Title

Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluation of the Effects of Sesame Tree 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

March 2008 – October 2008

Funder

Sesame Workshop

Aims and Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of viewing the television series Sesame Tree on 5-6 year old children’s attitudes and awareness.

Methodology

A cluster randomised controlled trial involving the P2 classes (5-6 year olds) 20 primary schools. The schools were organised into 10 matched pairs (matched by location, 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 shown three episodes of Sesame Tree per week for a 10 week period between 5 April and 13 June 2008.

Tests were 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 included measures to ascertain whether watching Sesame Tree led to increases in children’s: environmental awareness; willingness to be inclusive of others; awareness and positive attitudes towards cultural activities associated with their own and other communities.

See also the two related studies:

·         Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluation of the Effects of the Sesame Tree Outreach Pack 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 mid-October 2008.