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Abstract
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Many states have implemented tuition assistance programs to help adults earn credentials that will improve their economic prospects. However, those seeking better employment opportunities also need help identifying the training pathways that lead to their desired careers. We have developed a low-cost intervention that synthesizes information on high-demand, high-wage jobs and local training options. This pilot study will provide evidence on the types of training information that are most helpful in fostering economic mobility.
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After
Many states have implemented tuition assistance programs to help adults earn credentials that will improve their economic prospects. However, those seeking better employment opportunities also need help identifying the training pathways that lead to their desired careers. We have developed a low-cost intervention that synthesizes information on high-demand, high-wage jobs and local training options. This study examines the effects of providing some individuals with access to a website, MI Pathway, that contains this information.
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Trial Start Date
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December 01, 2022
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April 27, 2023
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Last Published
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August 29, 2022 02:15 PM
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May 01, 2023 09:17 PM
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Intervention Start Date
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December 01, 2022
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May 02, 2023
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Intervention End Date
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December 31, 2023
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December 31, 2024
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Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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We will use focus group feedback to refine the tool and analyze measures of user engagement in a small-scale randomized trial, including time spent on the site, sort/filter actions, number of return visits, and response to a Likert scale question about the site’s usefulness.
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The key outcomes for all individuals who expressed interest in potentially viewing the tool will include measures of course enrollment from the administrative records (e.g., enrollment, persistence, and program of study).
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Planned Number of Clusters
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7,000 individuals
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About 1,200 individuals. This will depend on the number of individuals who indicate interest in the study.
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Planned Number of Observations
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7,000 individuals
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About 1,200 individuals. This will depend on the number of individuals who indicate interest in the study.
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Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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3,500 individuals treatment, 3,5000 individuals control
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About 600 individuals treatment and 600 individuals control. This will depend on the number of individuals who indicate interest in the study.
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Keyword(s)
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Labor
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Education, Labor
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Intervention (Hidden)
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Sample Selection
As a first step, an email will be sent to approximately 15,000 individuals who applied to the Reconnect scholarship program who satisfy one of the criteria below.
1) Live in a zip code that is in-district for either Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) or Washtenaw Community College (WCC)
2) Indicate in their Reconnect application that they plan to attend either KVCC or WCC (regardless of their zip code)
The email will ask individuals if they are interested in being offered the chance to view the MI Pathway site. The email will contain a link to a form where individuals can mark their interest. The message will be distributed by the research team via Qualtrics and will come from the Navigators’ email address and contain the Navigators’ name.
Intervention Distribution
Next, a random subset of interested individuals will be selected to receive follow-up messages with individualized links to the MI Pathway site (this is the treatment group). We plan to assign half of the interested individuals to the treatment group and half to the control group. We will stratify by race, gender, and month of application to the Reconnect program.
Upon opening the email and clicking the link to view the tool, participants will be taken to a version of the site with an individualized URL. This will allow us to track individuals’ actions on the site, observe when certain individuals return to the site after closing it, and link these data to administrative records (i.e., the Reconnect application data and postsecondary enrollment/outcome data).
After sending the initial email with an invitation to the MI Pathway site, we will send up to five follow-up emails, one every two business days, to encourage individuals who have not yet visited the site to do so. These messages will include links for people to opt out of receiving our messages.
We do not collect informed consent at this stage, as we believe doing so would not only create a barrier reducing participation, it would also possibly harm the relationship between Navigators and applicants. Instead, we will invite all applicants (not just those expressing interest) to complete a short questionnaire in the future on their experiences and confidence pursuing higher education programs. We will solicit informed consent at this stage.
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Secondary Outcomes (End Points)
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Secondary outcomes include measures of engagement with the MI Pathway site (for those who are randomly selected to receive links to the site): how much time individuals spend on the site; the actions they perform while on the site (e.g., sorting and filtering); whether they return to the site following their initial visit; and their response to a pop-up five-point Likert scale asking them how useful they find the information on the site.
We will also conduct secondary analyses examining heterogeneity for both sets of outcomes across demographic groups defined by race/ethnicity, gender, and application timing.
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