Search our database of 1,200+ summaries of randomized evaluations conducted by our affiliates in 98 countries. To browse key policy recommendations from a subset of these evaluations, visit the Policy Publications tab above.

Displaying 1-8 of 213
Students gather around their teacher in Ghana.

School-Based Financial Education for Improved Financial Decision-Making and Academic Performance among Youth in Ghana

James Berry
Dean Karlan
Menno Pradhan
In southern and eastern Ghana, researchers evaluated two youth financial literacy programs to test their impact on savings, labor, academic performance, and financial decision-making. One program integrated financial and social education, while the second only offered financial education. Both...
Teacher hands out papers to class

Teaching Patience in Classrooms for Improved Student Decision-Making and Behavior in Turkey

Sule Alan
Seda Ertac
Researchers introduced an educational program focused on teaching patience to evaluate the impact on students’ decision-making and willingness to wait for a future reward over the present. Students assigned to the program demonstrated more patient decision-making, which persisted almost three years...
Children and teachers engaging the pedagogical activities

Nurturing Curiosity to Enhance Learning in Turkey

Sule Alan
Ipek Mumcu
In Turkey, researchers evaluated the impact of a new pedagogical approach aimed at cultivating primary school students’ curiosity, particularly in science, to improve learning outcomes. Students whose teachers adopted the approach displayed greater curiosity, ability to retain knowledge, and science...
Two women engage in a transaction with one operating a mobile phone while the other holds a point-of-sale (POS) device

Increasing Mobile Banking Use Among Rural Populations in Ghana

Robert Osei
Emma Riley
Abu Shonchoy
Researchers assessed the impact of financial incentives and peer endorsement on mobile banking adoption and formal savings in Ghana. While financial incentives boosted adoption by 50 percent, peer endorsement was twice as effective, leading to sustained mobile banking use and a 30 percent increase...
Long-Term Diffusion of Swarna-Sub1 In India

Long-Term Diffusion and Impact of Flood-Tolerant Rice in India

Kyle Emerick
Alain de Janvry
Manaswini Rao
Elisabeth Sadoulet
In India, researchers leveraged a randomized evaluation of the distribution of a new seed variety to assess how the new seed spread within communities and social groups. They found that local social structures, such as the jati-caste system, influenced the extent of seed adoption. In particular...

Participatory Development and Social Preferences: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

Serena Cocciolo
Selene Ghisolfi
Researchers are conducting a lab-in-the-field study to measure the impact of a community-driven development program in Bangladesh on participants’ preferences and values about fairness, equity, civic engagement, and participatory decision-making.
Young girl in pink jacket and hat outside in rural Peru

Changing Pedagogy to Improve Math Skills in Preschools in Peru

Mariana Alfonso
Francisco Gallego
Emma Naslund-Hadley
In Peru, researchers evaluated the impact of a tailored inquiry- and problem-based learning approach on preschoolers’ performance in math. The program improved overall mathematics outcomes, which persisted for some content areas even one year after the program ended.
Students studying.

Shaping Educational Careers of Immigrant Children: Motivation, Cognitive Skills and Teachers' Beliefs in Italy

Michela Carlana
Eliana La Ferrara
Paolo Pinotti
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to measure the impact of an academic tutoring and career counseling program designed to reduce educational inequalities between native-born and immigrant children. Can tutoring and career counseling help improve the educational outcomes of high-ability...