AI for Literacy

Last registered on April 29, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
AI for Literacy
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0018357
Initial registration date
April 29, 2026

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
April 29, 2026, 4:35 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
Isabella Meyer
Affiliation
World Bank
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Ildo Lautharte Júnior
PI Affiliation
World Bank
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PI Name
Maria Rebeca Barron
PI Affiliation
World Bank
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2026-04-09
End date
2026-05-31
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
artificial intelligence, AI for education, literacy intervention, teacher support tools
JEL code(s)
I21, I28, O33, C93
Secondary IDs
TF0C8929
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study evaluates an intervention designed to examine whether activities that simulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI)–supported instructional responses can influence literacy teachers’ knowledge, confidence, perceived usefulness, and self-reported skills related to literacy instruction. The intervention is implemented with early grade literacy teachers from four Brazilian municipalities, João Pessoa (PB), Caxias do Sul (RS), Salvador (BA), and Vitória (ES), in partnership with local education authorities. Participants are randomly assigned to receive the intervention either before or after completing a questionnaire, enabling comparisons between teachers exposed to the simulated AI-based activities and those who have not yet participated at the time of assessment. The intervention consists of guided activities that mimic AI-supported feedback and decision-making scenarios for literacy instruction and may take place outside the school setting. The study aims to generate evidence on whether exposure to these activities leads to short-term changes in teachers’ understanding, confidence, perceived utility, and skills related to literacy instruction, as well as to inform the design and feasibility of AI-informed approaches for teacher support in public education systems.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Barron, Maria Rebeca, Ildo Lautharte Júnior and Isabella Meyer. 2026. "AI for Literacy." AEA RCT Registry. April 29. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.18357-1.0
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention consists of guided activities in which early grade literacy teachers engage with structured scenarios that simulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI)–supported instructional responses. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and AI literacy frameworks, the activities invite teachers to analyze, interpret, and evaluate AI-generated outputs related to literacy practices, including instructional materials and reading analyses. Depending on random assignment, participants complete the activities either before or after responding to a questionnaire.
Intervention Start Date
2026-04-09
Intervention End Date
2026-05-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Perceived ease of use of AI for teaching-related tasks
Trust in AI as support for pedagogical work
Behavioral intention to use AI with guidance
Perceived usefulness of AI for key teaching-related tasks (planning, materials, assessment, instructional strategies, administrative tasks)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Primary outcomes are measured through a structured questionnaire administered to early grade literacy teachers. All primary outcomes use 4-point Likert-type response options (from “Disagree” to “Agree” or equivalent).

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Self-efficacy to learn new digital tools for literacy support
Perceived school support for digital technology use
Main perceived barrier to using AI in teaching-related work
Self-reported practices for reviewing/adapting AI-generated content
Self-reported data privacy and caution when using AI with student data
Prompting practices (specificity and iterative refinement when making AI requests)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Secondary outcomes are measured through additional questionnaire items capturing enabling conditions and self-reported practices.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The study uses a randomized controlled design in which participating literacy teachers are randomly assigned to receive the intervention either before or after completing a questionnaire. This design allows for comparisons between teachers who have been exposed to the simulated AI-based activities at the time of assessment and those who have not yet participated. All participants ultimately receive the intervention.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Individual (literacy teachers)
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
No
Sample size: planned number of observations
200 primary teachers
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
100 teachers with intervention before questionnaire, 100 teachers with intervention after questionnaire (control at time of survey)
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