|
on Education |
|
Issue of 2026–06–08
eighteen papers chosen by João Carlos Correia Leitão, Universidade da Beira Interior |
| By: | Foliano, Francesca (Center for Education and Leadership Excellence); Hoskins, Sherria (University of Portsmouth); Rolfe, Heather (British Future) |
| Abstract: | We evaluate a cluster randomised trial of a teacher-delivered programme aimed at increasing perseverance and academic achievement in primary school pupils across 100 schools in England. Year 6 teachers in treatment schools receive training in growth mindset theory and deliver an eight-week programme of structured classroom sessions. The intervention has no impact on Key Stage 2 test scores in reading, mathematics, or grammar, punctuation and spelling and this null result holds across all subgroups, including pupils eligible for Free School Meals. The intervention does produce a large shift in pupils’ beliefs about the malleability of their intelligence (0.417 standard deviations), confirming that the programme was received as intended, and a positive effect on intrinsic motivation towards learning (0.127 SD). |
| Keywords: | perseverance; mindset; attainment; beliefs |
| JEL: | C91 C93 D04 I28 |
| Date: | 2026–06–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhb:hastel:2026_005 |
| By: | Nitin Kumar Bharti; Samreen Malik; Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay; Nishith Prakash |
| Abstract: | Despite near-universal school enrollment across many developing economies, the provision of quality education that cultivates lifelong learning and the capacity to apply knowledge in novel circumstances remains elusive. We conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial in 132 public schools in Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate a guided, discovery-based science pedagogy at two intensity levels: a high-intensity Mobile Science Lab (MSL) and a lower-intensity Lab on Bike (LoB). MSL improves motivational beliefs and self-confidence by 0.15-0.18 standard deviations, reduces perceived barriers to education by 0.23 standard deviations, raises engagement by 0.17-0.22 standard deviations, and increases standardized test scores by 0.22-0.34 standard deviations across all subjects. LoB produces limited average effects, with gains concentrated among students completing all sessions. These findings demonstrate that pedagogical design and delivery intensity are critical determinants of multidimensional human capital formation, and that discovery-based pedagogy can shift motivational beliefs, engagement, and achievement in low-capacity public school systems. |
| Keywords: | experiential pedagogy, curiosity, student engagement, randomized controlled trial, human capital, India |
| JEL: | C93 D83 I21 I24 O15 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12691 |
| By: | Gray-Lobe, Guthrie; Kremer, Michael; de Laat, Joost; Mbonu, Oluchi; Scanlon, Cole |
| Abstract: | This study evaluates a large-scale text message (SMS) outreach program to engage caregivers of students in private primary schools in Kenya. Using a two-stage randomization design, the study tested two types of weekly SMS messages: growth-mindset encouragement and personalized performance information. The findings show two main effects. First, outreach improved test scores by 0.07 standard deviations, with particularly strong gains among initially lower-performing students. This improvement generates 12 learning-adjusted years of schooling per US$100 spent—making it highly cost-effective relative to other education interventions. Second, outreach increased student exit rates by 4.7–5.0 percentage points, with effects concentrated among higher-achieving students (5.7 to 6.6 percentage points). The study developed a theoretical model of vertically differentiated schools where parental engagement affects both learning production and school choice. The model shows that when parents update their understanding of education production through engagement programs, they become more sensitive to perceived differences in school quality. This increased sensitivity can lead lower-quality schools to forgo implementing engagement programs—even when costless—as enhanced parental discernment accelerates student exits. The findings suggest a role for third-party provision of parent engagement programs in competitive education markets. |
| Date: | 2026–05–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11387 |
| By: | Natalia Oliete (University of Zaragoza); Javier Valbuena (University of Zaragoza); Ã lvaro Choi (University of Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | The use of high-stakes assessments has become widespread in educational systems. While they can potentially boost student achievement, they may also increase anxiety levels, which could negatively affect their academic performance. These effects might not be uniform, varying across schools and among distinct student profiles. In this paper we examine the relationship between anxiety and performance and investigate how high-stakes assessments influence students' anxiety levels and academic outcomes. We conduct our analysis at the average level and by several individual characteristics, estimating a series of models using data from an international sample of countries. This allows us to shed new light on the winners and losers of the policy, and to get a deeper understanding of the role of anxiety. The study provides first international evidence by exploiting novel cross-country information on high-stakes testing. Our results extend previous research by revealing a strong negative correlation between student anxiety and academic performance, regardless of whether the country implements high-stakes testing. Furthermore, the heterogeneity analysis by socioeconomic level indicates that students from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds exhibit a stronger negative association between anxiety and performance. |
| Keywords: | High-Stakes, Assessment, Anxiety, Academic Performance |
| JEL: | C31 I21 I24 I28 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ewp:wpaper:494web |
| By: | Christian Møller Dahl (University of Southern Denmark); Nick Ford (University of Southern Denmark); Kristin Ranestad (University of Oslo); Paul Sharp (University of Southern Denmark); Christian Emil Westermann (University of Southern Denmark) |
| Abstract: | When women first entered Norwegian high school examinations in the late nineteenth century, did they outperform men, as they do today? Using a new dataset of 41, 585 graduates from 1813 to 1929, we show that early female students initially achieved better grades than their male peers. However, this advantage disappeared within a generation as access expanded and co-education became institutionalised. After accounting for study programme, socioeconomic background, and type of education, we find rapid convergence in performance and no evidence of adverse effects on male students. The results suggest that contemporary female outperformance is not historically persistent, but a product of more recent institutional and social change. |
| Keywords: | grades, academic achievement, education, human capital, gender |
| JEL: | N33 N34 |
| Date: | 2026–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hes:wpaper:0300 |
| By: | Serena Canaan, Pierre Mouganie, Ali Abboud, Samuel Bazzi, Antoine Deeb (Simon Fraser University) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines how authority figures in higher education shape gender norms over the long run. We exploit the random assignment of first-year students to faculty advisors at an elite university in the Middle East and combine administrative records with an alumni survey measuring gender attitudes up to 24 years later. Women assigned to female advisors adopt more egalitarian views about politics and work, while men become more conservative. These effects are strongest among religious students and in male-dominated STEM fields, where female authority is especially counter stereotypical. The effects may persist through reinforcement, as women assigned to female advisors later sort toward female instructors and more gender-themed courses. Our results do not appear to be driven by generic exposure to successful women. Instead, they point to a distinct role for authority in transmitting gender norms: randomized exposure to high-achieving female peers has little effect, while the largest impacts come from senior and high-value-added female advisors. A simple framework combining belief updating and identity-based status threat helps explain these patterns of female empowerment and male backlash. More broadly, our findings reveal a progress paradox whereby gains in female representation in elite authority expand opportunities for women while intensifying backlash among men, thereby deepening gender polarization. |
| Date: | 2026–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sfu:sfudps:dp26-09 |
| By: | Olivieri, Sergio; Razzu, Giovanni; Wambile, Ayago Esmubancha |
| Abstract: | This study examines intergenerational educational mobility in Bangladesh across cohorts born between the 1950s and 1990s, using data from the 2022 Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Intergenerational regression coefficients and intergenerational correlations are estimated, yielding three main findings. First, while the intergenerational regression coefficient declines for the 1990s cohort, suggesting reduced persistence of the effect of parental education on children's outcomes, the intergenerational correlation, which accounts for inequality in educational attainment across both generations, follows an inverted U-shaped pattern, resulting in no net mobility change. This finding reverses earlier evidence of increasing persistence through the 1970s and indicates that educational expansion since the 1980s has progressively benefited children of less-educated parents. Second, unlike patterns observed elsewhere in the region, where urban residence confers mobility advantages, Bangladesh exhibits no urban premium. Overall mobility remains higher in rural areas, although substantial convergence occurs in the 1990s cohort. At the regional level, an East-West convergence is observed, driven by mobility improvements in traditionally less-mobile Eastern regions. Third, women historically exhibited higher mobility than men through the 1980s, with gender convergence emerging only in the 1990s cohort, largely due to accelerated male mobility gains among urban males. Ba ngladesh's educational mobility trajectory is thus characterized by convergence across gender, urban-rural, and region dimensions, a pattern distinct from both its historical experience and broader South Asian trends, although educational gains remain disconnected from labor market outcomes. |
| Date: | 2026–05–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11386 |
| By: | Cansi, Muhammet Ali; Karademir, Serkan; Yucel, Mustafa Eray |
| Abstract: | This paper presents an empirical investigation of the recent evolution of mathematics scores of Economics, Management, Political Science, International Relations, and Psychology bachelor’s program entrants in Türkiye for the period of 2019-2024. The estimates underscore the heterogeneous impacts of COVID-19 on mathematical aptitude measured by the university entrance exam performances of students. Heterogeneities across exam types along with uniformity across programs provide insights to inform post-pandemic educational policy and future exam design. |
| Keywords: | Mathematical aptitude; Higher education; COVID-19; Distant education; Türkiye. |
| JEL: | A22 C21 C51 |
| Date: | 2026–02–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:128021 |
| By: | Mette Ejrnaes (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen); Mette Goertz (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen); Astrid Waltenburg (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of increased access to psychotherapy on secondary education completion among Danish youth aged 18–21. We use Danish administrative data and two complementary identification strategies that are both rooted in quasi-exogenous variation in barriers to mental health care—a reform abolishing co-payment and variation in general practitioners (GP) referral practices. We find that reducing barriers to accessing psychotherapy increases completion of secondary education. While the co-payment reform raised completion rates mainly for women, having a GP with a relatively high tendency to refer patients to psychotherapy raises completion rates for both genders. The educational benefits of increasing access to psychotherapy are strongest among individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a family history of mental health issues. This indicates that lowering barriers to access to psychotherapy reduces educational inequality and fosters social mobility. |
| Keywords: | Psychotherapy, Education, Co-payment |
| JEL: | I12 I14 I21 |
| Date: | 2026–05–19 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kud:kucebi:2609 |
| By: | Otneim, Håkon (Dept. of Business and Management Science, Norwegian School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper addresses grade comparability across exam cohorts when assessors and item sets change from year to year. Ordinal item scores reflect a mixture of student ability, item difficulty, and assessor severity; separating these components requires linking assumptions rarely verified empirically. We fit a sequence of Bayesian cumulative logit models to item-level scores from nine cohorts of an undergraduate statistics course. The setting is fully observational with no cross-grading and only partial assessor overlap, so cross-cohort alignment relies on repeated content used as anchors and on shared assessors. Sequential model expansion guided by posterior predictive checks reveals that treating anchors as having fixed difficulty across cohorts is inconsistent with the data. A soft-linking formulation, where linked items share a baseline difficulty but admit cohort-specific deviations regularised toward zero, removes the systematic misfit without discarding anchor information. Approximate cross-validation confirms that each modelling step improves out-of-sample predictive accuracy. Student ability estimates are robust to anchor specification (pairwise correlations exceeding 0.996), whereas cohort location estimates shift materially, which is a finding with direct consequences for grading policy. Using the recovered ability scale, we construct counterfactual grades and show that assessor severity is the dominant predictor of individual grade movement. |
| Keywords: | comparable grading; many-facet measurement; soft anchors; cumulative logit model; Bayesian hierarchical models; PSIS-LOO cross-validation |
| JEL: | C11 C25 C52 I21 I23 |
| Date: | 2026–05–22 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:nhhfms:2026_006 |
| By: | Khushid, Jawairiah; Siddiqui, Danish Ahmed |
| Abstract: | Pakistan's societal norms, deeply rooted in collectivism, hierarchical structures, and traditional values, significantly shape students' attitudes and behaviors in learning environments. Traits such as openness to experience, conscientiousness, and extraversion can amplify or mitigate the effects of cultural predispositions. The goal of this study is to examine how Personality Traits and Culture shape the relationship between e-learning readiness and students' engagement for both traditional and non-traditional student. Quantitative method is used, whereby an online survey questionnaire was shared to obtain data from 200 postgraduate students enrolled in an online postgraduate certification course in education at ICE and 200 questionnaires distributed to post graduate students enrolled in University of Karachi. The collected data was analyzed using the structural equation modelling technique in conjunction with multi-group analysis. The results shows a positive significant relationship between elearning readiness and online student's engagement. Traditional students benefit more directly from e-learning readiness, as they can focus on engagement in academic activities without competing priorities. The moderating results suggest that cultural moderators are particularly relevant for understanding the relationship between e-learning readiness and online student engagement in higher education context. Further it reveals that three of the personality traits moderated the relationship between e-learning readiness and student engagement i.e. extraversion, openness and neuroticism. Only conscientiousness had no moderating effect in the relationship between e-learning readiness and online student engagement. This suggest that institutions should ensure that e-learning platforms provide clear guidelines, structured schedules, and accountability mechanisms to help highly organized students thrive. The findings reveal that traditional students are more engaged in online learning than nontraditional students, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Non-traditional students, who often balance work, family, and education, may require additional support such as flexible deadlines, asynchronous content delivery, targeted mentoring, part-time study options, and support services tailored to adult learners. These insights provide practical guidance for educators and policymakers to optimize online learning frameworks in similar contexts. |
| Keywords: | Students’ Engagement, E-Learning, Online learning, Personality traits, e-learning readiness, Traditional students, non-traditional students |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:341062 |
| By: | Noel Del Castillo; Harold Cuffe; Ilan Noy |
| Abstract: | Evidence on the long-run mental health effects of disasters remains limited. This study estimates the causal effects of exposure to extreme weather events (EWEs) on mental health treatment among working-age adults in New Zealand. Unlike much of the existing literature, which focuses on single disasters, short-term outcomes, and self-reported distress, we use longitudinal administrative population data within a staggered difference-in-differences framework to exploit variation in the timing and frequency of exposure across individuals and regions. The analysis distinguishes between moderate and severe mental health conditions and estimates effects on both the probability of receiving treatment and the number of treatment days. We find no statistically significant population-level effects of EWE exposure on treatment of either moderate or severe mental illness. However, subgroup analyses indicate some heterogeneity, particularly among individuals in the lowest income tercile and younger adults for moderate outcomes. Overall, the findings suggest that increases in psychological distress documented in the broader disaster literature do not necessarily translate into broad-based or sustained changes in formal mental health treatment. The study provides new evidence on how climate-related shocks shape realised mental healthcare utilisation over time. |
| Keywords: | mental health, disasters, extreme weather, staggered difference-in-differences, extended two-way fixed effects |
| JEL: | I10 Q54 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12705 |
| By: | Alexa Prettyman (Department of Economics, Towson University); Seth R. Gitter (Department of Economics, Towson University); Melissa Groves (Department of Economics, Towson University); Raquel Frye (Department of Economics, Towson University); Lucienne Karszen (University of Maryland Global Campus) |
| Abstract: | Supplemental Instruction (SI), an academic support program that targets difficult introductory college level courses, is praised for increasing grades by half a letter grade. We rigorously evaluate SI in introductory economics and biology courses at a regional university in the mid-Atlantic. Students who attended SI review sessions were up to 65 percent less likely to earn a D, F, or W, and they earned higher grades by a full letter grade. However, participation in SI was low; only 14 percent of students attended multiple SI review sessions, and higher achieving students were more likely to attend sessions. Any increases in grades are concentrated among biology courses and high-achieving students. In conclusion, we find that grade improvements from SI are due to positive selection bias, with limited evidence of causality. While SI might be beneficial for some students, it is less clear whether this program is the most cost-effective approach for struggling students. |
| Keywords: | Supplemental instruction, introductory economics, selection bias, causal inference. |
| JEL: | A22 I20 I23 |
| Date: | 2026–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tow:wpaper:2026-09 |
| By: | Noam Gruber |
| Abstract: | Formulating an education production function and using estimates of student and class discipline levels, this paper seeks to identify the relations between discipline, class size, teaching quality and scholastic outcomes. The data shows both individual and class-level discipline to be a powerful predictor of the PISA math score, while variance in discipline among classmates has a strongly negative effect. Furthermore, class discipline is correlated with larger classes. As a structural simulation demonstrates, the correlations observed in the data can be well explained by how schools allocate students and teachers to classes. This analysis allows for a break-down of the contribution of educational production factors and highlights the role of individual and class discipline to student achievements. |
| Keywords: | Education Production; PISA; International Tests; Discipline; Tardiness; Truancy; Class Size; Teaching Quality |
| Date: | 2026–05–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2026/105 |
| By: | Alisha Hancock; Chris M. Boyd (Department of Economics, Towson University); Seth R. Gitter (Department of Economics, Towson University); Melissa Groves (Department of Economics, Towson University); Alexa Prettyman (Department of Economics, Towson University) |
| Abstract: | Introductory economics courses have high failure rates, and students who repeat courses do not necessarily perform better on subsequent attempts, which can negatively impact student retention. We evaluate whether a financial incentive of $1, 000 improves pass rates and grades among students retaking Principles of Microeconomics. Eligible students were 36 to 87 percent more likely to pass, depending on their awareness of the opportunity. Consequently, they earned significantly better grades. These results provide new evidence that a scholarship for students retaking difficult introductory courses can have large, positive effects on student performance. |
| Keywords: | Financial incentives, introductory economics, academic performance, retaking courses. |
| JEL: | A2 I22 I23 |
| Date: | 2026–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tow:wpaper:2026-10 |
| By: | Sethi, Dr. Manoj Kumar; Jena, Kiranmayee |
| Abstract: | In today’s digitally connected world, smartphones have become an inseparable part of daily life, especially for students in higher education. While these devices offer convenience and connectivity, their overuse has given rise to a growing psychological concern known as nomophobia the fear of being without a mobile phone. This study aims to compare the levels of nomophobia among college and university students, exploring how differences in academic environments and student lifestyles may influence mobile phone dependency. A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional research design was employed, treating students as the independent variable and nomophobia level as the dependent variable, using a standardized nomophobia questionnaire administered to a sample of college and university students. The data were analyzed to determine the prevalence and intensity of nomophobia, along with any significant differences between the two groups. A total sample of 100 students, equally representing both groups, was evaluated using a standardized nomophobia scale. The mean scores for college and university students were 86.3 and 85.34, respectively, with standard deviations of 23.9 and 19.14. The standard error of difference was 4.33, with 98 degrees of freedom. An independent samples t-test was conducted and the resulting t-value of 0.22 indicated that there is no statistically significant difference in nomophobia levels between college and university students. These findings suggest that nomophobia is similarly prevalent among both groups, underscoring the need for shared preventive measures and awareness initiatives across educational institutions. |
| Keywords: | Nomophobia, Smartphone, Prevalence, College and University Student |
| JEL: | I21 |
| Date: | 2026–03–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:128724 |
| By: | Bart Hobijn; Andre Kurmann; Tristan Potter |
| Abstract: | Non-compete agreements (NCAs) are pervasive even in low-wage labor markets, yet most evidence relies on variation in enforceability rather than NCA incidence. Using longitudinal data from the NLSY97, we study how signing an NCA affects wage trajectories and job tenure. Exploiting complete work histories and applying a clean-controls local projections difference-in-difference design, we find a striking divergence: NCAs are associated with significantly slower wage growth for low-education workers over four years, but faster wage growth for high-education workers. Effects on job tenure are imprecisely estimated for both groups. |
| Keywords: | Non-compete; low-wage labor markets; Local projections; Difference-in-difference |
| JEL: | J31 J41 J62 K31 |
| Date: | 2026–03–04 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedhwp:103280 |
| By: | Julio Martínez Galarraga (Departament d'Història Econòmica, Institucions, Política i Economia Mundial. Universitat de Barcelona); Marc Prat (Departament d'Història Econòmica, Institucions, Política i Economia Mundial. Universitat de Barcelona) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the main patterns and trends observed in primary education in Catalonia between 1860 and 1930. The information gathered from official education statistics makes it possible to track several primary education variables over time, including pupils, schools, teachers and public spending, at 10-year intervals, broken down by public and private schooling and by gender. This study, which is primarily descriptive in nature, provides new quantitative evidence that highlights the difficulties faced by the public provision of primary education in achieving progress in Catalonia during those years, the significant expansion of private education, the disparities between rural and urban areas (where demographic pressure on the education system was greater), and the advances and setbacks in achieving gender equality. Together, the findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how a society—in this case, Catalonia—coped with the challenge posed by the spread of mass schooling during the early stages of industrialisation, within a backward institutional framework typical of Southern Europe’s peripheral regions. |
| Keywords: | Primary education, mass schooling, industrialisation, economic history, Catalonia |
| JEL: | I20 N33 N93 R11 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ewp:wpaper:496web |