A Blended Learning Framework for Bangladesh: Policy and practice placement on spatialities of the future of education

Teachers co-designing school during a co-creation workshop

This ESRC IAA placement project aims to influence policy, practice and global debate around blended learning through contribution of multiple components. The project has three main aims: (1) shape National Government policy in Bangladesh through contributing to the National Blended Education Taskforce and influence international stakeholders, which will enable teachers to adopt blended learning practices; (2) influence school practice through engagement with teachers and children in schools through a2i and (3) contribute to the global debate and education sector in the UK and Wales in particular through wider networking and dissemination activities. All three aims draw directly on our recent and past research, delivering impact at-scale, and on-the-ground with teaching practitioners.

The ESRC IAA project will support the placement/exchange partnership of the PI - Dr Matluba Khan with Aspire to Innovate (a2i), the Bangladesh Government’s flagship program for innovation in education where, working together with a2i and other partners [DPE (Department of Education), MoPME (Ministry of Primary and Mass Education), and #NextGenEdu] educational policy and practice in Bangladesh and beyond will be informed and influenced, based on a blended learning curricula developed from recent research by the PI (Dr Matluba Khan) and Co-I (Dr Tom Smith) and previous research by the PI.

Recent research by the PI and Co-I has advanced knowledge in the field of educational spaces, specifically the use of outdoor learning environments and blended (technology-driven, or distanced) learning in response to the Coronavirus pandemic at the national and transnational level in low-income countries. In particular, the PI’s and Co-I’s recent HEFCW-GCRF funded project reacts to the demand of policymakers and teachers for development of a blended learning framework (a combination of technology driven, online/remote and in-person classroom/outdoor learning). This demand was in response to the recent coronavirus pandemic, and how that led nations, schools and individual teachers, to innovate high-, low- and no-tech solutions to continue education, and teachers to uptake innovative approaches with limited resources when disruption to education happens due to crises. This research is highly relevant to the context of, and recovery from, the coronavirus pandemic, and will be instrumental for the future of blended learning in future crises, such as displacement from conflict or extreme weather.

In our underpinning research project report, ‘Crisis-led approaches to teaching and learning in Bangladesh: Towards a blended learning framework’ (Khan et al. 2021) we provide empirical evidence on crisis-led approaches adopted by teachers for teaching remotely, impacts on children and families, and the views of all relevant stakeholders on a blended learning framework as schools reopen or for the longer term. The project included two workshops with policy makers and practitioners to identify the needs in policy and practice, and we collaborated with a2i in doing so. The analysis of the data has allowed us to inform policymakers on the importance of supporting the development and implementation of a national blended learning framework. As such, the PI has been invited to be a part of the Research and Development subcommittee of the National Blended Learning Framework Task Force formed under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and co-ordinated by a2i . As part of the subcommittee PI currently contributes to the Working Group 4: Inclusive Infrastructure remotely.

The ESRC IAA funding will allow us to translate this underpinning research into significant impact at the national level in Bangladesh and shape the debate on blended learning globally, by supporting PI’s placement at a2i initially as a continuing member of the Research and Development Sub-committee and later as an advisor of policy and practice. a2i, Aspire to Innovate is the flagship program of Bangladesh Government’s Digital Bangladesh agenda within the Information and Communication Technology division. As a member of the Research and Development sub-committee, the PI will have the opportunity to influence and support the development of the National Blended Learning Framework for Bangladesh co-ordinated by a2i, as well as informing the policymakers of other countries through working with representatives of UNESCO, UNICEF and other international organisations who are part of the Task Force. As our underpinning research provides the empirical evidence of the current scenario, along with a battery of example promising practices of teachers adopting blended learning within Bangladesh, and given the task force includes members from different government and non-government bodies related to education, this will allow us the unique opportunity to translate our research into concrete and timely policy strategies through co-creation workshops, a learning environment toolkit, and policy briefs.

The outcomes from this placement have potential for translation to the education sector in the UK and particularly to the implementation of the New Welsh Curriculum by Welsh Government. We are further well-networked with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the South Central Consortium, and Welsh Government through a current collaborative ESRC-funded PhD studentship, which will enable further dissemination and impact in the UK context.