Overview
This study will test whether using the film Queen of Katwe as a role model story can help motivate and engage high school students in Kenya. The film is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl who becomes a chess champion despite growing up in poverty. The study will take place in a mixed secondary school in Ngong town, Kajiado County, with about 250 students aged 13 to 19. Students will watch the film at school. To see if the approach works well, researchers will collect data before and after the film showing.
They will check:
- Feasibility (how easy it is to carry out, including costs and logistics)
- Acceptability (how students and teachers feel about it)
- Engagement (how involved students are) Surveys and focus groups will be used to gather feedback. The goal is to see if this low-cost method could be used more widely to support learning and motivation in schools.
Description
This study examines the feasibility and acceptability of using the film Queen of Katwe-which tells the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl from an underprivileged background who becomes a chess champion-as a role model intervention to inspire motivation and academic engagement among adolescents in high school students in Kenya. Media-based interventions have gained recognition as effective tools for promoting student learning and well-being, yet their implementation in school settings remains underexplored. This study will employ a feasibility study design and be conducted in a mixed secondary school in Ngong town, Kajiado County, Kenya, with a sample of ~250 students aged 13-19 years. Students will watch Queen of Katwe in their school setting, and data will be collected before and after the intervention to assess feasibility, acceptability, and engagement. Feasibility will be evaluated based on logistical observations, cost analysis, and the Feasibility of Intervention Measure. Acceptability will be assessed through a screening survey using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure, while focus group discussions with students and teachers will provide qualitative insights. The findings will offer valuable evidence on the potential of media-based interventions to enhance motivation and academic engagement in Kenyan schools. If found feasible and acceptable, this low-cost, scalable approach could inform future educational policies and programs aimed at supporting student aspirations and learning outcomes.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Participants must be high school students in the selected school.
- Participants must be between the ages of 13 to 19.
Exclusion Criteria:
- There will be no other exclusion criteria.