iLookOut for Child Abuse: Micro-learning to Improve Knowledge Retention

The epidemic of child abuse in the U.S. (\>670,000 confirmed annually) causes massive harm to children and the adults they become. Surprisingly, \<1% of these substantiated cases of child abuse are identified and reported by early childhood professionals (ECPs) -though they take care of \>10 million American children.

In the parent study, the online learning program, iLookOut for Child Abuse (iLookOut), has been shown to significantly improve ECPs' knowledge and attitudes about child abuse/reporting; and preliminary data from an NICHD-sponsored randomized controlled trial suggest that iLookOut also improves ECPs' actual reporting of suspected abuse -ie, a greater likelihood of reports being screened-in, and screened-in reports leading to findings of abuse and/or social services being recommended.

It is known that for gains in knowledge to be sustained, they must be reinforced …and reinforced again -because newly acquired knowledge decays over time unless it is put into use. To that end, the investigators have built and piloted a micro-learning platform that delivers gamified, interactive, micro-learning activities to 1) reinforce information taught in iLookOut's (3-hour) core learning program, 2) augment this learning with new material, and 3) provide opportunities to practice applying what has been learned. ECPs can complete micro-learning activities on their smartphones, and receive 3 additional hours of professional development credit (at no cost). Since deploying this platform, the majority of ECPs enrolling in the parent iLookOut study have engaged in \>1 hour of micro-learning.

Because so many ECPs are willing to engage in iLookOut's micro-learning, and because spaced retrieval and spaced practice are known to improve learning, the investigators have reason to believe that this new intervention can help sustain ECPs' preparedness to appropriately identify and report suspected child abuse. What is not known is the rate of knowledge decay following iLookOut's core learning program; whether a multi-faceted implementation strategy (core + micro-learning) helps remediate decays in knowledge; and what is the best timing to introduce this reinforcement -immediately, or after a delay of some months.

iLookOut's micro-learning platform is fully integrated with the learning management system for iLookOut's core learning program, and a cognitive sequencing map helps ensure that micro-learning content is fully aligned with the core learning program. Upgrading the functionality of the current micro-learning activities will enable the investigators to capture the kind of granular, question-level data needed for rigorous research. Conducting a randomized controlled trial in Pennsylvania (where micro-learning has not yet been introduced) will allow the investigators to evaluate how well interactive, micro-learning activities improve learning, and more generally how a multi-faceted implementation strategy that utilizes mobile technology-based learning (ie, using smartphones) can better prepare ECPs to appropriately identify and report suspected child abuse.

• Average knowledge score compared at 5-time points and measured by the iLookOut knowledge assessment. [Time frame: 5 years]
• Knowledge score decay and remediation measured by change in average knowledge score on the iLookOut knowledge assessment over 5 time points. [Time frame: 5 years]