create a more engaged and motivating atmosphere. For example, the use of online platforms and multimedia resources allows students to study in a format convenient for them and at their own pace. This allows students to independently choose topics of interest and delve deeper into them.

  Furthermore, modern approaches often include elements of collaboration and group work, which promotes the development of critical thinking and communication skills. Students learn to analyze information, exchange opinions, and solve problems together, which makes the learning process more dynamic and effective.

  In conclusion, the emphasis on the student in modern educational approaches means that learning becomes more personalized and relevant, which, in turn, improves the quality of knowledge and skills acquisition.

• Thirty principles of psychological aspects of learning that will be useful for every teacher.