CInSt research seminar "Peer Effects in the Classroom: Evidence from a Natural Experiment"

How does the average academic achievement of peers affect the students own performance?
Highlights of the CInSt research seminar by Bernardo Pincheira.

“The magnitude 8.8 earthquake occurred on 27 February 2010 (the 5th largest earthquake ever recorded). 4635 schools damaged (more than 50% of total schools in the country). Students displaced move into other schools. So there is a natural experiment that Bernardo analyses.

Peer effects of students statistically significantly differ from zero in both primary and secondary education. In primary education students of middle ability seem to benefit less from their peers than students of low ability. Students near the median performance in their group may be affected differently by their peers compare to the low and high performers. Results do not differ greatly between between subjects (Spanish and Math).

Putting in one class the bottom 20% of students with the top 30% may increase marginally average performance by improving scores of low performers (not necessary).”

Full paper