What evidence is there that media can result in positive learning outcomes for English language learning? Sharing the findings and challenges of BBC Janala

BBC Janala is a long-running project in Bangladesh, reaching over 28 million people which used multiple media platforms (TV, web, print and mobile) to break down barriers to English language learning. This talk will firstly... [ view full abstract ]

BBC Janala is a long-running project in Bangladesh, reaching over 28 million people which used multiple media platforms (TV, web, print and mobile) to break down barriers to English language learning. This talk will firstly showcase, how the design of BBC Janala was based on multi-method formative research which was key to informing our understanding of what would work in English language learning via media – including a clear understanding of different audience segments and what their specific motivations and barriers to English language learning were. Secondly, this talk will discuss the range of successes and challenges of measuring a multi-platform media project in order to understand in-depth the reach and profile of different audiences and how a range of impacts can be measured and understood through combined use of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Although this data has provided a strong evidence base for the role of media in English language learning and development in Bangladesh, there have been several challenges in measurement of outcomes such as motivation and confidence to learn English and increased English language proficiency. This talk will discuss these challenges of such measurement and how we have tried to overcome these challenges of measurement by use of a triangulation of evidence using larger scale quantitative surveys, in depth qualitative research with regular audiences and small scale English language competency testing studies.