2-week Learning Camps for Disadvantaged Youth in Denmark

Last registered on August 22, 2017
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
2-week Learning Camps for Disadvantaged Youth in Denmark
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0002391
Initial registration date
August 22, 2017

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 22, 2017, 12:08 PM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Denmark
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Alexander Koch
Affiliation
Aarhus University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Kamilla Trille Gumede
PI Affiliation
Aarhus University
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PI Name
Julia Nafziger
PI Affiliation
Aarhus University
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PI Name
Michael Rosholm
PI Affiliation
Aarhus University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2016-09-01
End date
2019-12-31
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
Remedial education, intensive learning camps, non-cognitive skills
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
All pupils in Danish public schools undergo evaluations of their readiness to embark on post-compulsory school education during grade 8 and grade 9.

One in three pupils are evaluated by teachers to be at risk of lacking the academic, social or personal skills to be ready for post-compulsory school education.

On behalf of the Danish Ministry of Education, the trial tests whether a 2-week intensive learning camp in grade 8 has positive effects on academic outcomes (such test scores, absenteeism), non-cognitive skills, wellbeing, and readiness for post-compulsory school education. Long run outcomes (such as wages and employment) might be examined at a later point.

The intensive learning camp is targeted at pupils at risk of not being ready for post-compulsory school education and is implemented at schools, by the school’s own teachers and pedagogues, as a remedial education program.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Gumede, Kamilla Trille et al. 2017. "2-week Learning Camps for Disadvantaged Youth in Denmark." AEA RCT Registry. August 22. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.2391-1.0
Former Citation
Gumede, Kamilla Trille et al. 2017. "2-week Learning Camps for Disadvantaged Youth in Denmark." AEA RCT Registry. August 22. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/2391/history/20719
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention targets grade 8 pupils who are evaluated by their teachers to be at risk of lacking the academic, social or personal skills to embark on post-compulsory school education. These pupils attend a 2-week intensive learning camp together with other at risk pupils. The intervention take place at the pupils' own school and is taught by teachers and pedagogues from that school, during school hours (2 x 35 hours), but outside of the pupils' normal classroom. After completion of the intensive learning camp, the pupils have weekly meetings with a mentor (teachers and pedagogues from their school) for 1.5 hours per week for 8 weeks.
Intervention Start Date
2017-01-04
Intervention End Date
2019-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Primary outcomes: Test scores in Danish and Mathematics,

Secondary outcomes:
-Test scores in other subjects,
-School attendance,
-Pupil wellbeing,
-Pupil readiness for post-compulsory school education,
-Personal skills
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Test scores in Danish and Mathematics:
1. Test scores in Danish in grade 8 National Standardized Test
2. Grade 9 school leaving exam results in Danish and Mathematics
3. Self-designed tests before and after the camp (short run effects)

Test scores in other subjects:
1. Test scores in Geography, Physics/Chemistry, Biology in grade 8 National Standardized Test
2. Grade 9 school leaving exam results in other subjects than Danish and Mathematics

School attendance:
1. Grade 9 monthly school absence records (includes the categories sick, school authorized, school non-authorized)

Pupil wellbeing:
1. Danish national standardized pupil wellbeing survey

Pupil readiness for post-compulsory school education
1. Teacher-conducted evaluation of pupil readiness for post-compulsory school education, conducted in grade 9
2. National registry data on the pupil’s education choice after grade 9

Personal skills
1. Pre- and post-administered questionnaires (includes several psychological scales measuring personal skills)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The experiment is designed as a Clustered Randomized Control Trial with randomization at the school level. All Danish public schools with 10 or more at risk pupils in grade 8 are eligible to participate in the trial. Schools with fewer than 10 at risk pupils can register together with a partner school.

Only schools who actively register to take place in the trial enter into the randomization. The trial runs over a 3-year period, in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Schools have to register each year to take part in the trial. A fresh randomization takes place each year.

Data collection combines academic test scores on camp participants, pre- and post-questionnaires on all pupils in control and treatment schools, and Danish national registry data.
Experimental Design Details
The experiment is designed as a Clustered Randomized Control Trial with randomization at the school level. All Danish public schools with 10 or more at risk pupils in grade 8 are eligible to participate in the trial. Schools with fewer than 10 at risk pupils can register together with a partner school.

Only schools who actively register to take place in the trial enter into the randomization. The trial runs over a 3-year period, in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Schools have to register each year to take part in the trial. A fresh randomization takes place each year.

Data collection combines academic test scores on camp participants, pre- and post post-questionnaires on all pupils in control and treatment schools, and Danish national registry data.
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Schools and clusters of partner schools
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
80 schools (or partner schools) (each year)
Sample size: planned number of observations
10 – 20 pupils per school, 1,200 pupils in total (each year)
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
40 schools control, 40 schools in treatment (each year for three years)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
0.25 st. dev. in grade 9 test scores in Danish and Mathematics
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan

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