Developing Numeracy and the Ability to Sustain Attention: An Interdisciplinary Research Program with Adaptive Technologies in India

This study will use a randomized field experiment to test the impact of an adaptive tablet-based learning platform on two components of human capital: (i) students' mathematical skills - a central aspect of academic achievement - and (ii) students' ability to sustain focused attention - a fundamental skill underlying cognitive and non-cognitive tasks. The study will provide rigorous evidence on a novel, scalable low-cost policy solution for schooling in development countries. In addition, it will provide the first piece of empirical evidence on whether sustained attention is malleable - with the potential to reshape how we conceptualize human capital and the role of schooling.