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Educational evaluation schemes and gender gaps in student achievement

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  • Falch, Torberg
  • Naper, Linn Renée

Abstract

This paper investigates whether gender gaps in student achievement are related to evaluation schemes. We exploit different evaluations at the end of compulsory education in Norway in a difference-in-differences framework. Compared to the results at anonymously evaluated central exit exams, girls get significantly higher grades than boys when the same skills are assessed by their teacher. This gender grading gap in favor of the girls is found in both languages and mathematics. We find no evidence that the competitiveness of the environment can explain why boys do relatively better on the exam. We find some evidence that the gender grading gap is related to teacher characteristics, which indicates that the teacher–student interaction during coursework favors girls in the teacher grading.

Suggested Citation

  • Falch, Torberg & Naper, Linn Renée, 2013. "Educational evaluation schemes and gender gaps in student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 12-25.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:36:y:2013:i:c:p:12-25
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2013.05.002
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Educational evaluation schemes; Teacher grading; Gender gaps; Gender interactions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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