Student Time Allocation and Educational Production Functions

Abstract

In this paper we aim to remedy some shortcomings in the economic literature on university student absenteeism and academic performance. We start by introducing a simple theoretical model in which students decide the optimal allocation of their time between lecture attendance, self-study and leisure. Under some specific assumptions, we find a positive relationship between lecture attendance and time devoted to self-study in each course, from which we infer that estimates of student performance regressions which omit self-study might be biased. Thus, we estimate an academic performance regression using data from first year undergraduate students of economics in the academic year 1998-99 at the University of Ancona (Italy) and find evidence that once self-study time is controlled for, the positive and significant effect of lecture attendance for some courses disappears. This is likely to be important especially when student performance regressions are used to evaluate the effectiveness of course attendance and to inform the debate on the introduction of mandatory attendance on some courses to enhance student performance.

Factors influencing the academic performance of the students

“…Công cụ điều tra là bảng câu hỏi được thiết kế nhằm thu thập các thông tin về các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến kết quả học tập và một số thông tin đặc điểm nhân khẩu học của sinh viên. Thang đo các yếu tố ảnh hướng đến kết quả học tập được xây dựng dựa trên cơ sở của lí thuyết về kết quả học tập, các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến kết quả học tập đã nghiên cứu trước đây, mô hình ứng dụng của Bratti và Staffolani [2], Checchi và cộng sự [3],… đồng thời thang đo cũng được điều chỉnh cho phù hợp với tình hình thực tế của bối cảnh nghiên cứu. Các phát biểu được đo lường dựa trên thang đo Likert 5 cấp độ từ 1 đến 5.…”

The Effects of Attendance on Academic Performance: Panel Data Evidence for Introductory Microeconomics

“…Among studies who reach less robust conclusions about the positive effect of attendance on performance, Bratti and Staffolani (2002) argue that estimates of student performance regressions that omit study hours might be biased, given that hours of study are a significant determinant of lecture attendance. Using a sample of 371 first-year Economics students they find that the positive and significant effect of lecture attendance on performance is not robust to the inclusion of the number of hours of study.…”

“…1 In the past decade, a number of studies have examined the relationship between students' attendance (or absenteeism) and academic performance, generally finding that attendance does matter for academic achievement (see e.g. Durden and Ellis (1995), Devadoss and Foltz (1996), Chan et al (1997), Marburger (2001) Rodgers (2001), Bratti and Staffolani (2002), Dolton et al (2003), Kirby and McElroy (2003)). This kind of evidence has led some authors to call for measures to increase student attendance and even to consider the possibility of making attendance mandatory in some undergraduate courses.…”

The effect of student time allocation on academic achievement

“…However, their results might be affected by a selection bias since their data are collected during class. Bratti and Staffolani (2002) investigate the effects of students' different time use using data on first-year economic students at the University of Ancona (Italy). They find that the relative importance of attendance and self-study varies across exams.…”