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THE LIMITATIONS OF ACTIVITY-BASED INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SCHOOLING.
Andreas de Barros1, Johanna Fajardo-Gonzalez2, Paul Glewwe3
1University of California, Irvine, USA.
Economic Journal (London, England)
|October 8, 2025
Summary
Activity-based instruction in Indian primary schools improved teaching methods but had minimal impact on student learning. Value-added models indicate a potential negative link between this approach and test score gains, questioning its effectiveness for school productivity.
Area of Science:
- Educational research
- Pedagogy
- Development economics
Background:
- Improving classroom practices is crucial for enhancing educational outcomes.
- Activity-based instruction is a widely promoted pedagogical approach.
- The effectiveness of such interventions in large-scale public education systems remains under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a large-scale program promoting mathematics learning in Indian primary schools.
- To assess the effect of activity-based instruction on student learning outcomes.
- To explore the relationship between instructional methods and school value-added measures.
Main Methods:
- A large-scale cluster-randomised trial was conducted in government primary schools in India.
- The study measured changes in instructional practices and student test scores.
- School value-added models were employed to analyze the relationship between teaching methods and learning gains.
Main Results:
- The program successfully increased the adoption of activity-based instruction.
- However, the program showed only modest impacts on student test score gains.
- School value-added models revealed a negative association between activity-based instruction and test score improvements.
- Adding a community-engagement component did not alter these findings.
Conclusions:
- While activity-based instruction can be implemented, its effectiveness in boosting student learning and overall school productivity in this context is limited.
- The findings suggest a need to re-evaluate the efficacy of activity-based instruction programs, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuances of pedagogical effectiveness and its relationship with student achievement in diverse educational environments.
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