Education - Research Studies

Hack to the Future: Odisha Edition 2024

In Odisha, Quest Alliance, in partnership with the Amazon Future Engineer program, has been working with government secondary schools to enable students to learn coding. In collaboration with the Mo School Abhiyan Parichalana Sangathan, Quest Alliance has contributed to the development of the Kaushali curriculum, which enables students to develop computational thinking skills.
During this five-day journey, students refined problem statements, brainstormed, worked on prototypes, and learned programming using various software. With each session, they navigated the intricacies of design thinking, software development, and the art of presentation. Through hands-on workshops and mentor-led guidance, they sharpened their skills, learned how to tackle obstacles, and pushed the boundaries of creativity to create impressive real-time problem-solving prototypes.

Research Study - Research Studies

Equity in Action: Insights from a five-year-long intervention with women in education and skilling

Adolescent girls and young women in India are faced with multiple barriers and disadvantages that manifest themselves early on both at home and in public spheres. These culminate in adolescent girls and young women having limited agency and decision making ability about aspects of their own lives, in low female labour force participation as well as unequal representation in public life and spaces. To address the gender disadvantages, Quest Alliance has adopted the following strategies in its program design. 

- Research Studies

From Anxiety To Hope: Building Emancipatory Climate Futures Literacy in Young People

With the future being uncertain the importance of Futures Literacy as a skill for young people becomes all the more important. We look at the implications of this and how this skill can be inculcated in our youth. This report introduces a pedagogy of hope in the climate crisis.

Research Study - Research Studies

Blended Learning: Experiences in public education and design principles for low-tech environments

The paper draws on insights from our qualitative study with students, teachers, administrators, and parents from 11 states utilizing Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) techniques, interviews, and focus groups. The study was led by Dr. Indira Vijaysimha from Poorna Learning Centre, and Dr. Farhat Ara from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art Design and Technology. Published with support from IBM, it provides a conceptual framework to understand and examine the various necessary components of a blended learning and teaching approach.

Education - Research Studies

Enabling Effective School To Work Transitions: COVID-19 And Beyond

With support from HT Parekh Foundation, we interviewed experts, school stakeholders and non-profits working to build seamless 21st century education systems. This paper explores ways to mitigate learning disruptions by integrating 21st century skills into India's schools.

Education - Research Studies

Building STEM Mindsets: An Ecosystem Approach

Based on the empirical findings from the study, review of relevant literature and interviews with curriculum developers, the report makes a number of recommendations for developing the STEM mindset and preparing students for the fast-evolving world of work in the future.

This study is published with support from IBM and knowledge collaborators Dr. Indira Vijaysimha, Dr. Indumathi Sundararaman, Kalpana Aravamuthu and Ann Mary Biju.

Education - Working Paper

Self-learning: Concepts, Principles & Strategies

This paper aims to reimagine the way we think of learning. It curates an understanding of self-learning in the Indian context, explores foundational values that define self-learning, and identify ways in which individuals and organizations pursue their self-learning pathways.

With support from Bank of America and Fossil Foundation, we interviewed educators, learners, and practitioners, compiled our learnings from the last few years, and put together this working paper.

Education - Research Studies

STEM Mindsets, Careers and Women – An India Study

This study is published with support from IBM and knowledge collaborators Dr. Indira Vijaysimha, Dr. Indumathi and Kalpana Aravamuthu.

The research focuses on skills and competencies that constitute the STEM mindset, along with a nuanced description of the most significantly mentioned competencies and their importance vis-a-vis careers. It also includes insights on things organizations need to consider to encourage more women to enter STEM careers and sustain them.

Education - White paper

Engaging Girls In STEM – Barriers And Enablers In India

With support from IBM and knowledge partner Tandem Research, we have published a white paper -- Engaging Girls In STEM: Barriers And Enablers In India.

The paper focuses on the need to re-imagine STEM beyond a group of subjects to a 21st century mindset, and highlights the role of key stakeholders and infrastructure needed to enable girls to pursue STEM education and careers.

Employability - White paper

Skilling for the Future of Work: An Outlook for Youth in the Platform Economy

This white paper brings to light the reality of a fast-platfomizing Indian economy and the challenges and opportunities it presents for youth from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) ecosystem in India.

This is published with support from Cisco and knowledge partners Tandem Research.