Harnessing Education For Climate Action – A Randomized Experiment in Bangladesh secondary schools

Last registered on September 25, 2023

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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Harnessing Education For Climate Action – A Randomized Experiment in Bangladesh secondary schools

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0011254

Initial registration date

August 02, 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

August 10, 2023, 12:57 PM EDT

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

Last updated

September 25, 2023, 10:55 AM EDT

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

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name

Teresa Molina

Affiliation

University of Hawaii at Manoa

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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name

Shwetlena Sabarwal

PI Affiliation

World Bank

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Additional Trial Information

Status

In development

Start date

2023-03-19

End date

2024-12-31

Keywords

Behavior, Education, Environment & Energy

Additional Keywords

Climate change

JEL code(s)

I25, Q54, Q56

Secondary IDs

Prior work

This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.

Abstract

This study will explore the effectiveness of delivering climate change education in schools, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Bangladesh. The primary objective is to examine the impact of two information interventions on students' and teachers' climate change knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to take action against climate change. Another goal is to investigate whether enhanced climate change awareness leads to greater interest in and pursuit of STEM fields.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Molina, Teresa and Shwetlena Sabarwal. 2023. "Harnessing Education For Climate Action – A Randomized Experiment in Bangladesh secondary schools." AEA RCT Registry. September 25. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.11254-2.0

Sponsors & Partners

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

Light-touch intervention (at baseline): Delivery of an audio-visual message and an informative pamphlet on climate change to students and teachers in the treatment schools. The video will be in the local language (Bangla) and specific to Bangladesh's own climate crisis.

Intensive intervention (at midline): Distribution of a climate change information booklet to students in treatment schools, along with the announcement of a reward for top performers in a test to be conducted in the future (intended to provide incentives for students to read and absorb the material). The booklet will provide information about the climate crisis, along with an emphasis on how science can be used to find creative solutions or mitigation strategies.

Intervention Start Date

2023-03-19

Intervention End Date

2023-10-15

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Students' knowledge about and attitudes towards climate change.

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Students’ interest in and pursuit of STEM.

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

We will be testing two interventions – one light-touch information intervention at baseline and one more intensive intervention at midline. Therefore, the 140 schools in our sample will be randomized into four groups: one with no intervention at all, one that receives only the light-touch intervention, one that receives only the intensive intervention, and one that receives both.

During the baseline, surveys will be administered to students and teachers in all participating schools. The student survey aims to assess their understanding of climate change and collect background information, while a written math assessment will be conducted. Additionally, the teacher survey will gather data on their background and knowledge of climate change. Following the baseline, the light-touch treatment group schools will be shown a climate change video and receive an informative pamphlet on combatting climate change. The remaining schools will not receive any intervention.

At midline, we will administer surveys to all schools again. In addition, students in the intensive treatment schools will receive a booklet providing information about the climate crisis, along with an emphasis on how science can be used to find creative solutions or mitigation strategies. In order to provide incentives for students to read and absorb the material, we will announce a test on the material to be conducted about 2 months later. Top performers on this test will receive a reward.

Experimental Design Details

Not available

Randomization Method

Randomization is done in the office by a computer.
1. A division in Bangladesh was first randomly selected.
2. All the randomly selected districts were tagged high or low according to their climate change risk exposure.
3. One district from each high and low-risk exposure was then randomly selected.
4. 70 schools from the selected districts were randomly drawn and equally split into four groups:
- Pure control group: receive no intervention (17 schools)
- Light-touch only group: receive light-touch intervention only (17 schools)
- Intensive only group: receive intensive intervention only (18 schools)
- Both group: receive both interventions (18 schools)

Randomization Unit

Schools

Was the treatment clustered?

Yes