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Student Coaching: How Far Can Technology Go?

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  • Philip Oreopoulos
  • Uros Petronijevic

Abstract

One-on-one coaching programs tend to have large effects on student outcomes, but they are costly to scale. In contrast, interventions that rely on technology to maintain contact with students can be scaled at low cost but may be less effective than one-on-one assistance. We randomly assign more than 4,000 students from a large Canadian university into control, online exercise, text messaging, and one-on-one coaching groups and find large effects on academic outcomes from the coaching program but no effects from either technology-based intervention. A comparison of key design features suggests that future technology-based interventions should aim to provide proactive, personalized, and regular support.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Oreopoulos & Uros Petronijevic, 2018. "Student Coaching: How Far Can Technology Go?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 53(2), pages 299-329.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:53:y:2018:i:2:p:299-329
    Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.53.2.1216-8439R
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy

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