Incorporating Behavior Science to Improve Early Warning System Usage and Increase Retention in El Salvador

• In Event: Behavior Science-Informed Dropout Early Warning Systems in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras

Proposal

In El Salvador, Learn to Shine implements activities to improve the use of the Early Warning System (EWS) in 500 schools to identify students at risk of dropping out. It also applies student-centered strategies to promote retention, well-being, and academic performance. In addition, Learn to Shine aims for at least 150,000 students to participate in youth development activities that enhance motivation, attendance, and learning.

Behavioral science has proved to be an efficient tool for supporting education projects by helping identify the context and internal motivations that influence school attendance, performance, and learning processes. For Learn to Shine, behavioral science will have a role in designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions to improve using the Early Warning System, SIGES (Sistema de Información para la Gestión Educativa Salvadoreña). Using the TEST model (Behavioral Insights Team, 2022), the first behavioral intervention from the project focuses on improving the use of SIGES by the teachers.

For the formative research stage, the project designed a strategy to identify patterns and beliefs related to school dropouts, focusing on understanding the role of the early warning system in this process. As part of this phase, tools were developed to gather insights into the behavior of stakeholders within the education system, including 1) conducting a technical survey, 2) performing a behavioral diagnosis, 3) analyzing data from the Early Warning System, and 4) creating a proof of concept to validate the interventions.

Based on research results, two behavioral interventions have been identified to improve the teachers' data registration in the early warning system. The first is using a calendar and other reminders to stream a planning practice (Rogers et al, 2014) that may help teachers allocate time for registration/data entry and overcome the barriers of not finding the time to do so. The second intervention will use letters from an authority (Cialdini, 2016) that will display each school's performance and include a comparison with the average or a higher-performing school. This is based on the social norm principle (Cialdini, 2016) and aims to counteract feelings of hopelessness by demonstrating that achieving at a certain level is the expected norm within the system.

The project plan is to implement the solutions by 2025. Before its full implementation and further evaluation, the team will develop a proof of concept to validate them and incorporate valuable feedback for further implementation.

Behavioural Insights Team. (2022). How to run simple BI projects: A practical guide. Retrieved from https://www.bi.team/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BIT-Handbook-How-to-run-simple-BI-projects.pdf.

Rogers, T., Milkman, K. L., & Volpp, K. G. (2014). Commitment devices: Using initiatives to encourage follow-through. Behavioral Science & Policy, 1(2), 13-22.

Cialdini, R. B. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Rev. ed.). Harper Business.

Author

• Beatriz Slooten Navarro, CUBIC/Save the Children International