User experience with educational technology in African slums

TL;DR

This study evaluates a digital educational program in Kenyan slums, using tablets and token rewards to improve secondary math skills and prepare students for STEM university pathways during COVID-19 closures.

Contribution

It introduces a community-based, reward-driven digital learning system tailored for low-income regions to enhance math education and STEM readiness.

Findings

Engaged over 2,000 students in 24 months

Enabled students to earn tokens for educational progress

Facilitated access to tablets and educational resources

Abstract

This paper describes a project developed in co-operation with two dozen community libraries and schools in various slums and low-income regions in Kenya. The project was started in response to COVID-19, to allow students to solve computerised math drills while schools were closed. The number of students involved reached two thousand during the first 24 months of operation. The program uses a study environment, tutor-web, and access to this is provided by donating tablet computers to participating community libraries. Students are rewarded using tokens, SmileyCoins or SMLY, as they progress through the system and the libraries are free to sell for SMLY small food items, sanitary pads and even the tablets themselves. The rewards are designed to put an emphasis on secondary school mathematics, so as to prepare the students for applications into STEM subjects at university. Completion of the corresponding collection of drills gives SmileyCoin awards sufficient to purchase a tablet.