Key insights

• 🌍 Optimism exists for accelerating global development by spending smarter and utilizing data and research methods more effectively.
• 📊 The availability of data, computing power, and better research methods has led to the identification of interventions with high return on investment.
• 📚 High school enrollment hasn't improved learning outcomes, leading to a global learning crisis. Weak governance and teaching may be the root issues.
• 💰 Traditional spending on infrastructure, teachers, and technology has not been effective in addressing low learning outcomes.
• 🧠 Students have varying levels of understanding in the same classroom, making it challenging for teachers to cater to their needs.
• 💻 Technology is not a silver bullet in education; low-tech interventions like after-school tutoring can also be highly effective.
• 🏛️ Governments often fail to act on public spending opportunities with high return on investment due to inertia, risk aversion, and lack of incentives.
• 🌟 Effective public systems are essential to bring the benefits of innovation to the poor at scale, with optimism in using data and evidence to improve public spending for global development.

Q&A

• What is necessary to bring the benefits of innovation to the poor at scale?

  Building effective public systems is necessary to bring the benefits of innovation to the poor at scale. Using data and evidence to improve public spending is key in achieving this goal.

• Why do governments often fail to act on public programs with a high return on investment?

  Research has proven that certain public programs offer a 10x ROI, but governments often fail to act on these opportunities due to inertia, risk aversion, and lack of incentives. Governments don't face market tests for their actions and need research and evidence to guide effective public spending.

• Is technology a solution to the challenges in education?

  Technology can be transformative but not a silver bullet in education. Customized learning software, such as MindSpark, has shown impressive results in India. Free tablets without adult support at home had no impact. Low-tech interventions like after-school tutoring can also be highly effective.

• What challenges do teachers face in addressing students' varying levels of comprehension in the classroom?

  Many students have a lower understanding of mathematics than their grade level, making it challenging for teachers to cater to their varying levels of comprehension. Traditional methods of upgrading school infrastructure and increasing teacher pay may not address the fundamental issue of the mismatch between instruction and comprehension.

• Why hasn't high school enrollment improved learning outcomes?

  High school enrollment hasn't improved learning outcomes, leading to a global learning crisis. Increased spending on traditional solutions like teachers, infrastructure, and technology hasn't been effective. Weak governance, accountability, and teaching are identified as the root issues.

• Is there optimism for accelerating global development? If so, how can it be achieved?

  Optimism exists for accelerating global development by spending smarter, utilizing data and research methods more effectively. The availability of data, computing power, and better research methods has led to the identification of interventions with high return on investment.

• What issues are preventing many children from thriving despite progress in indicators like child mortality and school enrollment?

  Despite survival, a large number of children are not thriving, with millions suffering from issues like stunted growth and illiteracy. Weak governance, teaching, and a mismatch between instruction and comprehension may be the root issues.

• What are some key global development indicators that have shown improvement?

  Key global development indicators such as child mortality and school enrollment have shown improvement.

• 00:03 Despite progress in key indicators like child mortality and school enrollment, many children are not thriving. However, there is optimism for accelerating global development by spending smarter, utilizing available data and research methods.
• 02:12 High school enrollment hasn't improved learning outcomes; there's a global learning crisis. Increased spending on traditional solutions like teachers, infrastructure, and technology hasn't been effective. Weak governance and teaching may be the root issues.
• 04:16 Many students have a lower understanding of mathematics than their grade level, making it challenging for teachers to cater to their varying levels of comprehension. Traditional methods of upgrading school infrastructure and increasing teacher pay may not address the fundamental issue of the mismatch between instruction and comprehension.
• 06:39 Technology can be transformative but not a silver bullet in education. Customized learning software showed impressive results in India. Free tablets without adult support at home had no impact. Low-tech interventions like after-school tutoring can also be highly effective.
• 08:34 Research has proven that certain public programs offer a 10x ROI, but governments often fail to act on these opportunities due to inertia, risk aversion, and lack of incentives. Unlike the private sector, governments don't face market tests for their actions and need research and evidence to guide effective public spending.
• 10:29 The market values money over people, creating a tension with democratic ideals. Building effective public systems is necessary to bring the benefits of innovation to the poor at scale. Optimism exists in using data and evidence to improve public spending for global development.