WHY do you think this is Happening? What are we telling the LITTLE KIDS from a YOUNG AGE? Social pressure is dramatically different depending on the type of class. The researchers offered free access to an online SAT prep course (that normally costs $200) to juniors at large Los Angeles high schools, making the sign-up list public within some classes, and private in others. The study was done in low-income, low-performing schools, making the decision potentially more significant, both economically and academically. In non-honors classes, when the sign-ups were made public, participation dropped by 11 percent. The publicity had no visible effect on students in honors classes. To net out the possibility that honors and non-honors students might have different characteristics or priorities, the authors limited part of the study to students who take two honors classes, so that the researchers would catch some of them in non-honors classes as well. In that case, the students presented with the choice to sign up in the honors class were 25 percent more likely to do so if the decision was public. Those who were in a non-honors class were 25 percent less likely to sign up.
Why Students Avoid Academic Help
Many students will avoid enrolling in free SAT prep if the sign-up offer is public.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/12/why-students-avoid-academic-help/383311/
(via weareteachers)