Discover Learning - Social, Emotional and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents
Condition: Behavior, Adaptive; Behavior, Child; Behavior, Social
Study type: Interventional

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.
    

Intervention name(s): Discover Learning (SEIL)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): 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 model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention