A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on learning

Bastian Betthäuser (Assistant Professor of Sociology, Sciences Po - CRIS)

FacSem, Monday 15th September, 12:30 - 2 pm

Discussant: Clément de Chaisemartin (Professor, Sciences Po - Department of Economics)
Venue: Sciences Po, 1 place Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin, room K011

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected learning progress among school-age children? A growing number of studies address this question, but findings vary depending on context. We conduct a pre-registered systematic review, quality appraisal and meta-analysis of 42 studies across 15 countries to assess the magnitude of the effect of the pandemic on learning. We find a substantial overall learning deficit (Cohen’s d = -0.14, 95% c.i. -0.17, -0.10), which arose early in the pandemic and persists over time. Forgone learning is particularly large among children from low socio-economic backgrounds. It is also larger in math than in reading, and in middle-income countries, relative to high-income countries. There is a lack of evidence on learning progress during the pandemic in low-income countries. Future research should address this evidence gap and avoid the common risks of bias that we identify. The full paper can be accessed here

Registration: marina.abelskaiagraziani@sciencespo.fr (intern audience)