At the Carvajal Foundation, we have been committed to evidence-based educational solutions, with the goal of closing gaps in fundamental learning. In 2017, we began implementing Aula Global, an initiative focused on elementary school students with the greatest learning gaps. This strategy is based on three pillars: personalized tutoring in small groups, training and support for teachers to help students catch up on learning, and collaborative work with families through workshops.
To date, Aula Global has reached more than 100,000 students in 18 certified territorial entities in Colombia, and its effectiveness has been validated by an impact evaluation conducted by Harvard and Vanderbilt Universities. In 2022, it was recognized by HundrED as one of the leading educational innovations globally. In 2023, as part of our commitment to scalability, we identified Interactive Audio Instruction (IAI) as an opportunity to strengthen Aula Global. We saw in this methodology a way to make the strategy more accessible, flexible, replicable, and cost-effective, without losing the pedagogical quality that characterizes it. Thus, Aula Global – Interactive Audio Instruction was born, a fusion between the power of technology and the accumulated experience of Aula Global.
Aula Global – Interactive Audio Instruction is a pedagogical methodology that uses structured audio to guide student learning in real time. Unlike a podcast or an informational capsule, it is a carefully designed lesson used in the classroom, with pauses, questions, activities, songs, and games, to foster active and participatory learning.
Interactive audio provides clear instructions to the student using technology, but in an accessible, simple, and flexible way. It does not depend on connectivity or complex platforms; it can be used on a speaker, a basic cell phone, or a computer. The teacher listens along with the group, guides participation, and implements an active, student-centered class. It is a strategy that engages the student: it makes them think, speak, move, solve problems, sing, generating a multisensory learning experience.
One of the most powerful features of Aula Global – Interactive Audio Instruction is that it is not just about listening, it's about actively participating. In other words, it's not a passive experience, but a dynamic classroom where the audio characters guide learning through verbal, physical, and cognitive interactions, fostering a dynamic learning environment closely connected to the local context.
Interactive audio recordings are also used at home and in community settings, where children can listen to the recordings with family members, neighbors, or even on their own.
Through the implementation of Aula Global – Interactive Audio Instruction, we have achieved a significant impact on both teachers' pedagogical practices and the strengthening of students' basic language and math skills.
One of the most valuable contributions has been that teachers have incorporated the strategy into their pedagogical practice. In the 2024 implementation, we identified that 93% of teachers incorporated the strategy in the classroom using these three modalities, according to the specific needs of their groups, and using it flexibly:
a) as a central tool in institutional educational projects,
b) as a reinforcement resource within the classroom for students who are behind academically,
c) as support for homework, with the active participation of families.
Regarding the students, we observed a significant improvement in learning. We conducted an impact evaluation using a standardized test and found that, in third grade, the strategy generated a positive impact of 0.40 standard deviations. Furthermore, 95% of teachers reported that their students understood the definitions presented in the audio recordings and actively participated, expressing reflections on the topics covered. This demonstrates not only an improvement in skills but also greater engagement in their learning process.
Aula Global was initially designed as a strategy centered on three pillars: personalized tutoring in small groups, training and support for teachers to help students catch up on learning, and collaborative work with families through workshops. While the program has a proven track record and significant implementation history at the Carvajal Foundation, in 2023, as part of our commitment to scalability, we identified Interactive Audio Instruction (IAI) as an opportunity to strengthen Aula Global. We saw in this methodology a way to make the strategy more accessible, flexible, replicable, and cost-effective, without compromising its characteristic pedagogical quality. The design of the materials took us approximately 8 months: pedagogical design, testing, recording and production of 80 interactive audio lessons (40 language and 40 math) and a user guide with step-by-step instructions for listening in classrooms with teachers or at home with families in rural or urban environments, with or without internet access, adapting to different contexts and school levels.
1. Initially, the educational institutions and households to be targeted are identified, as their commitment during implementation is crucial.
2. An awareness workshop is held with teachers and families to introduce the audio content. During the workshop, a user kit is distributed, consisting of a user guide, a speaker, and the recorded audio lessons or access to them via Google Drive. The distribution of the kit motivates teachers and families to begin listening to the audio lessons.
3. The process concludes with a closing workshop using focus groups, providing an opportunity to share participants' listening experiences.
