Title

Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluation of the Effects of the Sesame Tree Outreach Pack on 5-6 Year Old Children's Attitudes and Awareness

Research Team

Professor Paul Connolly (PI), Dr Susan Kehoe, Dr Emma Larkin and Dr Debie Galanouli

Timescale

October 2008 – April 2009

Funder

Sesame Workshop

Aims and Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Outreach Pack associated with the television series Sesame Tree, and as delivered in primary schools, on 5-6 year old children’s attitudes and awareness.

Methodology

A cluster randomised controlled trial involving the P2 classes (5-6 year olds) 30 primary schools located in the North Eastern Education and Library Board of Northern Ireland. The schools will be organised into 15 matched pairs (matched by school size, school type and proportion of children eligible for free schools meals). The schools in each matched pair were then randomly allocated to either the intervention or control group. Those children in the intervention group were asked to follow and deliver the Outreach Pack for 12 weeks between November 2008 and the end of February 2009.

Tests are to be administered to each child individually during the two weeks prior to the intervention beginning and then again during the two weeks immediately following the end of the intervention. The tests include measures to ascertain whether schools delivering the Outreach Pack leads to increases in children’s: emotional awareness; ability to deal with inter-personal conflict; willingness to be inclusive of others; and respect for cultural differences.

See also the two related studies:

·         Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluation of the Effects of Sesame Tree on 5-6 Year Old Children's Attitudes and Awareness

·         Naturalistic Study of the Effects of Exposure to Sesame Tree on 5-6 Year Old Children’s Attitudes and Awareness in Northern Ireland

Outputs

A final report will be available to the funders by April 2009.