Design-Based Implementation Research for Digitally Enabled Education Reform: Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania
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| Title: | Design-Based Implementation Research for Digitally Enabled Education Reform: Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Taskeen Adam (ORCID |
| Source: | British Journal of Educational Technology. 2026 57(3):715-745. |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 31 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Educational Research, Instructional Design, Program Implementation, Technology Integration, Intervention, Teacher Education Programs, Faculty Development, Learning Management Systems |
| Geographic Terms: | Tanzania |
| DOI: | 10.1111/bjet.70057 |
| ISSN: | 0007-1013 1467-8535 |
| Abstract: | Design-based implementation research (DBIR) offers a promising approach for refining and theorising the implementation and scale-up of education interventions. However, integrating technology into national education reforms in resource-constrained contexts adds complexity, involving multiple government bodies, implementers and researchers with differing institutional cultures. We examine how DBIR approaches can be enhanced to adapt to the complexity that technology and scaling bring into nationally led education interventions. To achieve this, we evaluate the DBIR principles and processes used with the Tanzanian government to design, implement and scale the national technology-supported teacher professional development programme. The intervention uses a Learning Management System, which teachers are intended to access through smart devices. Realist evaluation of two DBIR cycles was undertaken through documentary analysis and reflective workshops with the DBIR team (comprising international, Tanzanian and government researchers). The findings, presented as 10 context-intervention-mechanism-outcome statements, informed the development of the DBIR for digitally enabled education reform (DBIR4DEER) methodological guidelines. The discussion unpacks how DBIR4DEER contributes to the broader implementation research and EdTech literature by demonstrating how its enhancements from DBIR are well suited to navigate shifting government priorities, rapid scaling, technological turbulence and system-wide stakeholder dynamics. Recommendations include embedding different government bodies into DBIR for stronger evidence uptake, anticipating intervention changes from the volatile technology landscape, rigorously testing technology components before rollout and mapping spheres of control and influence as the intervention becomes unwieldy. DBIR4DEER offers practical guidance for researchers, implementers and policymakers seeking to strengthen EdTech implementation research in large-scale complex systems in low- and middle-income countries. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503316 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1503316 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Design-Based Implementation Research for Digitally Enabled Education Reform: Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Taskeen+Adam%22">Taskeen Adam</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2467-5726">0000-0003-2467-5726</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sara+Hennessy%22">Sara Hennessy</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9050-4995">0000-0002-9050-4995</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kristeen+Chachage%22">Kristeen Chachage</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7636-2385">0009-0002-7636-2385</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Winston+Massam%22">Winston Massam</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0598-1533">0000-0003-0598-1533</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Calvin+Swai%22">Calvin Swai</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3318-4702">0000-0002-3318-4702</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fredrick+Mtenzi%22">Fredrick Mtenzi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3361-9056">0000-0003-3361-9056</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jonathan+Hegwa+Paskali%22">Jonathan Hegwa Paskali</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aneth+Komba%22">Aneth Komba</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6288-517X">0000-0002-6288-517X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Saalim+Koomar%22">Saalim Koomar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4517-7689">0000-0003-4517-7689</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fika+Mwakabungu%22">Fika Mwakabungu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3282-4429">0000-0003-3282-4429</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Journal+of+Educational+Technology%22"><i>British Journal of Educational Technology</i></searchLink>. 2026 57(3):715-745. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 31 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Research%22">Educational Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Design%22">Instructional Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Implementation%22">Program Implementation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Integration%22">Technology Integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Education+Programs%22">Teacher Education Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Management+Systems%22">Learning Management Systems</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tanzania%22">Tanzania</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1111/bjet.70057 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0007-1013<br />1467-8535 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Design-based implementation research (DBIR) offers a promising approach for refining and theorising the implementation and scale-up of education interventions. However, integrating technology into national education reforms in resource-constrained contexts adds complexity, involving multiple government bodies, implementers and researchers with differing institutional cultures. We examine how DBIR approaches can be enhanced to adapt to the complexity that technology and scaling bring into nationally led education interventions. To achieve this, we evaluate the DBIR principles and processes used with the Tanzanian government to design, implement and scale the national technology-supported teacher professional development programme. The intervention uses a Learning Management System, which teachers are intended to access through smart devices. Realist evaluation of two DBIR cycles was undertaken through documentary analysis and reflective workshops with the DBIR team (comprising international, Tanzanian and government researchers). The findings, presented as 10 context-intervention-mechanism-outcome statements, informed the development of the DBIR for digitally enabled education reform (DBIR4DEER) methodological guidelines. The discussion unpacks how DBIR4DEER contributes to the broader implementation research and EdTech literature by demonstrating how its enhancements from DBIR are well suited to navigate shifting government priorities, rapid scaling, technological turbulence and system-wide stakeholder dynamics. Recommendations include embedding different government bodies into DBIR for stronger evidence uptake, anticipating intervention changes from the volatile technology landscape, rigorously testing technology components before rollout and mapping spheres of control and influence as the intervention becomes unwieldy. DBIR4DEER offers practical guidance for researchers, implementers and policymakers seeking to strengthen EdTech implementation research in large-scale complex systems in low- and middle-income countries. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1503316 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1503316 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/bjet.70057 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 31 StartPage: 715 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Instructional Design Type: general – SubjectFull: Program Implementation Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Integration Type: general – SubjectFull: Intervention Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Education Programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Faculty Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Learning Management Systems Type: general – SubjectFull: Tanzania Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Design-Based Implementation Research for Digitally Enabled Education Reform: Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Taskeen Adam – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sara Hennessy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kristeen Chachage – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Winston Massam – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Calvin Swai – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fredrick Mtenzi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jonathan Hegwa Paskali – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Aneth Komba – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Saalim Koomar – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fika Mwakabungu IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0007-1013 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1467-8535 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 57 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: British Journal of Educational Technology Type: main |
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