Study Finds Improved Math Outcomes with Personalized Learning in Andhra Pradesh

Speedy Summary

• A study led by Nobel laureate Michael Kremer evaluated teh “Personalised Adaptive learning (PAL)” model in andhra Pradesh’s government schools.
• PAL uses gamified math concepts tailored to individual learning levels via software and tablets.
• In a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) across 60 schools, students using PAL achieved learning gains equivalent to 1.9 years of schooling compared to those not using it.
• The trial included 6,800 students from Grades 6-9,with participants spending an average of 35.3 hours on PAL over two academic years.
• Students in Grade 6 and Grade 7 showed the highest improvement as younger grades had better access and usage (42.3 hours vs. an average of 30.6 hours).
• Girls demonstrated greater learning benefits than boys due to higher software usage hours.
• The program costs $20-25 per student annually and is deemed cost-effective by researchers.
• The Andhra pradesh government plans to expand PAL from its current implementation in ~500 schools to over 1,200 government institutions gradually.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The findings from this self-reliant evaluation underscore both the effectiveness and scalability challenges of technology-driven educational interventions like PAL in India’s public school system. Achieving nearly two-years’ worth of additional knowledge within under two academic years highlights the transformative potential of such tools if implemented well.

Though, while focused trials like these yield critically important results with controlled access and monitoring, scaling across a large network of approximately 45,000 schools would demand considerable investment-not only in hardware and software but also sustained teacher training for integration into conventional pedagogy. Moreover, observed gender differences raise questions about ensuring equal participation opportunities for all demographics during scaled rollout phases.

It is encouraging that state governments are pioneering evidence-based interventions such as these while aligning with targeted goals for improving foundational literacy using technology-driven personalized education models.

Read more at The Hindu.