Learning from praise: evidence from a field experiment with teachers

Cotofan, Maria (2021) Learning from praise: evidence from a field experiment with teachers. Journal of Public Economics, 204. ISSN 0047-2727

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Abstract

Financial incentive programs for teachers are increasingly common, but little is known about the effectiveness of non-monetary incentives in improving educational outcomes. This field experiment measures how repeated public praise for the best teachers impacts student performance. In treated schools, the students of praised teachers perform better on standardized exams undertaken six months after the intervention. Praised teachers also assign higher marks to their students two months after the intervention. The students of teachers who are not praised in treated schools are assigned lower marks two months after the intervention, but they do not perform any worse on final exams. Compared to costly interventions where teachers receive financial incentives, the effects of public praise for praised teachers are remarkably large.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-p...
Additional Information:	© 2021 Elsevier B.V.
Divisions:	Centre for Economic Performance
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology L Education > L Education (General) H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
JEL classification:	C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C3 - Econometric Methods: Multiple; Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables; Endogenous Regressors > C39 - Other I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education > I21 - Analysis of Education J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J30 - General J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J4 - Particular Labor Markets > J45 - Public Sector Labor Markets J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J5 - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining > J53 - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence M - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting > M5 - Personnel Economics > M52 - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects (stock options, fringe benefits, incentives, family support programs, seniority issues)
Date Deposited:	01 Dec 2021 15:15
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2024 02:45
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/112772

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