Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/324315 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
RF Berlin - CReAM Discussion Paper Series No. 33/25
Publisher: 
Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin) and Centre for Research & Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Berlin and London
Abstract: 
We study the impact of online instruction with a field experiment that randomly assigns 1,344 university students to different proportions of online and in-person lectures in multiple introductory courses. Increased online instruction leaves men's exam performance unaffected but significantly lowers women's performance, particularly in math-intensive courses. Online instruction also reduces women's longer-run performance and increases their study dropout. Exploring mechanisms, we find that women exposed to more online lectures report greater difficulty in connecting with peers, less engaging instructors, and lower course satisfaction. Our findings suggest that shifting toward more online instruction may disproportionally harm women.
Subjects: 
Online instruction
field experiment
gender disparities
JEL: 
J16
I23
C93
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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