Discover Learning - Social, Emotional and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents

NCT ID: NCT04458077

Last Updated: 2021-11-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 333 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-08-30
• Study Completion Date: 2021-04-30

Brief Summary

The primary aim of the Discover Learning Project (Discover) is to test an intervention for Very Young Adolescents (VYAs) to promote positive, gender norm transformative, social emotional and identity learning (SEIL). A secondary aim is to better identify effective components of Discover that are scalable requiring the lowest resources to implement

Detailed Description

This project builds on research from transdisciplinary developmental science that indicates that this period, which the investigators will call early adolescence (ages 10-14), is a period of dynamic maturational changes. These include the onset of pubertal development, which begins a period of rapid physical growth (including extensive brain development) and sexual maturation, as well as changes in cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral processes. An emerging body of evidence supports the idea that this dynamic period of maturation is a sensitive period for social, emotional and motivational learning-in ways that can have enduring effects on a broad range of developmental trajectories including sexual and reproductive health, mental health, gender-based violence, education retention and attainment, and social development.

A foundational element of this research focuses on the social-emotional re-orientation of the developing brain at the onset of puberty, which appears to create natural affinities for discovery learning particularly in the social domain. In contrast to didactic learning models, discovery learning is a process through which learners engage in self-motivated inquiry, supported by teachers/facilitators, information and materials, in order to "discover" the intended content (Hammer, 1997). Key elements to creating sustainable discovery learning include: a) engaging motivation and natural curiosity and b) providing social scaffolding that includes a balance of monitoring/support while also promoting youth-driven discoveries (individually and in small groups). From a developmental science perspective, the beginning of puberty is associated with two important maturational changes that impact learning opportunities: 1) a general increase in the tendency to explore, discover, and to seek novelty/excitement; and 2) a particularly strong increase in natural curiosity to explore and understand one's larger social world, including social roles, social hierarchies, and an increased sensitivity to issues of social acceptance, admiration, and learning to establish key aspects of individual identity (Crone & Dahl, 2012). A core element to this early identity development is understanding oneself as a sexual and gendered individual in relation to those around her or him; accordingly, early learning experiences during this developmental window are fundamentally shaping the development of these identities in ways that have profound implications for all areas of health-especially sexual and reproductive health and vulnerability to gender-based exploitation and disadvantage.

The primary aim of this project is to develop and test the Discover Learning intervention with a goal of promoting positive, gender norm transformative, social-emotional learning during this crucial early window of opportunity. This work builds on developmentally informed principles that emphasize the importance of orchestrating a sensitive balance between promoting autonomy and providing adult engagement in ways that scaffold the discovery learning experience (Alifieri et al., 2011). The primary content (learning about interpersonal relationships and concepts of Social-Emotional Identity Learning) and method (introducing positive socially scaffolded exploration of the use of digital technology for youth-driven learning) have been chosen to strategically leverage this window of opportunity occurring during this sensitive period of learning. The approach is designed to help youth develop agency, become empowered, and to explore healthy pathways to finding meaning and purpose in their lives. To our knowledge, this is the first use of an integrative developmental science approach to leverage unique learning opportunities in early adolescence to impact broad improvements in health and education.

Conditions

Behavior, Adaptive; Behavior, Child; Behavior, Social

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Mobile-phone-based SEIL Intervention

This group will receive the Discover Learning 10-session intervention through a mobile-phone based platform over the course of 10 weeks (1 session per week).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Discover Learning (SEIL)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

This mobile-phone-based intervention will assess the effectiveness of 10 SEIL sessions conducted at the household level with VYAs. Activities were designed to be done individually, with siblings/peers, and with parents/caregivers. This intervention will look at how household composition and types of practice that can enhance SEIL learning.

Interventions

Discover Learning (SEIL)

This mobile-phone-based intervention will assess the effectiveness of 10 SEIL sessions conducted at the household level with VYAs. Activities were designed to be done individually, with siblings/peers, and with parents/caregivers. This intervention will look at how household composition and types of practice that can enhance SEIL learning.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Boys and girls currently enrolled in school/intervention site
• Ages 9-14

Exclusion Criteria

• n/a

• Minimum Eligible Age: 9 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 14 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Health for a Prosperous Nation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Camara Education, Tanzania

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Ubongo Learning Limited

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Dalberg Global Development Advisors, Tanzania

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Save the Children

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of California, Berkeley

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ronald Dahl

Director, Institute of Human Development

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Ron Dahl, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Institute of Human Development

Locations

Miburani Primary School

Dar es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania

Sokoine Primary School

Dar es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania

Twiga Primary School

Dar es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania

Umoja Primary School

Dar es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania

Countries

Tanzania

References

Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Richards L, Njau PF, Dahl RE. Study Protocol of a Distance Learning Intervention to Support Social Emotional Learning and Identity Development for Adolescents Using Interactive Mobile Technology. Front Public Health. 2021 Jan 28;9:623283. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.623283. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 33585394 (View on PubMed)

Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Dahl RE. An Intervention to Enhance Social, Emotional, and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents and Support Gender Equity: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Dec 31;9(12):e23071. doi: 10.2196/23071.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 33206624 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

OPP1158584

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2017-01-9464

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id