Increasing Student Engagement in Quantitative Public Health Coursework Through Tailored Nudges: Results from a Randomized Trial

Abstract Student engagement predicts favorable educational outcomes. Nudges are increasingly applied to higher education contexts to promote engagement. A randomized study in a large quantitative analysis public health course deployed nudges catered to students’ intrinsic motivations. Participants ( n = 127) self-selected into motivation groups (Learners [ n = 46], Doers [ n = 48], or Performers [ n = 33]); half were randomized to receive four nudges tailored to their motivation group. Intent-to-treat and as-treated bivariate and multivariable regressions assessed differences between intervention and control, overall and stratified by motivation group. Online course content engagement was low. In as-treated bivariate analyses comparing all nudged students to those not exposed to a nudge, engagement improved for 3 outcomes (watching videos, reviewing midterm/homework solutions), but not attendance. Self-identified Performers showed the most response: in as-treated analyses, nudged vs. not-nudged Performers watched significantly more videos (6.4 vs. 0.1, p < 0.001). Nudges tapping into students' deeper learning motivations show promise for increasing engagement, especially among extrinsically-motivated students.