The effects of class attendance on academic performance: Evidence from synchronous courses during Covid-19 at a Chinese research university

Wei Ha, Liping Ma, Yulian Cao, Qinxue Feng and Shangcong Bu

International Journal of Educational Development, 2024, vol. 104, issue C

Abstract: Using 13,584 observations of 4772 undergraduate students enrolled in 523 online classes offered synchronously at a research university in China, and using online-learning platform data and administrative data, this paper examines the impacts of class attendance on academic performance. Based on student-level and course-level fixed effects models with a unique set of student-course level control variables, this paper finds class attendance to have a significantly positive impact on academic performance. This effect is larger for low-performing students and smaller for students in courses with larger class sizes. The above findings survive a number of robustness checks, including a bounding technique, restricting sample to compulsory courses and limiting variation in attendance caused by whole day absence.

Keywords: Online education; Synchronous courses; Class attendance; Academic performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:injoed:v:104:y:2024:i:c:s0738059323002286

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102952

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