Nudging Students to Success: Investigating the Impact of Educational Nudges on Student Engagement and Outcomes

Student engagement is a key predictor of academic achievement and retention in higher education. This study investigated the impact of personalised behavioural nudges, delivered through structured phone calls and supported by personalised email/Microsoft Teams messaging, on student engagement with a Learning Management System (LMS) and academic outcomes among 192 at-risk STEM undergraduates identified by initial low LMS activity. Students received up to five phone call nudges from an academic buddy, weekly, over an eight-week period, coupled with personalised email/MS Teams follow-ups, designed to provide informational and relational support. Results showed a significant improvement in LMS engagement (p < 0.01) among students who responded to at least one phone call nudge compared to non-responders. Although LMS engagement was not significantly associated with module outcomes within the sample, academic outcomes, measured by module results, improved for students who engaged with the nudges; improvements were statistically significant for those who responded to two, three, and five phone call nudges (p < 0.05) compared to non-responders, with the highest gains observed in the five (highest nr. nudges) response group. Content analysis of student feedback highlighted four themes: Valuing Supportive Journeying with an Academic Buddy, Improved Academic Engagement, Motivation Triggered by Intervention, and wider Challenges. Findings suggest that while an initial personalised telephone call can enhance student engagement with their studies, achieving measurable academic success requires sustained intervention. This study underscores the value of relationally grounded nudges in promoting success among at-risk students.