Nurturing Childhood Curiosity to Enhance Learning: Evidence from a Randomized Pedagogical Intervention

Sule Alan and Ipek Mumcu

American Economic Review, 2024, vol. 114, issue 4, 1173-1210

Abstract: We evaluate a pedagogical intervention aimed at improving learning in elementary school children by fostering their curiosity. We test the effectiveness of the pedagogy using achievement scores and a novel measure of curiosity. The latter involves creating a sense of information deprivation and quantifying the urge to acquire information and retention ability. The intervention increases curiosity, knowledge retention, and science test scores, with the effects persisting into middle school years. It also leads to more information sharing and peer learning in the classroom. The evidence can help design better pedagogical tools to increase pupil engagement and the quality of learning.

JEL-codes: D83 I21 I26 J13 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1257/aer.20230084

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