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BRIEF May 13, 2021

Dominican Republic: Nudging Student Effort to Accurately Measure Student Ability: Maximizing the Value of Assessment Data through Nimble Interventions

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The Dominican Republic ranks among the lowest in student learning assessments, including globally in  and regionally in . In addition to a comprehensive reform, the Ministry of Education is interested in identifying low-cost, scalable approaches to increasing student effort in day-to-day learning. Using data from a nationwide 9th grade diagnostic learning assessment, this evaluation will test the impacts of behaviorally-informed interventions to improve student motivation and effort, including an external (non-cash) incentive; growth-mindset exercises in which students learn that putting in effort, rather than fixed and immutable talent, can lead to high scholastic achievement; and self-affirmation exercises, in which students reflect on what is important to them and what about themselves makes them feel proud.

Study title:Nudging Student Effort to Accurately Measure Student Ability: Maximizing the Value of Assessment Data through Nimble Interventions.
Research question:What is the impact of growth mindset and self-affirmation exercises, conducted 8 weeks and 1 week before a national assessment, on test scores and students¡¯ perceptions of their ability?
Policy problem:Poor student performance on learning assessments, potentially stemming from low effort on both learning and the assessments. 
Evaluation design:

Treatment 1 School director and 9th grade language teacher(s) receive a growth mindset package that includes exercise materials and instructions 8 weeks before the national diagnostic learning assessments.


Treatment 2 School director and 9th grade language teacher(s) receive a growth mindset package, that includes exercise materials and instructions 1 week before the national diagnostic learning assessments.


Treatment 3 School director and 9th grade language teacher(s)  receive a self-affirmation package that includes exercise materials and instructions 8 weeks before the national diagnostic learning assessment.


Treatment 4 School director and 9th grade language teacher(s)  receive a self-affirmation package that includes exercise materials and instructions 1 week before the national diagnostic learning assessment.


Control This group of public secondary schools receives no intervention (nor information about any of the treatments) and will administer the 9th grade assessment following the normal protocol.

Data sources:Administrative data and survey data. 
Researchers: