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Promoting cognitive and soft skills acquisition in a disadvantaged public school system: Evidence from the Nurture thru Nature randomized experiment
ARTICLE

, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy, United States ; , School of Environmental & Biological Sciences, United States ; , Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy, United States

Economics of Education Review Volume 70, Number 1, ISSN 0272-7757 Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that our public schools have failed to produce sufficient levels of high quality STEM education. The mathematics and science performance of minority and disadvantaged students has been especially troubling with blacks and Hispanics substantially underrepresented in the STEM labor market. In this paper we examine the impacts of a STEM enhancement program called Nurture thru Nature (NtN) on the cognitive (academic grades) and soft skills development of 139 elementary school students who attended the program over an eight year period (2010–2017). Utilizing a randomized experimental design or RCT with a control group of 491 elementary school students, we find that NtN slows the deterioration in students’ math and science grades relative to controls and improves soft skills such as conscientiousness, higher order thinking, empathy, and pro-social behavior.

Citation

Jagannathan, R., Camasso, M.J. & Delacalle, M. (2019). Promoting cognitive and soft skills acquisition in a disadvantaged public school system: Evidence from the Nurture thru Nature randomized experiment. Economics of Education Review, 70(1), 173-191. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved July 16, 2020 from .

This record was imported from Economics of Education Review on June 3, 2019. Economics of Education Review is a publication of Elsevier.

Full text is availabe on Science Direct: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2019.04.005

Keywords

References

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