Economic Education Interventions and Outcomes
Paper Session
Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM (CST)
- Chair: KimMarie McGoldrick, University of Richmond
Competition, Motivation and Student Engagement: Does Gender Matter?
Abstract
Competition may provide motivation to engage. To understand how competition can motivate students and enhance their engagement with economics, we consider the gamification aspect of a technology that delivers small daily tasks to students. We randomly assigned a sample of nearly 600 students into teams of up to ten members each, who then compete by committing to the daily task and then acknowledging their completion at the end of the day. We then collect data from the leaderboard each student sees daily for the duration of the experiment. Specifically, we are interested in the student’s rank relative to the rest of the team and the gender composition of those ranked higher and those ranked lower. We test whether student engagement with respect to competition varies systematically by gender (e.g., do women give up more readily than men when they fall behind, or vice versa?). We also test whether one’s ranking and/or the gender composition of the leaderboard affects their engagement. Not surprisingly, having a good rank provides a positive incentive to complete tasks. Interestingly, having women ahead on the leaderboard has a demotivating effect for both men and women. The results of this study will be useful in designing effective class activities that encourage students to remain engaged in the course and subsequently achieve better learning outcomes. Moreover, these findings may inform the design of other competition tools used to motivate participants outside of academia.Messages That Foster a Sense of Belonging Improve Learning and Satisfaction. An Experiment in an Online Environment
Abstract
The literature in pedagogy has shown that having a sense of belonging affects learning (Murphy et al., 2020; Walton and Cohen, 2011). Like engagement, belonging can be fostered through learner-to-learner, learner-to-content, or learner-to-instructor interactions. According to Martin and Bolliger (2018), the most critical interaction for belonging in the online environment is that between the professor and the student.This paper shows the result of a communication experiment in an online environment. For six consecutive terms (N=143), the instructor taught Introduction to Statistics using a set of learning strategies: retrieval practice, alignment of objectives, and a well-organized course. The instructor added a more direct communication strategy during two of those five terms (N=58). She used weekly communications that linked course material with current events discussed by students the previous week and a personal message tailored to each student. This intervention was meant to communicate to students that they are being heard and are valued and respected. The messages contributed to solving cognitive challenges identified in the literature of Teaching Economics: student mental mindset and student fear and mistrust (Chew and Cerbin, 2021).
The differences in differences analysis resulted in improved learning, measured by better grades in Exams and Discussions, and more enjoyment of the course, measured using student comments in Teaching Evaluations. The result is most significant for weaker students. This experiment took place in the Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, and Fall 2021.
Anxiety, Test-taking Aid, and Test Scores: Evidence from Economics Classes
Abstract
Although economics is widely considered a relatively challenging subject that creates apprehension, little attention has been given to determining the relationship between anxiety, test performance and potential moderating pedagogical methodologies. To our knowledge, there is no known study that examines the link between using a testing aid, anxiety, and test performance. This study attempts to do just that by investigating whether students’ test performances improve under conditions that lessen anxiety levels through the use of testing aids. In analyzing this relationship, we use data collected from multiple sections of a principles of macroeconomics course taught each semester by the same instructor over a period of five years. Preliminary results indicate that the use of a test-taking aid is associated with reduced anxiety. Students who use an own-prepared testing aid observe a 5 percent increase in the mean score. Despite this increase, there is no letter grade change due to the increase. The use of a group-prepared testing aid amongst students with above-average anxiety levels boosts test scores by 7.5 percent. This increase is substantial, equivalent to a letter grade change from C- to C. On the other hand, students with above-average anxiety levels and who did not use any test-taking aid experience a 10 percent reduction in mean test score. This decrease is large and is equivalent to a letter grade movement from C- to D-. We employ additional empirical strategies to confirm the robustness of the results as well as explore the heterogenous effects across gender, area of study and academic classification. Learning aids may play a moderating role in reducing unwanted stress, improving test scores while maintaining test integrity. Our results suggest that the effect of high anxiety may have implications for a student’s academic trajectory.Discussant(s)
Elizabeth Schroeder
,
Oregon State University
Jacqueline Strenio
,
Norwich University
Stephen Schmidt
,
Union College
Patrick J. McEwan
,
Wellesley College
JEL Classifications
- A2 - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics