As countries around the world have closed learning institutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning have pivoted from in-person instruction to distance learning. Simultaneously, there has been a surge in efforts to promote access to distance learning programming. Distance learning is commonly used to reach learners who need flexible learning opportunities, as well as to reach groups excluded from formal education institutions. As countries and education agencies take up distance learning, it is important to design and implement evidence-based strategies for monitoring and evaluation to measure whether distance learning efforts are serving the intended communities and achieving intended objectives.
The purpose of this review is to support education practitioners, donors, implementers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, and other stakeholders in applying best practices to monitor and evaluate distance learning initiatives designed for diverse learners and implemented both within and outside of learning institutions. Broad input, review and feedback on early drafts of this toolkit were solicited and incorporated from the education sector in Washington, D.C. and Missions.