Intermediate microeconomics samples: Fall 2019.

The vast majority of research on student learning is based on assessments of student knowledge given during or at the end of an academic term. Until now, we have known very little about what knowledge students retain after a course is over or what determines how much they retain. In this paper, we analyze data collected from students who took one of six courses in introductory or intermediate microeconomics. All students in these courses took a low-stakes standard assessment of their learning at the end of the term. At follow-ups, one to 2.5 years later, these students were surveyed about their academic and job-related activities, and given the same assessment they took at the end of the course. We find that some demographic characteristics and prior preparation for the course are strong predictors of how much students retain while initial attitudes toward economics are not. We also find evidence that for some students, application of economic skills in subsequent jobs and courses helps students retain course skills.

当前绝大多数针对学生学习的相关研究，均基于学期中或学期末开展的学生知识掌握情况测评。迄今为止，我们对学生结课后留存的知识内容，以及影响其知识留存量的因素，仍知之甚少。本研究针对修读六门入门级或中级微观经济学课程之一的学生所采集的数据展开分析。所有参与上述课程的学生均在学期末完成了一项低风险标准化学习测评。在课程结束后的1至2.5年开展的随访中，研究人员针对这些学生的学业与职场相关活动开展了问卷调查，并让他们完成了结课之时使用的同款测评。研究发现，部分人口统计学特征与课程前置准备情况可有效预测学生的知识留存量，而学生最初对经济学的学习态度则不具备此类预测能力。此外，本研究还发现，部分学生在后续工作与课程中运用经济学技能的经历，有助于其留存结课所学的相关技能。