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Nudging study habits: A field experiment on peer tutoring in higher education

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  • Pugatch, Todd
  • Wilson, Nicholas

Abstract

More than two of every five students who enroll in college fail to graduate within six years. Peer tutoring offers one approach to improve learning outcomes in higher education. We conducted a randomized controlled experiment designed to increase take-up of university tutoring services. Brief, one-time messages increased tutoring take-up by seven percentage points, or 23% of the control group mean. Attendance at multiple tutoring sessions increased by nearly the same amount, suggesting substantial changes in study habits in response to a simple and inexpensive intervention. The intervention cost $3.32–$14.58 per additional tutoring hour, the lowest reported in the literature on peer tutoring experiments. We find little evidence of advertising-induced tutoring on learning outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Pugatch, Todd & Wilson, Nicholas, 2018. "Nudging study habits: A field experiment on peer tutoring in higher education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 151-161.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:62:y:2018:i:c:p:151-161
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2017.11.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Hardt, David & Nagler, Markus & Rincke, Johannes, 2023. "Tutoring in (online) higher education: Experimental evidence," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    2. Gordanier, John & Hauk, William & Sankaran, Chandini, 2019. "Early intervention in college classes and improved student outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 23-29.
    3. Stephanie Bain De Los Santos & Lori Kupczynski & Marie-Anne Mundy, 2019. "Determining Academic Success in Students with Disabilities in Higher Education," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 8(2), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Derksen, Laura & Kerwin, Jason Theodore & Reynoso, Natalia Ordaz & Sterck, Olivier, 2021. "Appointments: A More Effective Commitment Device for Health Behaviors," SocArXiv y8gh7, Center for Open Science.
    5. Pugatch, Todd & Schroeder, Elizabeth & Wilson, Nicholas, 2022. "Study More Tomorrow," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1115, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Kuo, Sylvia, 2022. "The impact of distributed homework on student outcomes," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    7. Hyein Amber Kim, 2022. "Experiences of Peer Tutors of a Korean Language Peer Tutoring Program at a U.S. University: A Qualitative Study," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 11(5), pages 199-199, October.
    8. Ellis, Jimmy R. & Gershenson, Seth, 2020. "Gender, peer advising, and college success," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    9. Sanchayan Banerjee & Beatriz Jambrina-Canseco & Benjamin Brundu-Gonzalez & Claire Gordon & Jenni Carr, 2023. "Nudge or not, university teachers have mixed feelings about online teaching," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Albert, Aaron, 2021. "The effect of randomly assigned advisor’s department on student outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer tutoring; Human capital investment; Behavioral response to advertising; Nudges; Higher education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

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