Study strategies during emergency-related distance learning. The role of gender and field of study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12836674 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Piera Bello (0000-0001-7066-875X, University of Bergamo, corresponding author), Annalisa Cristini (0000-0003-4335-6210, University of Bergamo), Anna Maria Falzoni (0000-0002-5365-6770, University of Bergamo), Federica Origo (0000-0001-5862-1895, University of Bergamo) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Economic Inequality (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1569-1721 • E-ISSN: 1573-8701 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10888-025-09712-6 |
| OpenAlex | W7114994774 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
We study the impact of distance learning on students’ exam choices and achievement in higher education, pointing to the mediating role of the field of study and gender. Identification relies on the exogenous shift from in-person to online teaching during the second semester of the 2019–2020 academic year in Italy due to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19. We estimate Difference-in-Differences models using administrative data for different cohorts of students from the University of Bergamo in Northern Italy. Results show that online teaching during the pandemic is associated with a lower number of credits earned and with an increase in the average grade; both outcomes are associated with a reduction in the number of exams, while postponing tougher exams pays only in terms of grades. Additional analyses provide evidence for significant heterogeneity by field of study and gender, with women in engineering degrees being those whose performance declined the most, especially in terms of passed exams. Survey evidence suggests that these results may be explained by gender differences in study-life balance, well-being and learning efficacy related to the lack of in-person relations with both peers and teachers
2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Field (mathematics · Higher education · Identification (biology · Pandemic · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · COVID-19 and Mental Health · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation
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Gender Differences in Personality across the Ten Aspects of the Big Five
Learning loss due to school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic
Estimating dynamic treatment effects in event studies with heterogeneous treatment effects
Online and face-to-face classroom multitasking and academic performance
Online teaching, procrastination and student achievement
Tutoring in (online) higher education
Online teaching and gender bias
Hitting where it hurts most
Gender gap variation across assessment types
Women’s and men’s work, housework and childcare, before and during Covid-19
Predictors of academic performance during the covid-19 outbreak
Are We Still a Sexist Society? Primary Socialisation and Adherence to Gender Roles in Childhood
Gender-Based Occupational Choices and Family Responsibilities
Families in quarantine
Gender differences in personality traits across cultures
It was nothing to do with the university, it was just the people
| Highly cited | No |
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