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Modular Dissertation Pathways in Undergraduate Economics: A Case Study of Curriculum Innovation
Abstract: This paper presents a case study of curriculum innovation in undergraduate economics education at a UK Russell Group university. A modular dissertation structure was introduced to address uneven econometric preparation, rising supervision pressures, and increasingly diverse student interests. The redesigned framework separated dissertation activity into three interconnected modules: a shared research design module, a traditional empirical dissertation route, and a policy-oriented dissertation pathway with structured support. The initiative integrated thematic topic allocation, Stata training, digital scaffolding, drop-in support sessions, and oversight by a dedicated Director of Dissertations. Drawing on institutional data, student feedback, and reflective curriculum evaluation, the paper examines how the redesign improved student engagement, reduced supervision pressures, and strengthened inclusivity and employability outcomes. The study contributes to economics education literature by demonstrating how modular curriculum design and collaborative leadership can support sustainable dissertation delivery while preserving research-led learning in large undergraduate cohorts.
Academic performance, background and pre-existing quantitative skills of Economics starters: Mind the Gap! (with Dr Thomas Gall and Dr Emanuela Lotti) R&R IREE
Abstract: We investigate whether Economics starters differ in early academic performance by demographic group, such as gender, ethnic group or origin (home or overseas), and whether differences in existing skills before entering university can help explain differences in academic performance. Investigating these questions is relevant for addressing equality of opportunity, curriculum design and admission policies.
We use diagnostic tests combined with marks and demographic information from survey and administrative data for three cohorts of students with more than 1,000 observations. We identify sizable exam mark gaps between home and overseas students and different ethnic groups, but not by gender or socio-economic status, except for an advantage of state over private school educated students, and an advantage for men in Microeconomics among home students.
Using regression analysis reveals that controlling for pre-existing knowledge in the form of school and test results reduces or eliminates gaps in marks, except for the Microeconomics gender gap. Our results suggest that performance gaps are indeed linked to heterogeneity in existing quantitative knowledge. The link appears weaker for gaps between overseas and home students, and between ethnic groups, where our data suggest language barriers also contribute. Overall our results support targeted teaching interventions for university entrants.
Procrastination with flexible deadline extensions: Can it wait? with Dr Emanuela Lotti and Dr Jana Sadeh
Abstract: Procrastination, or the irrational delay of an intended course of action, is typically believed to be an undesirable trait which is associated with sub-optimal outcomes. In higher education this is mostly displayed in last minute work on coursework and dissertations resulting in a demand for deadline extensions. University policy only allows students to apply for extensions in ``exceptional circumstances outside of the student’s control, that may have a negative effect upon performance or ability to meet a deadline or to sit an examination". These typically include bereavement, serious short-term illness or significant adverse personal circumstances. The COVID pandemic resulted in a relaxation of conditions under which students were able to obtain an extension on their dissertation deadline, with a no-questions-asked policy for short-term extensions (up to 14 days). It removed the need to provide supporting evidence and included technical issues as a reason to request an extension. As a result of this relaxation, extension requests tripled in both years following the start of the pandemic.
Students whose reasons for requesting extensions comply with pre-COVID rules are likely to raise these reasons as justification for the request. The no-question asked policy presented an opportunity for procrastinators to also obtain extensions. This study looks at the impact of granting extensions on the performance of students on the dissertation module and on other, concurrently assessed, modules. We separate the analysis based on the length of the extension and analyse the impact of this relaxation in this policy.
From our analysis of the data, we find that students who receive longer extensions are associated with a lower performance in the dissertation itself and also in some of the other modules that are taking place concurrently. Controlling for programme of study, supervisor, dissertation topic and previous academic performance, the results persist.
Forward Feedback: A Randomised Control Trial on a Dissertation Module with Dr Emanuela Lotti and Dr Jana Sadeh
Procrastination has been steadily linked to poorer academic performance (Han et al. (2019), Steel (2007), Kim & Seo (2015)). Ferrari & Scher (2000) identify that procrastination is more likely to occur with tasks that are more effortful and those that generate more anxiety. This effect is stronger, the larger the distance between the present date and the deadline. This is the reason that ECON3036 dissertation is a very good candidate for research, since it is a long project that starts at the beginning of the semester and ends very close to semester 1 exams. Van Eerde (2003) make an argument that a better measure for observed delays in submission may actually be self-discipline rather than procrastination. Both these traits are strongly linked with intertemporal preferences and discounting behaviour (Shamosh & Gray (2008)).
Given the literature on this topic, the frequency of extensions provides some insight on students’ tendency to procrastinate. Some students have a propensity to delay working on coursework, despite potential negative consequences. This can be measured by eliciting students’ time and risk preference.
From an educational point of view, the design of a forward-feedback mechanism aimed at modifying the tendency of students to request extensions on coursework deadlines, provides a valuable project worth pursuing. An improvement in time management is, on its own, an important transferable skill worth developing in students. However, the main rationale for this project is to improve student engagement in long duration assessment, with the aim of improving their academic performance. The introduction of some stepping-stones in the assessment journey using a progress tracking system is one mechanism that we would like to explore and evaluate.
Continuous E-assessment and the Impact on Students' Engagement and Performance (work in progress) with Dr Daniel Cernin and Dr Emanuela Lotti
Abstract: Engagement in online materials available on Blackboard has been a critical issue especially during the pandemic, where face to face teaching flipped to synchronous or asynchronous teaching and blended learning. The aim of educators during the COVID period was to find innovative ways to engage students via blended learning. One tool for engaging students with the online materials is continuous e-assessment. Continuous e-assessment has many positive externalities on students’ performance and engagement. Holmes (2015 & 2018), among others found that introduction of e-assessments led to a significant increase in virtual learning environment activity. The question that arises is how successful continuous e-assessment on engaging students with the online materials (especially during the pandemic) was and whether this had any impact on students’ performance.
In this research we investigate the impact of continuous e-assessment on students’ engagement and performance. We focus on first year Maths for Economics module. In the first year of the pandemic, online tests were introduced in the module only as a method of engagement, where full marks were given upon completion of the tests (formative assessments). After the pandemic, online tests in these modules were used as a method of engagement and assessment (summative assessments). This set up allows us to test the impact of formative and summative e-assessments on students’ engagement with online materials and on their performance in their final exams. More specifically, we test whether weekly formative or summative e-assessments lead students to engage more with the online materials of each topic on Blackboard. We also test whether formative or summative e-assessments are associated with better performance in students’ final assessment and whether there are differences across gender, programme of study and fees status.
The Impact of Online Discussion Boards on Student's Performance
Abstract: Human capital has been found to be important for aggregate productivity, and large individual human capital losses are associated with job displacements. I investigate the role of involuntary job separations (since displacements have increased during the 2008 financial crisis) on the UK's productivity puzzle. By linking the "British Household Panel Survey'' with the "Understanding Society'' dataset I extract a unique dataset of worker's employment histories for the UK from 1990 to 2011, and observe the following results: displacements can explain on about the 24 percent of the post-crisis gap, if aggregate labour productivity had followed the path of past recessions. Furthermore, almost the 78 percent of this effect can be explained by the drop in wages of high educated workers and the rest 22 percent by the drop in wages of low educated workers (JEL Classification: J24, J31, J63, E24).
Presented in: the "Royal Economic Society Conference 2016 (University of Sussex)'', the "40 Symposium of the Spanish Economic Association (SAEe 2015)'' winning the "Grant: Fundacion Ramon Areces for SAEe Symposium 2015 Girona", the "14th Conference on Research on Economic Theory and Econometrics (C.R.E.T.E. 2015)'', and the "2015 Understanding Society Scientific Conference''.
Abstract: I exploit household data to estimate the magnitude and the temporal pattern of displaced workers earnings for the UK economy. By using the "British Household Panel Survey" from 1990 to 2011, I observe the effect of wage cuts and hours of working decreases on earnings losses after a job separation. I introduce a decomposition of earnings in aggregate level and I find that earning losses after a job displacement are mainly driven by cuts in wages (80%-90%) and not by decrease in hours of working. From the empirical estimations I get the following results: Earnings losses for workers who were employed after a displacement, are 8 percent in the short run and 5 percent in the long run. If I consider also unemployed and inactive, the drop is larger to 30 percent in the short run and 20 percent in the long run (JEL Classification: J31, J32, J63).
Matching through different search channels and the role of referrals: The UK case.
Abstract: This paper empirically examines the worker's choice of using different search channels on finding a job for the UK economy. We focus on the UK's labour market where the use of referrals as a search channel is by 50% lower than that in the US. We estimate matching functions for 6 different channels and also introduce a new method in the literature which handles better possible endogeneity issues. By using the "Quarterly Labour Force Survey" and the "Vacancy Survey" datasets the results show that the most efficient channel are referrals and the second most efficient one are job advertisements. The channel with the lower efficiency is jobcenter, jobmarket or training and employment agency office (JEL Classification: J0).
Job Finding Rates and Formal and Informal Search Channels, with Prof Manolis Galenianos and Dr Alessandro Mennuni
Migrants' Impact on Aggregate UK's Labour Productivity, with Prof Jackie Wabba and Dr Alessandro Mennuni
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