ICES Seminar in Experimental Economics and Game Theory

Self-regulation Training in Primary Schools Improves Academic Achievements and Long-Term Educational Career Paths

Friday, February 19, 2021 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST
Online Location, Zoom Meeting

The ICES Seminar in Experimental Economics and Game Theory of the Spring 2021 semester will feature:

Daniel Schunk

Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz

Self-regulation Training in Primary Schools Improves Academic Achievements and Long-Term Educational Career Paths

 

Please contact ICES Office Manager (sbahabib@gmu.edu) for Zoom link.

 

Abstract

Children’s self-regulation abilities are key predictors of educational success and a wide range of other important life outcomes such as income, health and wealth. However, self-regulation is not a school subject and knowledge about how to generate lasting improvements in self-regulation and academic achievements is still limited. Here, we report the results of a randomized controlled field study that integrates a short-term self-regulation training into the normal school curriculum. We demonstrate that the training increases children’s noncognitive skills in terms of overall self-regulation and impulse control as well as improves their reading abilities and their propensity to commit careless mistakes 12–13 months after treatment. Our study documents that a simple low-cost self-regulation training can be easily integrated into primary school teaching, rendering it scalable, and leads to substantial improvements in academic and self-regulation abilities that transfer to high-stake decisions about children’s educational career path.

 

For more information about the Seminar Series, please visit the Seminar Schedule homepage.

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