Impact of peers on educational outcomes in Economics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1344/reire.38063Keywords:
Peer effects, Team Based Learning, Active learning, Teamwork, EconomicsAbstract
INTRODUCTION. This paper contributes to the study of peer interactions in the university classroom. METHOD. We evaluate the effects of teamwork on individual academic performance in four Team Based Learning (TBL) courses in the degrees of Economics and Business Administration. RESULTS. We found that the average grade of the rest of the team members has a significant and positive association with the grade of the individual student. The student’s personal test score increases about 0.65 points for every 1-point increase in the average score of their teammates. This association remains positive and significant even when we include socio-demographic variables to control for individual characteristics. We also tested the heterogeneity of peer effects in relation to the ability of individual and team performance. DISCUSSION. The results suggest there is no heterogeneity in individual ability; however, we found a positive or slightly negative difference in the magnitude of the peer effect for teams in the top/bottom quartile compared to teams in the middle of the distribution.
References
Abio, G., Alcañiz, M., Gómez-Puig, M., Rubert, G., Serrrano, M., Stoyanova, A., & Vilalta-Bufí, M. (2019). Retaking a course in economics: Innovative teaching strategies to improve academic performance in groups of low-performing students. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 56(2), 206–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2017.1389289
Abio, G., Alcañiz, M., Gómez-Puig, M., Royuela, V., Rubert, G., Serrano, M., & Stoyanova, A. (2021). Perception of students in Team-Based Learning: Evidence in Economics [Working paper].
Abio, G., Alcañiz, M., Gómez-Puig, M., Royuela, V., Rubert, G., Serrano, M., & Stoyanova, A. (2022). The use of active learning methods in Economics: A review of the research [Working paper].
Alpert, W. T., Couch, K. A., & Harmon, O. R. (2016). A randomized assessment of online learning. American Economic Review, 106(5), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.p20161057
Artz, G., Jacobs, K., & Boessen, C. R. (2016). The whole is greater than the sum: An empirical analysis of the effect of team based learning on Student achievement. NACTA Journal, 60(4), 405–411.
Ahshan, R. (2021). A framework of implementing strategies for active student engagement in remote/online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 11(9), 483. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090483
Becker, R., & Proud, S. (2018). Flipping quantitative tutorials. International Review of Economics Education, 29, 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2018.01.004
Bowen, W. G., Chingos, M. M., Lack, K. A., & Nygren, T. I. (2014). Interactive Learning Online at Public Universities: Evidence from a Six‐Campus Randomized Trial. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 33(4), 94–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.21728
Burke, M., & Sass, T. (2013). Classroom peer effects and student achievement. Journal of Labor Economics, 31(1), 51–82. https://doi.org/10.1086/666653
Calimeris, L. (2018). Effects of flipping the principles of microeconomics class: Does scheduling matter? International Review of Economics Education, 29, 29–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2018.01.002
Calimeris, L., & Sauer, K. M. (2015). Flipping out about the flip: All hype or is there hope? International Review of Economics Education, 20, 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2015.08.001
Collado-Valero, J., Rodríguez-Infante, G., Romero-González, M., Gamboa-Ternero, S., Navarro-Soria, I., & Lavigne-Cerván, R. (2021). Flipped classroom: active methodology for sustainable learning in higher education during social distancing due to COVID-19. Sustainability, 13(10), 5336. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105336
Cosgrove, S. B., & Olitsky, N. H. (2014). Knowledge retention, student learning and blended course work: evidence from principles of economics courses. Southern Economic Journal, 82(2), 556–579. https://doi.org/10.1002/soej.12045
Emerson, T. L., English, L. K., & McGoldrick, K. (2015). Evaluating the cooperative component in cooperative learning: A quasi‐experimental study. The Journal of Economic Education, 46(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220485.2014.978923
Epple, D., & Romano, R. (2011). Peer effects in education: A survey of the theory and evidence. In J. Benhabib, A. Bisin and M. O. Jackson (eds.), Handbook of Social Economics, 1(11), 1053–1163. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53707-2.00003-7
Espey, M. (2010). Valuing teams: What influences student attitudes? NACTA Journal, 54(1), 31–40.
Ficano, C. K. C. (2019). Identifying differential benefits from a flipped-group pedagogy in introductory microeconomics. International Review of Economics Education, 30, 100143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2018.07.002
Green, A. (2014). The case for the traditional classroom. International Review of Economics Education, 16, 87–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2014.04.002
Griffith, A. L., & Rask, K. N. (2014). Peer effects in higher education: A look at heterogeneous impacts. Economics of Education Review, 39, 65–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2014.01.003
Guo, P., Saab, N., Post, L. S., & Admiraal, W. (2020). A review of project-based learning in higher education: Student outcomes and measures. International Journal of Educational Research, 102, 101586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101586
Joyce, T., Crockett, S., Jaeger, D. A., Altindag, O., & O’Connell, S. D. (2015). Does classroom time matter? Economics of Education Review, 46, 64–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2015.02.007
Kwak, D. W., Menezes, F. M., & Sherwood, C. (2015). Assessing the Impact of Blended Learning on Student Performance. Economic Record, 91(292), 91–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-4932.12155
Lage, M. J., Platt, G. T., & Treglia, M. (2000). Inverting the classroom: A gateway to creating an inclusive learning environment. The Journal of Economic Education, 31, 30–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220480009596759
Lavy, V., Silva, O., & Weinhart, F. (2012). The good, the bad, and the average: Evidence on ability peer effects in schools. Journal of Labor Economics, 30(2), 367–414. https://doi.org/10.1086/663592
Lombardini, C., Lakkala, M., & Muukkonen, H. (2018). The impact of the flipped classroom in a principles of microeconomics course: evidence from a quasi-experiment with two flipped classroom designs. International Review of Economics Education, 29, 14–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2018.01.003
Manski, C. (1993). Identification of endogenous social effects: The reflection problem. Review of Economic Studies, 60(3), 531–542. https://doi.org/10.2307/2298123
Michaelsen, L. K., Knight, A. B., & Fink, L. D. (2004). Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Stylus.
Nokes-Malach, T. J., Richey, J. E., & Gadgil, S. (2015). When is it better to learn together? Insights from re¬search on collaborative learning. Educational Psychology Review, 27(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9312-8
Odell, K. E. (2018). Team-Based learning and student performance: Preliminary evidence from a principles of macroeconomics classroom. International Review of Economics Education, 29, 44–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2018.01.001
Olitsky, N. H., & Cosgrove, S. B. (2014). The Effect of Blended Courses on Student Learning: Evidence from Introductory Economics Courses. International Review of Economics Education, 15, 17–31. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2013.10.009
Olitsky, N. H., & Cosgrove, S. B. (2016). The better blend? Flipping the principles of microeconomics classtoom. International Review of Economics Education, 21, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2015.10.004
Oliván Blázquez, B., Masluk, B., Gascon, S., Fueyo Díaz, R., Aguilar-Latorre, A., Artola Magallón, I., & Magallón Botaya, R. (2019). The use of flipped classroom as an active learning approach improves academic performance in social work: A randomized trial in a university. PLoS One, 14(4), e0214623. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214623
Roach, T. (2014). Student perceptions toward flipped learning: New methods to increase interaction and active learning in economics. International Review of Economics Education, 17, 74–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iree.2014.08.003
Sacerdote, B. (2001). Peer effects with random assignment: Results for Dartmouth roommates. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(2), 681–704. https://doi.org/10.1162/00335530151144131
Sacerdote, B. (2011). Peer effects in education: How might they work, how big are they and how much do we know thus far? Handbook of the Economics of Education (chapter 4, pp. 249–277). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53429-3.00004-1
Sibley, J., Ostafichuk, P., & Michaelsen, L. K. (2014). Getting started with team-based learning. Stylus.
Spinger, L., Stanne, M. E., & Donovan, S. S. (1999). Effects of small-group learning on undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 69(1), 21–51. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543069001021
Swanson, E., McCulley, L. V., Osman, D. J., Scammacca Lewis, N., & Solis, M. (2019). The effect of team-based learning on content knowledge: A meta-analysis. Active learning in higher education, 20(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417731201
Topping, K. J. (2001). Thinking reading writing: A practical guide to paired learning with peers, parents and volunteers. Continuum International.
Umar, M., & Ko, I. (2022). E-learning: Direct effect of student learning effectiveness and engagement through project-based learning, team cohesion, and flipped learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 14(3), 1724. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031724
Wu, D. D. (2015). Online Learning in Postsecondary Education: A Review of the Empirical Literature (2013-2014) [Research report]. Ithaka S+R. https://doi.org/10.18665/sr.221027
Zimmerman, D. J. (2003). Peer effects in academic outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment. Review of Economics and Statistics, 85(1), 9–23. https://doi.org/10.1162/003465303762687677
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Gemma Abio, Manuela Alcañiz, Carlos M. Belloni, Marta Gómez-Puig, Luis Ortiz-Gracia, Vicente Royuela, Glòria Rubert, Mònica Serrano, Alexandrina Stoyanova
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors keep authorship rights and confer to REIRE the rights of article’s first publication.
All the contents included into REIRE Revista d’innovació i Recerca en Educació are under Creative Commons 4.0 International license attribution, which allows the article’s reproduction, distribution and public communication, whenever authorship and the journal’s title is quoted.
