 November 2010
Inter-American Development Bank Education Newsletter
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On the occasion of World Science Day, the Bank wants to draw attention to the importance of quality science and mathematics education. This day is a reminder that although the Latin American and Caribbean region has made great strides towards the eradication of illiteracy, we still have a long way to go in achieving universal scientific literacy for all children. Scientific literacy includes skills -such as critical thinking and the ability to recognize and weigh alternative explanations of events - without which many doors are closed in life and in work.
Read more www.iadb.org/numeracy
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The state of numeracy education in Latin America and the Caribbean
To mark World Science Day 2010, the Bank releases a review that paints a daunting picture of the state of science and mathematics education in the region. Students have inadequate opportunities to learn demanding contents, due, in no small measure, to weaknesses in the curriculum and learning materials to which they are exposed, and to limited mathematics and natural science proficiency of their teachers. Classrooms are characterized by rote learning of routine computational operations or memorization and regurgitation of facts, often with little or even erroneous evaluative feedback from teachers. Based on evidence of what works in numeracy education, as well as insights from a series of promising numeracy approaches, the authors propose a framework for future efforts in science and mathematics education in the region.
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Learning through play
 In 2009, the Argentine Ministry of Education and the Inter -American Development Bank began to work together on a common objective: to identify teaching models that can reverse the trends of low performance in Math and the Natural Sciences for children at the primary level. In a pilot implemented involving 18,100 students, three inquiry-based models were tested, allowing the children to learn through scientific reasoning, experimentation and, above all, group work, in finding solutions to everyday problems. One year away from implementation, initial results suggest higher student motivation and fresh enthusiasm leading to higher academic achievement. Based on the results, a decision has been made to apply the project nationwide.
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See video
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| Multiplying Knowledge |
 The IDB partners with a group of Brazilian NGOs to develop a creative tutoring model in São Paulo. This program selects the most outstanding high school students and turns them into tutors for math-challenged middle school students at sixth and seventh-grade level. Participating in the program are about 3,000 students who meet twice weekly with their tutors throughout the entire school year.
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Preliminary results of a monetary incentives program in Mexico
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Results emerging from the Aligning Learning Incentives (ALI) project, based on a series of innovative incentive structure implemented in a sample of upper-secondary schools in Mexico, find that monetary incentives given to students can positively impact test scores when paired with school-wide incentives.
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Having Fun with Maths | 
The Bank has joined forces with Carnegie Learning to improve the quality of secondary education mathematics in the region through an interactive learning technology called Cognitive Tutoring System. The system provides feedback in real time with concrete suggestions when students make mistakes. The initiative is regional and benefits some 5,000 students and 250 teachers in rural and marginalized urban public schools in five countries.
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Inspiring the Innovators of tomorrow
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Forthcoming Event
The IDB teams up with the Intel Corporation to launch the First Academy of Natural Sciences Teachers in Latin America and the Caribbean. During World Science week, experienced science fair organizers will be meeting in San José, Costa Rica with 40 educators and government authorities from 12 different countries to explore new ways of organizing science fairs for students throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Science fairs encourage children to explore and innovate, providing them with opportunities to put research techniques into practice and come up with solutions for local or global problems. Yet more importantly, in their efforts to inspire young scientists they make math and the sciences fun and rewarding.
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An Equal Start
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On June 7, 2010, IDB hosted an expert seminar in Washington DC entitled "An Even Start: Numeracy Education in Latin America and the Caribbean." The seminar aimed to share some of the initiatives implemented under the IDB's Numeracy initiative, which is focused on implementing policies to help children reach their full potential in mathematics and the natural science. Accompanying the Equal Start seminar was an art exhibit with the same name, which included the work of over 200 artists chosen for their potential to raise awareness about numeracy education issues.
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-Technical Note: "The state of numeracy education in Latin America and the Caribbean." Download PDF-Briefly Noted: " Beyond Chalk and Talk: Experimental Math and Science Education in Argentina". Download PDFOther Publications-Technical Note: "Teachers, schools, and learnings in Latin America: A regional study based on the SERCE database" (in Spanish). Download PDF -Briefly Noted: "Experimental assessment of the program "One Laptop per Child" in Peru. Download PDF
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