Gamifying Behaviour Change with the ECD Heroes Challenge
Summary:
A 2014 report found that more than 40% of teachers and assistant teachers in ECD centres in South Africa have below a Grade 12 level of education and less than 10% have an early childhood development qualification. These low barriers to entry into the profession may be a good thing for job creation, but have potential negative consequences for both teacher and child. Two such consequences for teachers are the underrated public opinion of the profession and the low levels of remuneration. Most preschool teachers, regardless of qualification, earned less than R2500 (173 USD) per month in 2014. Studies show that children who regularly attend a high-quality preschool programme perform better at school than their peers. At the top of the list of defining features of high-quality programmes is a cohort of skilled and engaging teachers. We wanted to explore the peaks and pitfalls of using an adapted gamified tech platform to upskill preschool teachers in low-income areas. We were also interested in whether an accompanying PR campaign would help shift perceptions of the importance of preschool teachers. The ECD Heroes Challenge (2017) set out to explore a novel approach to training and supporting the professional development of preschool teachers in low-resourced settings. An existing digital platform, with built-in game mechanics, was adapted to spark applied learning throughout an 8-week competition.
Background/Objectives:
Studies show that children who regularly attend a high quality preschool programme perform better at school than their peers. The benefits are particularly pronounced for children from low-income communities.Defining features of high-quality programmes include having the appropriate learning resources and a good curriculum. At the top of the list of 'must-haves' is a cohort of skilled and engaging teachers. With this in mind, the first ECD Heroes Challenge (2017) set out to explore a novel approach to training and supporting the professional development of preschool teachers in low resourced settings by using gamification techniques.
Results/Lessons Learned:
The first ECD Heroes Challenge ran from 3 October to 3 December 2017.
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
How might we pivot existing sbcc platforms for new purposes? How might we use gamification principles to drive behaviour change? How might we support networks of engaged beneficieries to drive behaviour change? The power of recognition in changing behaviour
Click here for a February 2019 case study, "ECD Heroes Challenge: Using gamified learning to motivate and upskill preschool teachers in South Africa" [PDF].
Abstract submitted by:
Nicole Biondi - Innovation Edge
A 2014 report found that more than 40% of teachers and assistant teachers in ECD centres in South Africa have below a Grade 12 level of education and less than 10% have an early childhood development qualification. These low barriers to entry into the profession may be a good thing for job creation, but have potential negative consequences for both teacher and child. Two such consequences for teachers are the underrated public opinion of the profession and the low levels of remuneration. Most preschool teachers, regardless of qualification, earned less than R2500 (173 USD) per month in 2014. Studies show that children who regularly attend a high-quality preschool programme perform better at school than their peers. At the top of the list of defining features of high-quality programmes is a cohort of skilled and engaging teachers. We wanted to explore the peaks and pitfalls of using an adapted gamified tech platform to upskill preschool teachers in low-income areas. We were also interested in whether an accompanying PR campaign would help shift perceptions of the importance of preschool teachers. The ECD Heroes Challenge (2017) set out to explore a novel approach to training and supporting the professional development of preschool teachers in low-resourced settings. An existing digital platform, with built-in game mechanics, was adapted to spark applied learning throughout an 8-week competition.
Background/Objectives:
Studies show that children who regularly attend a high quality preschool programme perform better at school than their peers. The benefits are particularly pronounced for children from low-income communities.Defining features of high-quality programmes include having the appropriate learning resources and a good curriculum. At the top of the list of 'must-haves' is a cohort of skilled and engaging teachers. With this in mind, the first ECD Heroes Challenge (2017) set out to explore a novel approach to training and supporting the professional development of preschool teachers in low resourced settings by using gamification techniques.
Results/Lessons Learned:
The first ECD Heroes Challenge ran from 3 October to 3 December 2017.
- 538 preschool teachers from 7 Provinces signed up
- Half of those teachers actively participated
- Most of the engagement came from a group of 50 highly motivated teachers
- A total of 3380 Challenges were completed over 8 weeks
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
How might we pivot existing sbcc platforms for new purposes? How might we use gamification principles to drive behaviour change? How might we support networks of engaged beneficieries to drive behaviour change? The power of recognition in changing behaviour
Click here for a February 2019 case study, "ECD Heroes Challenge: Using gamified learning to motivate and upskill preschool teachers in South Africa" [PDF].
Abstract submitted by:
Nicole Biondi - Innovation Edge
Source
Approved abstract for the postponed 2020 SBCC Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. Provided by the International Steering Committee for the Summit. Image credit: Innovation Edge