| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7242428 | Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization | 2018 | 29 Pages |
Abstract
In order to address poor outcomes for online students, I leverage insights from behavioral economics to design three software tools including (1) a commitment device, (2) an alert tool, and (3) a distraction blocking tool. I test the impact of these tools in a massive open online course (MOOC). Relative to students in the control group, students in the commitment device treatment spend 24% more time working on the course, receive course grades that are 0.29 standard deviations higher, and are 40% more likely to complete the course. In contrast, outcomes for students in the alert and distraction blocking treatments are statistically indistinguishable from the control.
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Authors
Richard W. Patterson,