Innovative approaches to literacy assessment
We need some innovative options which for a wide smaller literacy assessment
but enough to answer key policy questions
Quicker so it can be completed in real time
Cheaper for less developed countries
as well as reliable
Let's look at 3 cases with some innovative strategies
First, we can adapt and reduce the scale of that existing literacy assessment
For example, Mini-LAMP
which is a radius version of LAMP
It is more flexible and allows to reduce operational,
technical and financial burden of LAMP
By conducting Mini-LAMP, country will gain some advantages
because they will be able to conduct the well-developed literacy assessment
with smaller, quicker and cheaper effort
They can use the tools that have been already tested.
Country will have more options and flexibility
in implementing the assessment to meet some specific needs
They can use computer-based or paper-based tools
or a decentralized approach to conduct assessment.
We can utilize our mobile phones as a tool for literacy assessment.
In the case of the earth Institute in Haiti, it uses mobile phones an online platform
called form hub which is a free platform for other rising survey
Once the phones have access to wireless internet
the surveys can be sent to form hub
where the data can be organized and disseminated.
This case demonstrates some potential of utilizing
mobile phones and literacy assessment.
Many people uses mobile phones even in countries with low is literacy
Therefore, it is practical even in less developed countries.
It is cost effective way
because while conducting data survey is expensive, mobile phones are not
These devices are convenient and a reliable tool
to collect and store data
and serve as a tool for monitoring with surprising accuracy.
Moreover, the technology becomes more accessible to multiple users.
So anyone can conduct assessment
The amount of time people spend on smartphones has been increasing in recent years.
We are texting and reading messages all the time.
Among OECD countries, Finland uses the most mobile data per capita
which is as high as 15.45 gigabytes monthly followed by Austria and Estonia.
This means that mobile phones have tremendous potential
and collecting large amount of literacy data.
Telenor group conducted the project to determine literacy rates
using mobile phone call records.
They evaluate a variety of factors to predict literacy rates
in developing countries by using mobile phone data
It has found several factors to predict illiteracy with higher accuracy
such as location of people, social network and a number of incoming texts.
Literacy is important for both individuals and countries
by conducting literacy assessment,
we can obtain quality information
which can be used to enhance human resource development of the country
Regardless their approaches of literacy assessment you take,
keep in mind these 6 key principles
to consider when developing literacy assessment
And try to consider some innovative strategies
for future literacy assessment