A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Behaviour Change for Good Initiative has revealed that low-cost behavioural nudges —subtle prompts or cues that encourage people to make certain choices without limiting their freedom— can significantly enhance math progress among elementary students. This innovative research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explores how simple changes in communication can motivate teachers and, in turn, improve student outcomes.
Key findings from the study include:
- Impact of Behavioural Nudges: The study involved over 140,000 teachers and nearly 3 million elementary students. It found that behaviourally informed email messages improved math progress by an average of 1.89% during a four-week intervention period compared to standard reminder messages.
- Most Effective Intervention: One particular nudge, which encouraged teachers to log into the Zearn Math platform weekly for personalised updates on their students’ progress, led to an impressive 5.06% increase in student math progress. This suggests that personalised communication can be more effective than generic reminders.
- Persistence of Effects: Remarkably, the positive effects of these nudges persisted for up to eight weeks after teachers stopped receiving the behavioural prompts, indicating a lasting impact on student engagement and progress.
The research highlights the need for effective and affordable interventions to address the ongoing decline in American students’ math performance, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Angela Duckworth, a professor at Penn and co-director of the initiative, emphasised the importance of these findings, stating, “Our results showed that simple, low-cost nudges can help teachers support student progress in math.”
The study utilised a megastudy approach, testing 15 different interventions simultaneously against a control group. This method allowed for direct comparisons of effectiveness, a significant advancement in educational research that had previously been limited due to high costs and logistical challenges.
Co-author Katy Milkman noted that the findings reveal the potential of behaviourally informed interventions in education, stating, “The better we understand why something works, the more powerfully we can use it to create positive change.”
The research not only underscores the effectiveness of behavioural nudges but also points to the need for further exploration into long-term impacts and the mechanics behind successful interventions. With American students consistently ranking in the bottom 25% globally in math, these findings could help shape more effective educational policies and practices.
For more details, visit the full article on Penn Today: A simple way to boost math progress.
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