Improving Instruction in Crowded Classrooms: Evidence From a Randomized Intervention in Uganda

The government of Uganda introduced universal secondary education (USE) in 2007 as part of its efforts to expand educational opportunities for all children. Since the introduction of USE, the transition rate from primary to secondary school has increased from 47% to 69%. This large increase in student enrollment in lower secondary school has not been accompanied by concomitant increases in input levels thereby placing great strains on the quality of learning.

This study aims to test low-cost and scalable strategies to improve teacher quality in crowded classrooms. Using a randomized control trial design, we evaluate the development (and cost) effectiveness of providing information and behavioral stimuli to teachers. This stimuli will consist of the provision of: (i) diagnostics on current performance and goal setting; (ii) feedback on classroom behavior (from classroom observations); and (iii) high frequency tips - using cell phones and other technologies -on how to improve instruction. The provision of behavioral stimuli will be crossed with a class-size intervention (double-shift instruction) to assess how class-size mediates the impact of teacher quality interventions.

In this work we bring to the enormous challenge of improving teacher quality a series of strategies informed by a growing body of psychological and behavioral economics research. In addition, we use a scalable technology to deliver these nudges.

We will provide a detailed description of the context in which this intervention is being rolled out, including teacher characteristics and behavior, class size and the take-up of our class-size reduction intervention.