Using meta-analysis to explore the transferability of education mid-range theories to Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger
Programme of work
Enhancing evidence transferability
Principal investigator(s)
Jonathan Kay
Host institution
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
Other institutions
Durham University
eBASE
Dates
February 2020 to July 2021
Project type
Evidence synthesis
Country/ies
Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Research question
This project will expand the EEF’s existing evidence synthesis project to include education evidence from low- and middle-income countries through a partnership with eBASE, an evidence organisation based in Cameroon but working across Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Research design
Meta-regression analysis will be used to explore variation in impact for theories such as meta-cognition, tracking and small-group tuition. Once the analysis of contextual variation has been established, a living evidence portal will display the efficacy of different approaches in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
Data source
The study will disaggregate the meta-analyses currently summarised in the Teaching and Learning Toolkit and create a database that includes data extracted from each individual study.
Each study will have data extracted for around 100 variables, including details on study design, population, intervention and outcome.
This data will then be used to create 35 living systematic reviews, which will form the basis of a new toolkit. The data will allow for greater understanding of the factors that cause variation in impact.
All data will then be added to the central EEF database for meta-analyses.
Policy relevance
This project will produce a live evidence portal that will summarise the best available pedagogical approaches in a way that is accessible to teachers and school leaders. The resources on the portal will be translated into French for Francophone regions in the target countries.
Policymakers and other decision-makers will also have access to the portal for making reasoned decisions on central government planning for curricula and funded interventions. Researchers will be able to use the portal to identify gaps in the evidence base for future studies.
Project Outputs
- CEDIL Design Paper 14: Using meta-analysis to explore the transferability of education mid-range theories to Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger (S-144): research design paper
- Blog: Building evidence infrastructure is a global good
- Presentation to FCDO on 14 February 2022: Recontextualising the Teaching and Learning Toolkit to the Chad Basin For CEDIL
- Research Project Paper 2: Using meta-analysis to explore the transferability of education mid-range theories to Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger: Final academic report – Evidence synthesis
- Evidence and gap map
- Teaching and Learning Toolkit: An accessible summary of education evidence