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Apart but Connected: Online Tutoring and Student Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Carlana, Michela

    (Harvard Kennedy School)

  • La Ferrara, Eliana

    (Bocconi University)

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the governments of most countries ordered the closure of schools, potentially exacerbating existing learning gaps. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention implemented in Italian middle schools that provides free individual tutoring online to disadvantaged students during lock-down. Tutors are university students who volunteer for 3 to 6 hours per week. They were randomly assigned to middle school students, from a list of potential beneficiaries compiled by school principals. Using original survey data collected from students, parents, teachers and tutors, we find that the program substantially increased students' academic performance (by 0.26 SD on average) and that it significantly improved their socio-emotional skills, aspirations, and psychological well-being. Effects are stronger for children from lower socioeconomic status and, in the case of psychological well-being, for immigrant children.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlana, Michela & La Ferrara, Eliana, 2021. "Apart but Connected: Online Tutoring and Student Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IZA Discussion Papers 14094, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14094
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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Apart but Connected: Online Tutoring and Student Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2021-05-21 20:10:08

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    Cited by:

    1. David Hardt & Markus Nagler & Johannes Rincke, 2022. "Tutoring in (Online) Higher Education: Experimental Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series 9555, CESifo.
    2. M. Niaz Asadullah & Anindita Bhattacharjee, 2022. "Digital Divide or Digital Provide? Technology, Time Use, and Learning Loss during COVID-19," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(10), pages 1934-1957, October.
    3. Hugues Champeaux & Lucia Mangiavacchi & Francesca Marchetta & Luca Piccoli, 2022. "Child development and distance learning in the age of COVID-19," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 659-685, September.
    4. Elisa Failache & Nicolás Fiori & Noemi Katzkowicz & Alina Machado & Luciana Méndez, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on higher education: Evidence from Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 22-02, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    5. Sébastien Goudeau & Camille Sanrey & Arnaud Stanczak & Antony Manstead & Céline Darnon, 2021. "Why lockdown and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to increase the social class achievement gap," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(10), pages 1273-1281, October.
    6. Emily Beam & Priya Mukherjee & Laia Navarro-Sola, 2022. "Lowering Barriers to Remote Education: Experimental Impacts on Parental Responses and Learning," Working Papers 2022-030, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    7. Harry Anthony Patrinos, 2022. "Learning loss and learning recovery," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(2), pages 183-188, June.
    8. Noam Angrist & Peter Bergman & Moitshepi Matsheng, 2022. "Experimental evidence on learning using low-tech when school is out," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(7), pages 941-950, July.
    9. Anastasia, Giacomo & Boeri, Tito & Kudlyak, Marianna & Zholud, Oleksandr, 2022. "The Labor Market in Ukraine: Rebuild Better," IZA Policy Papers 196, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Werner, Katharina & Woessmann, Ludger, 2021. "The Legacy of COVID-19 in Education," IZA Discussion Papers 14796, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Abhijeet Singh & Mauricio Romero & Karthik Muralidharan, 2022. "Covid-19 Learning Loss and Recovery: Panel Data Evidence from India," CESifo Working Paper Series 10031, CESifo.
    12. Zhang, Yue & Zhao, Guochang & Zhou, Bo, 2021. "Does learning longer improve student achievement? Evidence from online education of graduating students in a high school during COVID-19 period," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    13. Lafortune, Jeanne & Pugatch, Todd & Tessada, José & Ubfal, Diego, 2022. "Can interactive online training make high school students more entrepreneurial? Experimental evidence from Rwanda," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1041, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    14. Gajderowicz,Tomasz Janusz & Jakubowski,Maciej Jan & Patrinos,Harry Anthony & Wrona,Sylwia Michalina, 2022. "Capturing the Educational and Economic Impacts of School Closures in Poland," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10253, The World Bank.
    15. Hassan, Hashibul & Islam, Asad & Siddique, Abu & Wang, Liang Choon, 2021. "Telementoring and homeschooling during school closures: A randomized experiment in rural Bangladesh," SocArXiv mhyq5, Center for Open Science.
    16. Wang, Liang Choon & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Islam, Asad & Hassan, Hashibul, 2023. "Delivering Remote Learning Using a Low-Tech Solution: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 15920, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Shinsuke Asakawa & Fumio Ohtake, 2021. "Impact of Temporary School Closure Due to COVID-19 on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 21-14, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    18. Amer-Mestre, Josep & Ayarza-Astigarraga, Alaitz & Lopes, Marta C, 2021. "E-Learning Engagement Gap during School Closures: Differences by Academic Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 14904, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. de Ree, Joppe & Maggioni, Mario A. & Paulle, Bowen & Rossignoli, Domenico & Ruijs, Nienke & Walentek, Dawid, 2021. "Closing the income-achievement gap? Experimental evidence from high-dosage tutoring in Dutch primary education," SocArXiv qepc2, Center for Open Science.
    20. Boruchowicz, Cynthia & Parker, Susan W. & Robbins, Lindsay, 2022. "Time use of youth during a pandemic: Evidence from Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    tutoring; COVID-19; education; achievement; aspirations; socioemotional skills; well-being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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