AEA RCT Registry currently lists 12160 studies with locations in 170 countries.
Teachers often play an important role in advising students about post-secondary educational choices. In settings where students apply to a limited number of programs defined by university–major pairs, guidance from teachers can influence both the selectivity of universities students target and their choice of major. However, relatively little is known about how teachers form recommendations when advising students who differ in gender, academic profiles, and family backgrounds. The objective of this study is to examine the determinants of teachers’ guidance decisions. We conduct a survey experiment with high school teachers in which respondents evaluate hypothetical student profiles and provide recommendations about suitable university program targets. The profiles randomly vary along...
This study investigates whether a sustainable practice and accreditation scheme can reduce energy use in science laboratories. To test this, we conduct a field experiment in which lab groups are randomly assigned to either receive the sustainability program or serve as a control group. The sustainability program consists of information on sustainability practices tailored to research laboratories, calculators to help labs estimate their energy use, and a certification scheme that recognizes labs for completing sustainable actions. The experiment is implemented among lab groups at a large European research university, where laboratory activities are energy-intensive and the university has ambitious decarbonization goals.
This study investigates the effectiveness of social media posts from small businesses.
This project evaluates the effects of online cognitive training on labor market-related behaviors and outcomes and cognitive skills among university students in Ukraine. We implement a randomized controlled trial in which students are assigned to treatment at the cohort level, defined as university x study field x study year. All participants register on the J4UA job search platform, complete a baseline survey that includes a skill assessment and have access to the J4UA job search engine. The job search engine shows the vacancies of the search job and the vacancies to nine recommended occupations. Cohorts assigned to the treatment group receive invitations to complete online cognitive training sessions over a four-week period. Outcomes are measured at midline and endline and in a fo...
Background and target population As part of the fiscal year 2021-22 budget agreed to by California’s Governor and the Legislature, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is providing support and oversight for five pilot programs conducting a randomized controlled trial of guaranteed income (GI). The intervention targets two unique low-income populations facing a key life transition that puts them at higher risk for adverse outcomes: youth aging out of extended foster care and pregnant people. Eligibility criteria The eligibility criteria for each target population is as follows: Former foster youth (FFY) - Low-income according to Insight Center’s Family Needs Calculator based on county of residence and household composition at time of application - Exiting/exited ...
This study evaluates whether empowering teachers to design and use artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring tools can improve student learning and engagement in after-school educational programs in Spain. Despite sustained investment in remedial education, teachers continue to face challenges in tailoring instruction to students’ diverse learning levels and needs. Through a no-code platform, teachers in treatment centers receive training and coaching to create and adapt AI tutoring chatbots aligned with curricular goals and student learning profiles. The chatbots provide adaptive practice and feedback during after-school sessions, complementing, rather than replacing, human instruction. The study will use a cluster-randomized controlled trial across multiple sites and regions in Spain, wit...
There is growing interest in whether Generative AI technology has the potential to transform education and offer personalized learning for all. Early research, however, shows challenges with implementation and structure for getting students to use it effectively. To test AI's potential and develop best practices for engaging students, we propose a student-level, within-class randomized evaluation of NUMI, an online platform designed for research that pairs mastery pacing with a guard-railed AI math tutor. In partnership with the Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE) and at least 50-70 Grades 4-9 teachers (~1,500-2,100 students), each trimester students are randomly assigned in a 2x2 design — Mastery vs. no Mastery; AI-Tutor vs. no AI-Tutor. We will measure immediate learning on...
Political connections shape access to economic opportunities in many developing countries, yet little is known about how they influence educational and occupational choices before labor-market entry. This paper argues that political connections act as an informal insurance device in rigid labor markets by increasing access to desirable public-sector jobs. Anticipating these advantages, connected individuals are more likely to invest in education and pursue public-sector careers. Using household survey data from Benin, we show that politically connected individuals are more likely to aspire to top-tier public-sector occupations, less likely to pursue entrepreneurship, less likely to drop out of school, and more likely to aspire to higher education. To further examine the underlying mecha...
This study investigates how behavioural barriers constrain parental engagement in their children’s education in Khairpur district, Sindh, and how behaviourally informed communication interventions can improve both engagement and student learning outcomes. The research combines a behavioural diagnostic with a school level randomised controlled trial (RCT) measuring the impact of a parental behavioural change communication intervention against a control group. The study focuses on government schools and follows a cohort of Grade 4 students (who have now moved to Grade 5) and their caregivers, measuring parental engagement, student cognitive and non cognitive skills, student retention, and intermediate mechanisms such as time use, parental investments, and school-level practices on parenta...
Impulso Chileno is a program run by Fundación Luksic that supports small business owners in Chile through a combination of non-reimbursable cash grants and access to a digital training platform called La Brújula ("The Compass"), which offers asynchronous content on topics such as value proposition, sales channels, accounting, and business management. The program targets formalized entrepreneurs with monthly sales between CLP 500,000 and CLP 2,000,000 (roughly USD 500–2,000). This study evaluates the seventh edition of the program (ICH7) using a randomized controlled trial. It seeks to answer two questions: first, whether receiving the program improves business performance compared to not receiving financial support; and second, whether larger grants produce larger effects than smaller ...