|
Field
Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
|
Before
Most outcomes are directly measured survey responses. The outcomes related to teachers' beliefs and recommendations are elicited using a five-point Likert scale, where 1 corresponds to “Certainly not,” 2 to “Probably not,” 3 to “Neither yes nor no,” 4 to “Probably yes,” and 5 to “Definitely yes.” Our primary analysis will use these underlying Likert-scale responses. In particular, we will study both the level of responses at each stage of the experiment and how responses change when information about the student’s relative academic rank is revealed. For ease of interpretation, selected results will also be presented using binary indicators equal to one if the respondent selects either “Probably yes” or “Definitely yes,” and zero otherwise.
Stage 1 outcomes
Assigned grade: continuous variable ranging from 0 to 10 based on the score assigned by the teacher through the survey slider.
Minor-error indicator / substantial-error indicator: binary variables based on whether the teacher reports that the severity of the mistake was relevant and considered minor or relevant and considered substantial.
Behavior-considered indicator: binary variable equal to 1 if the teacher states that the student’s classroom behavior was an important factor in determining the initial grade.
Future academic impact belief: five-point Likert-scale measure of the extent to which the teacher believes the student’s behavior is likely to positively affect future academic performance.
Future career impact belief: five-point Likert-scale measure of the extent to which the teacher believes the student’s behavior is likely to positively affect future career outcomes.
Competitive-degree recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student to pursue a competitive university degree.
Challenging-career recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student to pursue a challenging professional path.
Parental competitive-degree recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student’s parents to push the student toward a competitive university degree.
Parental challenging-career recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student’s parents to push the student toward a challenging professional path.
Stage 2 outcomes
Grade revision indicator: binary variable equal to 1 if the teacher states that they wish to change the initial grade after academic-rank information is revealed, and 0 otherwise.
Updated grade: continuous variable ranging from 0 to 10, measured only for teachers who choose to revise their initial grade.
Grade change: difference between the updated and initial grade.
For the belief and recommendation outcomes, we will analyze post-information responses as well as within-teacher changes in the underlying Likert-scale measures between Stage 1 and Stage 2. This approach allows us to capture both the direction and magnitude of revisions in teachers’ beliefs and recommendations following the introduction of information on relative academic standing.
|
After
Most outcomes are directly measured survey responses. The outcomes related to teachers' beliefs and recommendations are elicited using a five-point Likert scale, where 1 corresponds to “Certainly not,” 2 to “Probably not,” 3 to “Neither yes nor no,” 4 to “Probably yes,” and 5 to “Definitely yes.” Our primary analysis will use these underlying Likert-scale responses. In particular, we will study both the level of responses at each stage of the experiment and how responses change when information about the student’s relative academic rank is revealed. For ease of interpretation, selected results will also be presented using binary indicators equal to one if the respondent selects either “Probably yes” or “Definitely yes,” and zero otherwise. We will also construct a recommendation index using principal component analysis (PCA) of the four recommendation variables elicited in Stage 1. The resulting component loadings will be used to construct a summary measure of teachers' overall recommendations regarding the student's future educational and career pathways.
Stage 1 outcomes
Assigned grade: continuous variable ranging from 0 to 10 based on the score assigned by the teacher through the survey slider.
Minor-error indicator / substantial-error indicator: binary variables based on whether the teacher reports that the severity of the mistake was relevant and considered minor or relevant and considered substantial.
Behavior-considered indicator: binary variable equal to 1 if the teacher states that the student’s classroom behavior was an important factor in determining the initial grade.
Future academic impact belief: five-point Likert-scale measure of the extent to which the teacher believes the student’s behavior is likely to positively affect future academic performance.
Future career impact belief: five-point Likert-scale measure of the extent to which the teacher believes the student’s behavior is likely to positively affect future career outcomes.
Competitive-degree recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student to pursue a competitive university degree.
Challenging-career recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student to pursue a challenging professional path.
Parental competitive-degree recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student’s parents to push the student toward a competitive university degree.
Parental challenging-career recommendation: five-point Likert-scale measure of the teacher’s willingness to encourage the student’s parents to push the student toward a challenging professional path.
Recommendation index: A summary measure constructed using principal component analysis of the four recommendation outcomes: whether the teacher would encourage the student, or the student's parents, to pursue a competitive university degree and a challenging career.
Stage 2 outcomes
Grade revision indicator: binary variable equal to 1 if the teacher states that they wish to change the initial grade after academic-rank information is revealed, and 0 otherwise.
Updated grade: continuous variable ranging from 0 to 10, measured only for teachers who choose to revise their initial grade.
Grade change: difference between the updated and initial grade.
For the belief and recommendation outcomes, we will analyze post-information responses as well as within-teacher changes in the underlying Likert-scale measures between Stage 1 and Stage 2. This approach allows us to capture both the direction and magnitude of revisions in teachers’ beliefs and recommendations following the introduction of information on relative academic standing.
|