Classroom Management in Secondary Schools: Reinventing Our Classroom

Last registered on March 23, 2023

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Classroom Management in Secondary Schools: Reinventing Our Classroom
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0011087
Initial registration date
March 15, 2023

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
March 21, 2023, 3:43 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Last updated
March 23, 2023, 4:53 AM EDT

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Region

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
European University Institute

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Affiliation
World Bank
PI Affiliation
European University Institute
PI Affiliation
World Bank

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2022-07-01
End date
2023-12-31
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We evaluate an educational program, Reinventing our Classroom (RoC), that aims to provide teachers with simple pedagogical tools to manage their classrooms for more effective teaching in overcrowded secondary school classrooms. The core idea is to give students the responsibility of establishing good behavioral norms in their classroom. To this end, the program suggests creating groups within classrooms with rotating group leaders taking charge to ensure a peaceful learning environment for all. With the minimal interference from teachers, students first collectively establish the types of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the classroom and put forward a classroom code of conduct outlining good behavioral norms expected (and desired) in their classroom. Then, they offer ways to make these good norms take hold and stick. The most critical component of the program is that students self-assess and self-monitor their progress weekly and announce it to the classroom through charts and evolving graphics.

The program targets secondary schools in Narsingdi district, Dhaka division, Bangladesh. A total of 129 schools were enlisted for the project involving 517 teachers and about 7,000 students. We enlisted one class teacher and one assistant teacher from each school to help implement the program. Baseline data were collected in July and August 2022 when our students were in 6th grade. When they started grade 7 in January 2023, we collected baseline data from their new teachers, and from new students. 64 schools were randomly assigned to treatment. Sixth-grade teachers in 64 treatment schools were trained in August 2022, and seventh-grade teachers in January 2023. The program implementation has been ongoing since September 2022 and will end in March 2023.

Our central hypothesis is that the program will increase teacher and student engagement and well-being by improving behavioral norms and making the classroom amenable to teaching, free from disruptive behavior. In addition, we expect a more cooperative and cohesive classroom environment in treated schools.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Alan, Sule et al. 2023. "Classroom Management in Secondary Schools: Reinventing Our Classroom." AEA RCT Registry. March 23. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.11087-1.1
Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Partner

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The classroom management program, Reinventing our Classroom (RoC), has been designed to be implemented by the teacher. The program aims to give students the responsibility to build good behavioral norms in their classrooms with the guidance of their teacher. The program does not crowd out regular teaching time. After several activities that establish desired behavioral norms in the classroom, the program proceeds mainly as self-assessment by students with the guidance of teachers. Sixth-grade teachers were trained in August 2022, and seventh-grade teachers in January 2023. The program implementation has been ongoing in Narsingdi, Dhaka division, since September 2022 and will end in March 2023.
Intervention (Hidden)
The classroom management program, Reinventing our Classroom (RoC), has been designed to be implemented by the teacher. The program aims to give students the responsibility to build good behavioral norms in their classrooms with the guidance of their teacher. The program does not crowd out regular teaching time. After several activities that establish desired behavioral norms in the classroom, the program proceeds mainly as self-assessment by students with the guidance of teachers. Sixth-grade teachers were trained in August 2022, and seventh-grade teachers in January 2023. The program implementation has been ongoing in Narsingdi, Dhaka division, since September 2022 and will end in March 2023.

The core idea is to give students the responsibility of establishing good behavioral norms in their classroom. To this end the program suggests creating groups within classrooms with rotating group leaders taking charge to ensure a peaceful learning environment for all. With the minimal interference from teachers, students first collectively establish the types of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in the classroom and put forward a classroom code of conduct outlining good behavioral norms expected (and desired) in their classroom. Then, they offer ways to make these good norms take hold and stick. The most critical component of the program is that students self-assess and self-monitor their progress weekly and announce it to the classroom through charts and evolving graphics.
Intervention Start Date
2022-08-21
Intervention End Date
2023-03-15

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Teacher well-being
Student well-being
Classroom environment
Primary Outcomes (explanation)



Outcomes of interest for students:


1) An incentivized public good game to measure cooperation

2) Cognitive tests: math and verbal tests.

3) Administrative records of absenteeism.

4) Social Networks (density, isolation, segregation)
5) Sense of belonging
6) Behavioral norms
7) Perceived support from the teacher
8) mental well-being and self-worth



Outcomes of interest for the teachers:


1) Mental well-being: motivation and frustration
2) Competency: teaching and classroom management
3) Teaching styles
4) Absenteeism
5) Autonomy, locus of control

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Outcomes that might help understand potential mechanisms: We include further survey outcomes to explore the mechanism of change for students such as perceived support by the teacher, perspective-taking, empathetic concern and impulsivity.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Impulsivity, perspective-taking, empathy

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
A total of 129 schools were enlisted for the project involving more than 500 teachers and about 7,000 students. We enlisted one class teacher and one assistant teacher from each school to help implement the program. Baseline data were collected in July and August 2022 when our students were in 6th grade. When they started grade 7 in January 2023, we collected baseline data from their new teachers, and from new students. 64 schools were randomly assigned to treatment. Sixth-grade teachers in 64 treatment schools were trained in August 2022, and seventh-grade teachers in January 2023. The program implementation has been ongoing in Narsingdi, Dhaka division, since September 2022 and will end in March 2023.
Experimental Design Details
A total of 129 schools were enlisted for the project involving more than 500 teachers and about 7,000 students. We enlisted one class teacher and one assistant teacher from each school to help implement the program. Baseline data were collected in July and August 2022 when our students were in 6th grade. When they started grade 7 in January 2023, we collected baseline data from their new teachers, and from new students. 64 schools were randomly assigned to treatment. Sixth-grade teachers in 64 treatment schools were trained in August 2022, and seventh-grade teachers in January 2023. The program implementation has been ongoing in Narsingdi, Dhaka division, since September 2022 and will end in March 2023.
Randomization Method
Office computer using Stata 17
Randomization Unit
School
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
129 schools
Sample size: planned number of observations
over 7000 students, 517 teachers
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
64 schools treatment, 65 schools control.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Calculations are given in the Pre-analysis plan document
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
European University Institute Ethics Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2022-05-13
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan

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Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials