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Research ArticleArticles

How Do Peers Impact Learning? An Experimental Investigation of Peer-to-Peer Teaching and Ability Tracking

Erik O. Kimbrough, Andrew D. McGee and Hitoshi Shigeoka
Journal of Human Resources, January 2022, 57 (1) 304-339; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.57.1.0918-9770R2
Erik O. Kimbrough
Erik O. Kimbrough is at Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy, Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866 ()
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Andrew D. McGee
Andrew D. McGee is at Department of Economics, University of Alberta, 8-14 Tory Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H4, Canada, and IZA ()
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Hitoshi Shigeoka
Hitoshi Shigeoka is at Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada, and NBER ()
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Abstract

Classroom peers presumably influence learning by teaching each other. Unfortunately, little is known about peer-to-peer teaching because it is rarely observed in field studies. The efficacy of this teaching likely depends on the ability of one’s peers. We investigate the mechanisms of peer effects experimentally to establish the importance of peer-to-peer teaching and how it is affected by ability tracking–grouping students of similar ability. While peer-to-peer teaching improves learning among low-ability subjects, the positive effects are offset by tracking. Tracking reduces peer-to-peer teaching, suggesting that low-ability subjects suffer from the absence of high-ability peers to teach them.

JEL Classification:
  • I24
  • C91
  • I28
  • Received September 2018.
  • Accepted November 2019.

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Journal of Human Resources: 57 (1)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 57, Issue 1
1 Jan 2022
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How Do Peers Impact Learning? An Experimental Investigation of Peer-to-Peer Teaching and Ability Tracking
Erik O. Kimbrough, Andrew D. McGee, Hitoshi Shigeoka
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2022, 57 (1) 304-339; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.1.0918-9770R2

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How Do Peers Impact Learning? An Experimental Investigation of Peer-to-Peer Teaching and Ability Tracking
Erik O. Kimbrough, Andrew D. McGee, Hitoshi Shigeoka
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2022, 57 (1) 304-339; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.1.0918-9770R2
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Keywords

  • I24
  • C91
  • I28
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