Education in Emergencies, Evidence for Action (3EA): Testing targeted interventions in Niger, 2016-18

Remedial Support Basic. Nigerien teachers will be trained in the IRC’s Learning in a Healing Classrooms (LIHC) approach to providing high-quality safe, supportive, predictable and cooperative learning environments. Facilitators complete pre-service face-to-face training, participate in monthly Teacher Learning Circles (TLCs), and receive regular mentoring visits from trained IRC field staff. Teachers will provide approximately 8 hours of remedial support to students per week.

Remedial Support Mindfulness: In fall of 2016, half of all teachers will receive additional training to incorporate targeted mindfulness strategies into their LIHC daily classroom routines. Selected facilitators will receive training, including: (1) 1-2 days additional pre-service face-to-face training; (2) dedicated monthly Teacher Learning Circles; and (3) mentoring visits including mindfulness support on a monthly basis. Teachers will be encouraged to use mindfulness practices to facilitate classroom transitions, with an expectation of spending 20-30 minutes per day on mindfulness activities.

Remedial Support Brain Games: In Spring of 2017, half of all facilitators will incorporate targeted Brain Games into their LIHC classroom routines. Selected facilitators will receive supplementary training and support to do so, including: (1) 1-2 days additional pre-service face-to-face training; (2) dedicated monthly Teacher Learning Circles; and (3) mentoring visits including Brain Games support on a monthly basis. Teachers will be encouraged to use Brain Games to facilitate classroom transitions, with an expectation of spending 20 minutes per day on Brain Games activities.

2016-12-01

2017-06-30

Literacy skills, Math skills, and mental health

Literacy skills will be measured via the Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA). Math skills will be measured via the Early Grades Math Assessment (EGMA). Mental Health outcomes will be measured via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

This study utilizes a matched-pair design. Schools will be matched into pairs based on an algorithm of baseline characteristics (e.g., number of students per class, type of school structure) thought to be predictive of student outcomes. Randomization then takes place within pairs, such that one school is assigned to treatment (i.e., tutors in that school all receive LIHC Mindfulness/Brain Games training) and one to control status (i.e., tutors in that school all receive LIHC base package)

(1) Remedial Support Basic (Schools = 15);
(2) Remedial Support plus Low-Cost Targeted Intervention (Schools = 15).

Randomization will be completed in office via computer (STATA).

Schools within matched pairs.

Yes

30 schools were randomized

1,800 students

(1) Remedial Support Basic (15 schools, approximately 900 students);
(2) Remedial Support plus Low-Cost Targeted Intervention (15 schools, approximately 900 students).

With the matched pair school randomized design of 30 schools, 90 tutoring groups, and an average of 20 students per group, the MDES for the main effects of either Remedial Support Mindfulness or Brain Games is 0.19. School-level R-squared and intra-class correlation (ICC) estimates for these power calculations are based on estimates of 15 sub-Saharan African countries provided in Kelcey et al. (in prep). In this review, school-level ICCs ranged from 0.20 - 0.50; however, given the level of migration and integration in Diffa, we estimate clustering between schools to be in the lower range, around 0.20. In Kelcey et al., school-level R-squared estimates of socioeconomic status and school location ranged from 0.02 - 0.59. Given that we will have baseline school literacy and math scores (one of the strongest predictors of endline literacy and math scores), we anticipate a school-level R-squared between 0.50 and 0.70. Finally, effect sizes in evaluations of mindfulness and executive functioning programs in the US range from 0.25 - 0.80 (for executive functioning skills); and effect sizes in our evaluation of LIHC in the DRC ranged from 0.14 - 0.32 (for academic skills and perceptions of the school environment.).