Equity Diversity and Inclusion
CUP – Catchup Project Evaluation funded by World Vision
The Catch-Up Programme (CUP) is an evidence-based, targeted intervention designed to support vulnerable children aged 6-10 who have experienced educational disruption. The program developed by World Vision helps them recover lost learning and return to education appropriate for their age.
The Open University is conducting mixed-methods research to evaluate the implementation, effectiveness, relevance, and adaptation of the program in Chile (humanitarian setting), Ethiopia (conflict setting), and Zimbabwe (development setting). The research aims to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities to improve learning outcomes for these children.
CUP focuses on the acquisition of early grade literacy, numeracy skills, and social emotional learning. The evaluation methodology, underpinned by equity, diversity, and inclusion, using open educational resources (slides, videos, tools), open research (evaluation instruments, research briefs), and open science (evaluation data wih open access ).
Responsible Research and Innovation aims to strengthen evidence for CUP in real-world implementation contexts for further adaptations and scale.
Dr. Okada and her team also developed a new Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Instrument. This SEL self-reflective instrument was designed for children to reflect on their educational experiences supported by social emotional learning.
CUP is designed to provide safe, play-based, inclusive and carefully sequenced instruction at the right level that also addresses social emotional learning of children.
The three key actions of CUP project are:
- Mobilizes communities to support children’s learning.
- Supports the well-being of community facilitators.
- Forges partnerships with schools and teachers to provide holistic support.
“CUP is helping to bridge the gap in learning created by COVID” Headteacher in Zimbabwe
Preliminary Findings
Positive Outcomes about Social Emotional Learning in Chile, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe were analysed through Interviews and Discussions with Children, focus groups with parents and facilitators:
- Understand and Manage Emotions: Children find learning enjoyable and safe, recognize feelings of anxiety, and view mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Achieve Goals: Children enjoy both independent and collaborative learning, feel guided in making corrections, and facilitators notice their understanding through participation levels.
- Feel and Show Empathy for Others: Children enjoy helping peers, taking turns, and participating in a conducive learning environment.
- Establish and Maintain Positive Relationships: Children feel included by peers and facilitators, and most have friends at CUP.
- Make Responsible Decisions: Children enjoy attending sessions independently, sharing their work with parents, and believe CUP helps them succeed in school.
Key results include:
- Positive experiences of informal learning at community level.
- Community capacity was enhanced.
- Most Children gained literacy skills and confidence.
Open Education Research Tools and References
Open Access research instrument
Open Education Researchers
The Open University UK team
Dr Alexandra Okada is a senior research fellow in the UK and associate professor vistor in Brazil. She brings 20+ years’ experience of leading complex at-scale research and development programmes in Education. She has coordinated more than 10 international multi-language and multi-actor projects (€15M in total). Her expertise includes: large scale research projects: design, implementation, evaluation, dissemination, including multiapproaches, mixedmethods and longitudinal studies underpinned by responsible research and innovation – ethics, gender, open access, education, governance and public engagement. Contact: ale.okada@open.ac.uk
Dr Margaret Ebubedike has over 15 years’ experience of teaching, training, and educational research in low-income contexts. Her research focuses on girls’ access, retention and completing education, gender equality and development across cultures and contexts, especially conflict affected areas. Her expertise focused on qualitative studies, focus groups, interviews, and photovoice; bringing together researchers, communities and children. Most recently Margaret is leading research to support the empowerment of girl victims of human trafficking in Nigeria and Nepal.
Dr Keetie Roelen is Senior Research Fellow in The Open University’s Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD). She is a development economist by training and current research interests include the dynamics of (child) poverty, social protection and the linkages between child protection and social protection. She has delivered qualitative and quantitative research including longitudinal studies, programme evaluations and policy advice for various organisations such as UNICEF, World Bank, FAO and Concern Worldwide, across South-East Asia, Africa and Europe.
Claire Hedges is the Centre Manager for The Open University’s Centre for the Study of Global Development and a member of the Centre Directorate team guiding its research strategy, vision, and values. With over 15 years of experience in international teacher and community education for development, research, and programme management, she focuses on inclusive and collaborative education and health initiatives. Her research specifically centers on evaluating the cost-effectiveness of various programmes and initiatives, ensuring they are situated within the broader contexts and lives of communities, learners, educators, and health workers
Discover more about World Vision Catch-up project
Our Partners from World Vision:
Janelle Zwier (janelle_zwier@wvi.org)
Blessing Mukandakand (Zimbabwe)
Richard Chokera (Zimbabwe)
Mesfin Jonfa (Ethiopia)