My Professor Cares: Experimental Evidence on the Role of Faculty Engagement

Despite a growing body of literature that instructors “matter” in higher education, there is virtually no evidence about how their actions influence student outcomes. 

This study provides experimental evidence on the impact of specific faculty behaviors aimed at increasing student success, testing the effect of professor feedback on student success in higher education classrooms though a "light-touch" randomized intervention. 

The results ARE from a small pilot in an introductory-level microeconomics course at a comprehensive research university, and the scale-up conducted in over 43 classrooms and nearly 4,000 students at a large broad-access university. The intervention consisted of several strategically-timed E-mails to students from the professor indicating keys to success in the class, the students’ current standing in the course, and a reminder of when the professor is available. 

Results from the pilot show that students in the treatment group scored higher on exams, homework assignments, and final course grade. Results from the scaled-up experiment are more mixed—with significant positive effects on student perceptions of the professor and course for all students. However, the only find positive achievement effects were for first year students from underrepresented minority groups.