Policies

EduApp4Syria project

Context

 Since the onset of the conflict in 2011, approximately 2.8 million Syrian children have been deprived of educational opportunities. Those who manage to attend school often struggle with learning due to prolonged stress and language barriers.

Solution

In response, Norway initiated an international competition in 2015 to develop smartphone applications that aid Syrian children in learning to read and improving their psychosocial well-being. The winning apps, "Feed the Monster" and "Antura and the Letters," are freely available and ad-free, designed to maximize accessibility. The EduApp4Syria project promotes open-source development, sharing the code on GitHub to encourage widespread use and innovation.

Impact 

"Feed the Monster" and "Antura and the Letters" significantly improved children's oral reading fluency, a key predictor of reading comprehension, with effect sizes comparable to 30 hours of enhanced early-reading classroom instruction. These improvements were achieved with minimal adult intervention, indicating children learned independently. Additionally, both games positively impacted psychosocial well-being, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), while the control group experienced a decline in well-being.

Analysis

The success of "Feed the Monster" and "Antura and the Letters" in enhancing reading fluency and mental health among Syrian children demonstrates the potential for these educational games to be replicated and scaled in other countries. With their minimal requirement for adult intervention, open-source licensing, and the ability to adapt content to local languages and cultures, these games can be effectively deployed in various underserved and conflict-affected regions. This intervention can provide significant educational and psychosocial benefits to children worldwide, supported by partnerships with local and international organizations.