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Field
Abstract
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Before
Classroom features affect the learning process in schools. Temperature levels inside classrooms, an important classroom feature, have been shown to affect learning outcomes. In this context, we are interested in looking at low cost solutions aimed at reducing ambient temperatures in schools and anganwadis (a government run system of child care in rural India). Through our collaboration with the Energy Management Centre (EMC) of the state of Kerala we will be using roof paint with a high Solar Reflective index(SRI) to cool the roofs in government schools and anganwadis using a randomised controlled design. The study will look at the impact of cool roofs on indoor temperature, thermal comfort and also on attendance, cognitive effort and learning outcomes of school and anganwadi students. We will be using administrative data on exam scores and attendance along with data from primary surveys. Focus group discussions in collaboration with Kudumbashree, a collection of women self-help groups in Kerala, will also be undertaken to understand issues faced by people due to increasing heat and also their willingness to adopt various cooling measures.
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After
Temperature levels affect a range of important outcomes including productivity and learning. In this context, we are interested in looking at low cost solutions aimed at reducing ambient temperatures in anganwadis (a government run system of child care in rural India). Through our collaboration with the Energy Management Centre (EMC) of the state of Kerala we will be using roof paint with a high Solar Reflective index(SRI) to cool the roofs in anganwadis using a randomised controlled design. The study will look at the impact of cool roofs on indoor temperature, thermal comfort and also on attendance and cognitive effort of anganwadi students. We will be using administrative data on attendance along with data from primary surveys.
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Field
Trial End Date
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Before
May 31, 2024
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After
July 31, 2024
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Field
Last Published
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Before
April 23, 2024 01:52 AM
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After
May 30, 2024 09:55 AM
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Field
Intervention (Public)
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Before
Roofs in government schools and anganwadis will be converted to cool roofs by using white paint with a high Solar Reflective Index (SRI). The intervention will be undertaken using a randomized controlled design.
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After
Roofs in anganwadis will be converted to cool roofs by using white paint with a high Solar Reflective Index (SRI). The intervention will be undertaken using a randomized controlled design.
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
Indoor temperature, thermal comfort, attendance, cognitive effort and learning outcomes
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After
Indoor temperature, thermal comfort of staff, attendance and cognitive effort among children.
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Field
Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
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Before
Thermometers will be installed in classrooms for measuring temperature.
Thermal comfort will be measured from questions in a primary survey using a Likert scale.
Cognitive effort will be measured using age appropriate mazes.
Learning outcomes will be measured using exam scores.
Adminstrative data on attendance and exam scores will also be used.
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After
Thermometers will be installed in anganwadis for measuring temperature.
Thermal comfort of staff will be measured from questions in a primary survey using a Likert scale.
Cognitive effort among children will be measured using age appropriate puzzles.
Administrative data on attendance will also be used.
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Field
Experimental Design (Public)
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Before
Government schools and anganwadis in 5 panchayats (a unit of local self government in India) of Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala with a plain, exposed concrete roof were randomized into treatment and control groups. To ensure availability of comparable classes in both treatment and control groups, the randomization was done by stratifying at the class level for schools. Individual Anganwadis were randomised into treatment and control groups in each panchayat.
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After
Anganwadis in 5 panchayats (a unit of local self government in India) of Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala with a plain, exposed concrete roof were randomized into treatment and control groups. Individual Anganwadis were randomised into treatment and control groups in each panchayat.
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Randomization Method
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Before
Random assignment using a coin flip at each class level
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After
Random assignment using a coin flip
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Randomization Unit
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Before
Schools were randomized into treatment and control groups at the class level. Individual anganwadis in each panchayat were randomized into treatment and control groups.
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After
Individual anganwadis in each panchayat were randomized into treatment and control groups.
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Field
Planned Number of Clusters
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Before
15 schools and 68 anganwadis
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After
68 anganwadis
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Planned Number of Observations
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Before
Around 720 students in anganwadis and 2100 in schools
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After
Around 680 students in anganwadis
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Field
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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Before
6 schools and 36 anganwadis in treatment group.
9 schools and 32 anganwadis in control group.
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After
36 anganwadis in treatment group
32 anganwadis in control group.
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