Impact Evaluation of Mathematics Remedial Education and a Nudge to Promote Participation: Evidence from a Faculty of Social Science of Japanese University

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20900
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05701 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Gakushuin University
• Principal Investigator: Izumi Yamasaki 学習院大学, 国際社会科学部, 准教授 (00643181)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 高等教育の経済学 / リメディアル教育 / 数学教育 / インパクト評価 / ランダム化比較試験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on economics of education and behavioral economics, this study examines the effects of (1) a nudge to promote participation in remedial education in mathematics and (2) remedial education in mathematics itself at a faculty of social sciences at Japanese university. During the period of the study, surveys and interventions were conducted for freshmen in the academic years 2019 and 2022 at a faculty of social science of a private university in Japan. According to the preliminary results based on the data collected so far, letters from seniors increased the probability of taking pre-entrance mathematics classes. In addition, those who took pre-entrance math classes were more likely to take undergraduate "statistics" classes compared to those who did not. These results are statistically significant at the 10 level.

Free Research Field

教育経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

米国の大学のリメディアル教育には長い歴史があり、その効果についての実証分析も多く存在する。昨今日本でも多くの大学で様々なリメディアル教育が実施されているが、その効果を検証する厳密な実証分析はほとんど実施されていない。本研究の分析によると、補習授業の受講を促す先輩からの手紙は、入学前の数学補習授業の受講に有効である可能性がありそうなこと、社会科学系の学部で入学前の数学の補習授業を行うことで「統計学」等の数学を必要とする授業の受講や単位取得を促進する可能性がありそうなことが示唆された。これらの分析結果は日本や他国の数学やその他科目のリメディアル教育の効果的な実施のために参考にできる知見である。