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Field
Abstract
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Before
The quality of rural education in developing countries is hampered by poorly trained teachers, passive learning, curricula that are ill-matched to rural needs, and disengaged parents. Piecemeal reforms tackling these problems often fail to create sustainable improvements among teachers, students, parents, and schools. Simultaneously tackling the needs to empower rural youth, to create active learning modules, and to engage parents’ interest in schools, we implement a model of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) that is long-established and studied in America. We provide the first randomized evaluation of the SBAE approach in developing countries. We cluster-randomize the offer of a package of interventions based on the model to 197 primary and junior high schools in Liberia. Building upon the country’s need in diffusing low-cost agricultural innovations, the package of interventions includes (1) training and regularly monitoring agriculture and science teachers on the use of a hands-on, learning-by-doing pedagogy; (2) setting up school gardens as active laboratories, which engage students on problem-based learning and to demonstrate useful agricultural innovations to their communities; (3) encouraging students to develop home entrepreneurship projects under the supervision of their teachers, which empower rural youth with practical skills and allow them to practice project-based inquiry; (4) fostering mentorship of and peer interaction among students via extra-curricular club activities. We evaluate school-level changes in (i) pedagogy and behavior among teachers, (ii) academic performance, skills, and attitudes towards education among students, (iii) attendance and grade completion rates; (iv) school enrollment, and (v) school management outcomes after two school years.
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After
In partnership with NGOs and the Liberian government, we provide the first randomized evaluation of school-based agricultural education in developing countries.
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Field
Last Published
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Before
June 18, 2021 01:36 PM
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After
July 27, 2022 01:48 AM
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Intervention (Public)
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Before
We cluster-randomize the offer of a package of interventions based on the model to 197 primary and junior high schools in Liberia. Building upon the country’s need in diffusing low-cost agricultural innovations, the package of interventions includes (1) training and regularly monitoring agriculture and science teachers on the use of a hands-on, learning-by-doing pedagogy; (2) setting up school gardens as active laboratories, which engage students on problem-based learning and to demonstrate useful agricultural innovations to their communities; (3) encouraging students to develop home entrepreneurship projects under the supervision of their teachers, which empower rural youth with practical skills and allow them to practice project-based inquiry; (4) fostering mentorship of and peer interaction among students via extra-curricular club activities
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After
We cluster-randomize the offer of a package of interventions based on the model to 197 elementary and junior high schools in Liberia. Building upon the country’s need in diffusing low-cost agricultural innovations, the package of interventions includes (1) training and regularly monitoring agriculture and science teachers on the use of a hands-on, learning-by-doing pedagogy; (2) setting up school gardens as active laboratories, which engage students on problem-based learning and to demonstrate useful agricultural innovations to their communities; (3) encouraging students to develop home entrepreneurship projects under the supervision of their teachers, which empower rural youth with practical skills and allow them to practice project-based inquiry; (4) fostering mentorship of and peer interaction among students via extra-curricular club activities
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
Student level:
(1) Standardized test scores on mathematics and science;
(2) Non-cognitive skills (e.g. time preference, individual goal-setting and perseverance, confidence to perform group tasks, etc.)
(3) Attitudes towards learning (e.g. time spent studying each week)
(4) Attendance
(5) Grade completion
Teacher level:
(1) Use of active instructional techniques (measured using classroom observations and student reports)
(2) Proportion of class time in active instruction
(3) Attendance
School level:
(1) Enrollment of students
(2) An index of school management
(3) Strength of Parent-Teacher Association and School Management Committee
Households:
(1) Knowledge of promoted agricultural practices
(2) Adoption of promoted agricultural practices
(3) Agricultural production (e.g. yields and profits)
(4) Consumption (e.g. food and non-food consumption)
Farmer level:
(1) Knowledge of promoted agricultural practices
(2) Adoption of promoted agricultural practices
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After
See our pre-analysis plans.
Teacher level:
(1) Use of active instructional techniques (measured using classroom observations and student reports)
(2) Proportion of class time in active instruction
(3) Attendance
School level:
(1) Enrollment of students
(2) An index of school management
(3) Strength of Parent-Teacher Association and School Management Committee
Households:
(1) Knowledge of promoted agricultural practices
(2) Adoption of promoted agricultural practices
(3) Agricultural production (e.g. yields and profits)
(4) Consumption (e.g. food and non-food consumption)
Farmer level:
(1) Knowledge of promoted agricultural practices
(2) Adoption of promoted agricultural practices
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Planned Number of Observations
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Before
197 schools.
10 students per school, thus a total of 1970 students.
1 household per student, thus a total of 1970 households.
3 teachers per school, thus a total of 591 teachers.
297 communities (100 communities corresponding to the residences of PTA members invited to training sessions; 100 communities that are within 2km of treated schools; 97 communities that are within 2km of control schools)
6 randomly selected farmers per community; thus a total of 1782 farmers.
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After
197 schools.
20 students per school, thus a total of 3940 students.
1 household per student, thus a total of 1970 households.
3 teachers per school, thus a total of 591 teachers.
297 communities (100 communities corresponding to the residences of PTA members invited to training sessions; 100 communities that are within 2km of treated schools; 97 communities that are within 2km of control schools)
6 randomly selected farmers per community; thus a total of 1782 farmers.
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Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
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After
See our pre-analysis plans.
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Building on Existing Work
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Before
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After
No
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