Existing Computer Lab Infrastructure Leverage
RCTClinical Trial
High capital expenditures on new computer hardware often yield minimal educational gains, while installed computer labs in public schools frequently sit underutilized due to a lack of structured software curricula.
Picture this
Instead of buying expensive new laptops, the program plugs a specialized software curriculum into hardware that schools already own. It works like loading a new game onto an old console, turning pre-existing, idle equipment into an active learning center.
What the evidence says
Leveraged existing labs to deliver instruction at a low marginal cost of $14.60 per student, though 3 of 46 treatment groups suffered non-implementation due to localized internet connectivity failures.
- Who was studied
- N = 69 public secondary schools across 21 Colombian cities, with an average of 38 computers per school (1 student per computer ratio).
- How
- Field experiment utilizing existing public school computer labs during dedicated 1.5-hour weekly computer education blocks over an 11-week semester.
What to do
Deploy structured web-based learning software onto pre-existing public school computer infrastructure rather than procuring new hardware to optimize return on capital investment.
From the source
"It complements this literature by showing that, once computers have been installed in schools, structured Internet courses-at least for sexual education-can have significant effects."
Do Information Technologies Improve Teenagers’ Sexual Education? Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Colombia