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Social identity and learning: Adult literacy program in India

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  • Bhardwaj, Sakshi
  • Shonchoy, Abu S.

Abstract

The paper examines the effect of social identity on adult learning within a hierarchical social setting— an important yet often understudied issue for effective adult education. We leverage the random matching of students and teachers from a randomized controlled experiment in India, where illiterate adult female learners aged 18–45 were randomly assigned to a literacy program. We find a positive and significant impact of matching an upper caste teacher with a lower caste adult student on literacy scores. We also find suggestive evidence of an increase in students' confidence measures when matched with an upper caste teacher, indicating a plausible impact mechanism. Our findings highlight the need for future research on social identity and its influence on adult learning, particularly in countries with existing deep-rooted hierarchical social constructs.

Suggested Citation

  • Bhardwaj, Sakshi & Shonchoy, Abu S., 2024. "Social identity and learning: Adult literacy program in India," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:99:y:2024:i:c:s0272775724000013
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2024.102507
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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