These 3 articles are for you, the Professor, to learn about a simple behavioral intervention technique that may improve student outcomes. This is especially useful to consider at the beginning of the semester.
THE NUDGE
ARTICLE #1
Helping the Poor in Education: The Power of a Simple Nudge
DESCRIPTION
Given the problems in K-12 education and college retention/graduation rates, several researchers have studied a variety of means to improve these situations. “… researchers have been quietly finding small, effective ways to improve education. They have identified behavioral “nudges” that prod students and their families to take small steps that can make big differences in learning. These measures are cheap, so schools or nonprofits could use them immediately.” Many excellent well done studies have demonstrated that “nudges” actually make a difference to college enrollment application/financial form completion, retention, and for younger students “nudging” the parents improves homework and other skills. “Nudges” are completed through institutional services rather than the individual professor and are financially feasible ($5/student).
Please read the next two articles covering updates at the college level.
SOURCE
New York Times, January 17, 2015, By Susan Dynarski
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) http://tinyurl.com/z54lmsh
ARTICLE #2
TITLE
How One Email From You Could Help Students Succeed
DESCRIPTION
The Teaching Newsletter from the Chronicle of Higher Education provides up to date news and techniques that professors can make use of to improve teaching, learning, engagement, retention, and interventions to improve student performance. This particular article demonstrates the use of simply sending out an email to students who have done poorly on a first exam. “….email is an example of a classroom-based “nudge,” or intervention that encourages, but does not mandate, a certain behavior. Nudges have caught on as a way to help students through the many complex processes of higher education.” Though it is anecdotal, it points out that an email intervention can be quite helpful for students who are struggling. It is a short easy and interesting piece to read.
SOURCE
Chronicle of Higher Education, August 8, 2018, Teaching Newsletter
LINK TO RESOURCE
https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Email-From-You-Could/244223
(Tiny URL): http://tinyurl.com/y7tfsn8t
ARTICLE #3
The Little Nudge That Makes A Big Difference To Student Grades
DESCRIPTION
The Forbes article recounts a study undertaken to improve student grades using a “nudge” intervention. The article points out that students who received supportive text nudges performed significantly better than controls who did not receive the nudges. “But a new study shows that a little nudge can make a big difference to student grades, at a fraction of the cost of more ambitious schemes.
“The study team worked on the basis that friends and family can be a powerful resource in helping students achieve. And their research found that students who received a supportive text message while they were revising for exams were more likely to pass English and maths tests than peers.” The article provides an engaging discussion of the technique and the results. Though the article discusses English and math, the intervention could easily be applied to Psychology classes.
SOURCE
Forbes, October 8, 2017, by Nick Morrison
LINK TO RESOURCE
(Tiny URL) http://tinyurl.com/ydartgue
FOR THE PROFESSOR
•These three articles on the use of “NUDGES” focus on behavioral interventions to help students more successfully navigate college.
•The articles make use of studies that apply simple cueing strategies (nudges, email, texting). It is pointed out that the studies cited are all well done randomized trials that show that “nudging” can be effective.
•The articles (and links to the studies cited in the articles) can themselves be used as part of the course in teaching the application of behavioral interventions.
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