Who Benefits from Nudges for Exam Preparation? An Experiment

Auferoth F (2020)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Other publication type

Publication year: 2020

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3424583

Abstract

I use the introduction of new study material in a university course to test four interventions designed to change the cost of using resources, the perceived benefit from use, and the likelihood to remember the possibility to use the resource. I find that a reminder increases use of study material, which is consistent with students forgetting about the availability of the material. The reminder also had a significant positive effect on grades, improving the average grade among those affected by 0.3 grade levels. Further subgroup analyses provide evidence that the reminder was not effective in improving grades for students who are not likely to do well in exams because of poor preparation. For students who are likely to do well regardless of the treatment, there is some evidence, that the treatments further improved grades. These results imply that nudges in education need to be designed carefully to take heterogeneous effects on students from different backgrounds into account. Some nudges may exacerbate educational inequalities.

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How to cite

APA:

Auferoth, F. (2020). Who Benefits from Nudges for Exam Preparation? An Experiment.

MLA:

Auferoth, Florian. Who Benefits from Nudges for Exam Preparation? An Experiment. 2020.

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