Clinical trial NCT04896229: Talk STEM Familia: Dual-Language (TSFII)
Official title: Talk STEM Familia: Dual-Language Academic Vocabulary-Building Technology to Improve Educational, Career, and Health Outcomes Among Latinx Students
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Vocabulary Acquisition
Keywords: Dual language technology
scientific academic vocabulary
Lead sponsor: Oregon Research Behavioral Intervention Strategies, Inc.
Sponsor class: INDUSTRY
Collaborators: name: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
First posted: 2021-05-21
Enrollment: 400
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 8
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: One intervention and two arms: Intervention and treatment-as-usual
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The study will evaluate Talk STEM Familia (TSF) effects on student and parent scientific academic vocabulary knowledge and usage, scientific academic vocabulary (SAV) learning behaviors, academic self efficacy, and satisfaction with the program, including acceptance of the technology and its usability.

Detailed description: The Investigators will work with research practice partners Lane Educational Services District (ESD) to disseminate bilingual electronic and printed recruitment materials to Latinx families in the elementary and middle schools throughout the 16 school districts in Lane County, OR. Recruitment materials will direct families to contact the project's bilingual staff by phone to receive study details and, following a brief screen, to engage in an informed consent process. 300 eligible Latinx English-learner parent/student dyads will be recruited. Students will be in grade 4-8; families will speak primarily Spanish in the home; and families will have a smartphone, tablet, or computer and Internet access at home.

The Investigators will administer the pre-test to all 300 parent/student dyads via Qualtrics and randomize 150 parent/student dyads to the TSF treatment, 150 parent/student dyads to the treatment-as-usual control condition. Each family will be assigned a non-identifiable user name linked only to their non-identifiable participant ID. The Investigators will then send the TSF program materials and links to the treatment group. These materials will include graphic and video tutorials on TSF set-up and use, including set-up of a wireless bridge that allows researchers to monitor the non-identifiable program usage. Bilingual telephone support will be provided during the 1-month set-up period and throughout the 24-week TSF intervention period. During the intervention, families in the treatment group will be asked to use TSF for 24 weeks. During that time, they will receive 3 notifications/week that prompt them to engage in program games and activities targeting 72 scientific academic vocabulary (SAV) words.

Half way through the 24-week intervention period, the Investigators will administer the mid-test via Qualtrics to all 300 parent/student dyads and following the 24-week intervention, the Investigators will administer the post-test via Qualtrics to all 300 parent/student dyads. Pre-, mid-, and post-test surveys will measure gains in knowledge and usage of the 72 SAV words TSF targets, academic self-efficacy, and academic enabling behaviors. Treatment group dyads will also complete a usability, technology acceptance, and consumer satisfaction survey at post-test. All 300 parent/student dyads will receive a smart speaker at pretest, and $100 at mid-test and post-test.

Following post-test, parent/student dyads in the treatment-as-usual control condition will receive TSF program materials.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Latinx English learner parent with a student (grade 4-8)
2. Speaking primarily Spanish in the home
3. Having a smartphone, tablet, or computer
4. Having Internet in the home
5. Being the student (grade 4-8) of a participating parent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. N/A

Primary outcomes:
measure: Student Scientific Academic Vocabulary (SAV) Word Meaning (AVM)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Parent SAV Word Meaning (AVM)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Student SAV Word Usage (AVWU)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Parent SAV Word Usage (AVWU)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Student Use of SAV: AVUB
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Parent Use of SAV: AVUB
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Student Confidence in Using SAV Words (AVC)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Parent Confidence in Using SAV Words (AVC)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Student Interest in Choosing STEM Careers (STEM)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Parent Academic Support (AEB)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
measure: Student Academic Learning (ALB)
timeFrame: Baseline, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (post-treatment)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Eugene
country: United States
facility: Oregon Research Behavioral Intervention Strategies, Inc.
state: Oregon
Study officials:
References:
citation: Apthorp, H., Randel, B., Cherasaro, T., Clark, T., McKeown, M., & Beck, I. (2012). Effects of a supplemental vocabulary program on word knowledge and passage comprehension. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 5, 160-188.
citation: Bandura A, Barbaranelli C, Caprara GV, Pastorelli C. Self-efficacy beliefs as shapers of children's aspirations and career trajectories. Child Dev. 2001 Jan-Feb;72(1):187-206. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00273.
citation: Betts, J. E., Appleton, J. J., Reschly, A. L., Christenson, S. L., & Huebner, E. S. (2010). A study of the factorial invariance of the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI): Results from middle and high school students. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2), 84-93.
citation: Davis, F. D., Jr. (1986). A technology acceptance model for empirically testing new end-user information systems: Theory and results (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology). http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/15192
citation: McKeown, M., Beck, I., Omanson, R., & Perfetti, C. (1983). The effects of long-term vocabulary instruction on reading comprehension: A replication. Journal of Reading Behavior, 15, 3-18.
citation: Beck, I. L., Perfetti, C. A., & McKeown, M. G. (1982). Effects of long-term vocabulary instruction on lexical access and reading comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 506-521.