A Field Experiment of EdTech Program Take-up in China

Last registered on October 07, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
A Field Experiment of EdTech Program Take-up in China
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0014228
Initial registration date
September 26, 2024

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
October 07, 2024, 7:04 PM EDT

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

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Yining Lin
Affiliation
University of Chicago
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Shuangye Chen
PI Affiliation
East China Normal University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2024-07-29
End date
2026-08-31
Keywords
Behavior, Education, Labor, Welfare
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This field experiment aims to assess the impact of interventions targeting psychological barriers on increasing the uptake of an EdTech program in both the short and long term. Specifically, by introducing a self-directed language learning digital product, to Grade 7 and 8 English teachers and students in a rural county in southeast China, the study seeks to evaluate participants' daily usage and academic performance. The experimental design involves a 2x2 cross-randomization, incorporating varied, repeated, and relationship-centered behavioral interventions.

Specifically, In collaboration with the local Bureau of Education, the program introduces a free online learning platform, as a supplementary tool for English language learning alongside regular instruction. Participants include all Grade 7 and 8 teachers and students across the county, involving approximately 140 teachers and 14,000 students.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Chen, Shuangye and Yining Lin. 2024. "A Field Experiment of EdTech Program Take-up in China." AEA RCT Registry. October 07. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.14228-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention aims to improve program take-up rates by addressing several psychological frictions: biased beliefs, limited cognition, inattention, present bias, framing effects, and social norms. It consists of two stages. Stage 1 targets teachers to gain their buy-in. The control group received a digital manual based on the product's official website at the start of the experiment. In contrast, the treatment group participated in an additional four-week behavioral intervention designed to address the primary constraints of biased beliefs and limited cognition.

Stage 2 targets students through their English teachers. All teachers will receive digital instructions on how to use this learning product, which they will share with students and their families. The treatment group will participate in a one-semester intervention aimed at addressing framing effects and social norms.
Intervention Start Date
2024-08-08
Intervention End Date
2026-08-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Daily take-ups, lessons learned, and intensity of the practices
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
All the primary outcomes can be tracked from the product's backend. Daily take-up indicates daily uses. Lessons counts the totals lessons an individual learned, which indicates the learning strength. Intensity represents the level of difficulty of the lessons, which reflects learning efficiency.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Students' academic performance and learning motivation
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
The academic performance represents a student's mid-term and final exam performance. The learning motivation will be assessed through self-efficacy surveys.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The experiment is cross-randomized across two stages. In each stage, a total of 140 teachers are randomly assigned to one of two groups: treatment or control. This results in four groups. In Stage 1, Groups 1 and 3 are control groups, while Groups 2 and 4 are treatment groups, receiving an additional four-week professional training. In Stage 2, Groups 1 and 2 are control groups, while Groups 3 and 4 are treatment groups, with students receiving one-semester interventions through their teachers.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done by a computer
Randomization Unit
Teacher-level randomization for stage 1 and some treatments in stage 2. Individual randomization for personal feedback and goal-setting treatments in stage 2.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
140 English teachers
Sample size: planned number of observations
Around 14,000 grade 7 and grade 8 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Stage 1: 70 teachers in the control group and 70 teachers in the treatment group.
Stage 2: 7,000 students taught by 70 control group teachers and 7,000 students taught by 70 treatment group teachers.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan