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Field
Trial Status
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Before
completed
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After
on_going
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Field
Abstract
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Before
We conducted a randomized experiment in which we provided Wikipedia access to secondary school students at boarding schools in Malawi. Malawi is one of the least developed countries in the world, yet internet is widely available on mobile phones. While many young Malawians have occasional or regular access to a mobile phone, access to a smart phone and the internet remain unaffordable. This is likely to change in the near future, in Malawi and across the developed world. The effects of a large increase in access to information for young African students is an important policy question. Investigating the impact of Wikipedia in particular is interesting for both theoretical and policy reasons. First, restricting internet access to Wikipedia allows us to isolate the impact of an information shock from the other resources available through internet access. Second, as a matter of education policy, schools may choose to provide students with some of the informational benefits of the internet without allowing unrestricted access. Wikipedia is a free and valuable resource, and may prove to be a useful educational tool. We will measure the impact of Wikipedia access on education outcomes, aspirations, internet literacy, time use, general knowledge and social network position.
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After
We conducted a randomized experiment in which we provided Wikipedia access to secondary school students at boarding schools in Malawi. Malawi is one of the least developed countries in the world, yet internet is widely available on mobile phones. While many young Malawians have occasional or regular access to a mobile phone, access to a smart phone and the internet remain unaffordable. This is likely to change in the near future, in Malawi and across the developed world. The effects of a large increase in access to information for young African students is an important policy question. Investigating the impact of Wikipedia in particular is interesting for both theoretical and policy reasons. First, restricting internet access to Wikipedia allows us to isolate the impact of an information shock from the other resources available through internet access. Second, as a matter of education policy, schools may choose to provide students with some of the informational benefits of the internet without allowing unrestricted access. Wikipedia is a free and valuable resource, and may prove to be a useful educational tool. We originally planned to measure the impact of Wikipedia access on education outcomes, aspirations, internet literacy, time use, general knowledge and social network position. We have since completed two end-of year studies and two longer run studies. In the end-of year studies, we focus on academic performance and social network structure. In the longer run studies, we again examine academic performance, and we also examine sexual health knowledge.
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Field
Trial End Date
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Before
December 06, 2024
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After
December 31, 2027
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Last Published
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Before
March 30, 2026 02:43 AM
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After
June 09, 2026 08:10 AM
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
Final grade in English and Biology
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After
End-of-year: Final grade in English and Biology
Long run: Analysis as specified (see APs).
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Field
Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
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Before
We will use endline grades in English and Biology, taken from administrative data. We will use term 3 grades for forms 2 and 3, and MSCE national exam grades for form 4 students (these students do not have a term 3 grade). We will standardize each grade by subtracting the mean within the school and form, and dividing by the control group standard deviation, again within the school and form.
English and Biology were chosen as primary outcomes for two reasons. First, these are core subjects, and we therefore expect to have data for most students. Second, we hypothesize that Wikipedia is a particularly good resource for these subjects, compared to other core subjects (Math, Physics and Chichewa). Wikipedia allows students to practice English comprehension. Biology students must learn a large volume of information, and are likely to benefit from information based study materials. Physics and Math, on the other hand, require students to practice skills for which information on Wikipedia might be less useful. Chichewa is a Malawian local language with little representation on Wikipedia.
Primary and secondary outcomes were chosen pre-analysis. These outcomes are identified in our pre-intervention ethics application (upon request).
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After
We will use endline grades in English and Biology, taken from administrative data. We will use term 3 grades for forms 2 and 3, and MSCE national exam grades for form 4 students (these students do not have a term 3 grade). We will standardize each grade by subtracting the mean within the school and form, and dividing by the control group standard deviation, again within the school and form.
English and Biology were chosen as primary outcomes for two reasons. First, these are core subjects, and we therefore expect to have data for most students. Second, we hypothesize that Wikipedia is a particularly good resource for these subjects, compared to other core subjects (Math, Physics and Chichewa). Wikipedia allows students to practice English comprehension. Biology students must learn a large volume of information, and are likely to benefit from information based study materials. Physics and Math, on the other hand, require students to practice skills for which information on Wikipedia might be less useful. Chichewa is a Malawian local language with little representation on Wikipedia.
Primary and secondary outcomes were chosen pre-analysis. These outcomes are identified in our pre-intervention ethics application (upon request).
Long-run analysis was specified after short-run analysis was complete (see APs).
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Field
Experimental Design (Public)
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Before
The experiment took place in four boarding secondary schools in Malawi. The experiment involved students in forms (grade levels) 2, 3 and 4.
We interviewed all students in forms 2, 3 and 4 in the four schools at baseline and collected administrative data on baseline academic performance.
We randomized at the student level, and stratified on four key variables: school, form, grades and internet experience. The randomization assigned students to one of the three following groups: treatment (arm 1), control surveyed (arm 2) or control others (arm 0). Students in arm 1 have access to the digital library. Students in arms 1 and 2 are interviewed often (baseline, time use survey, endline A and endline B). Students in arm 0 are only interviewed for the baseline survey and a short version of the endline survey (endline A).
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After
The experiment took place in four boarding secondary schools in Malawi. The experiment involved students in forms (grade levels) 2, 3 and 4.
We interviewed all students in forms 2, 3 and 4 in the four schools at baseline and collected administrative data on baseline academic performance.
We randomized at the student level, and stratified on four key variables: school, form, grades and internet experience. The randomization assigned students to one of the three following groups: treatment (arm 1), control surveyed (arm 2) or control others (arm 0). Students in arm 1 have access to the digital library. Students in arms 1 and 2 are interviewed often (baseline, time use survey, endline A and endline B). Students in arm 0 are only interviewed for the baseline survey and a short version of the endline survey (endline A).
We conducted a long-run follow-up survey of students in arms 1 and 2 in 2023-2025.
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Field
Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
We will investigate the following classes of secondary outcomes:
1. Other academic outcomes
2. Aspirations
3. Internet literacy
4. Student time use
5. General knowledge
6. Social network position: the effect of the intervention on the structure of social networks will be discussed in a separate paper
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After
End-of-year: We will investigate the following classes of secondary outcomes:
1. Other academic outcomes
2. Aspirations
3. Internet literacy
4. Student time use
5. General knowledge
6. Social network position: the effect of the intervention on the structure of social networks will be discussed in a separate paper
Long run: Analysis as specified (see APs).
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Field
Secondary Outcomes (Explanation)
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Before
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After
Long-run analysis was specified after short-run analysis was complete (see APs).
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